As MBA applications rise nationwide, MSU Denver’s program draws a record number of students
The University has taken steps to make the graduate degree more accessible, and students are taking notice.
MBA applications are surging nationwide, according to a recent report from the Graduate Management Admission Council, as more professionals seek to enhance their skills and career prospects in an evolving job market. Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Master of Business Administration program is experiencing this growth firsthand, enrolling 43% more students this past fall compared with the previous fall.
Since launching in 2017, the program has expanded enrollment by 289%, thanks largely to adjusted admissions policies that remove barriers and strengthened connections to Denver businesses, said Ethan Waples, Ph.D., associate dean and director of the MBA program.
“We are looking for people who want to achieve excellence among a diverse peer group,” Waples said. “At MSU Denver, that excellence happens in the classroom.”
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For Erica Worley, who will graduate in May, the flexible classroom format — hybrid, asynchronous and evening class options — was a major selling point. “I go in person when I need more collaboration, but I love that I can do asynchronous or SyncFlex (live virtual classes) classes when life gets busy,” Worley said.
With a background in biology and psychology, she hadn’t planned on a career in business — until she took on accounts-payable responsibilities at her job in a research lab. Worley will graduate in May with an MBA with concentration in Accounting and a job waiting for her at the brokerage Charles Schwab.
The program has attracted a diverse mix of professionals, including midcareer-changers, recent graduates and working parents, Waples said. The average student is 33 years old, and nearly 30% of MSU Denver’s MBA students are first-generation college graduates.
Jamie McClintock decided to enroll in the program for its potential to help with career development. As a professional in sports broadcasting, he was initially unsure of whether an MBA was the right move. But after researching programs, he found MSU Denver’s flexibility and affordability to be the best fit.
“Every lesson, case study and assignment applies directly to my job,” McClintock said. “It’s made me more confident in my decision-making at work.”
MSU Denver has taken significant steps to make the MBA more accessible. In 2023, the program expanded pathways for Graduate Management Admission Test waiver usage, recognizing that standardized-test scores weren’t always the best predictor of success. Instead, applicants with strong undergraduate GPAs and work experience can qualify for admission without additional hurdles.
This approach has helped attract students such as Kenny Liem, who started his MBA journey before the pandemic but delayed completing it due to life and career changes. Now in his final semester, he appreciates the program’s real-world approach and the opportunity to study alongside peers from diverse backgrounds.
“The professors have practical knowledge — they’re not just academics; they’re working professionals,” Liem said. “That makes a big difference in how we learn and apply what we’re studying.”
