UHD’s MBA Program Ranked Region’s Largest by Houston Business Journal
Marilyn Davies College of Business Tops List for Sixth Straight Year
By Mark Kramer
The Houston Business Journal (HBJ) has named the University of Houston-Downtown Master of Business Administration (MBA) program as the region’s largest for the sixth consecutive year.
Topping HBJ's list every year since 2015, the program has grown tremendously since it launched in 2012 with a cohort of 20 students and is now the largest MBA offering of its kind in the state. According to HBJ’s report, 981 students were enrolled in MBA courses at UHD as of May 2020.
Dr. Charles Gengler, Dean of Marilyn Davies College of Business, said that MBA online courses are team-taught by industry professionals and UHD professors, making it attractive to students. Additonally, students also have access to resources such as the Davies College Career Center, which provides virtual seminars and networking with other professors and potential employers.
“Our program’s success is due to the dedication of our faculty and staff,” Gengler noted. “They are guided by the principle of delivering value to our students through practical education based on leading academic thought guided by industry.”
He also credits Associate Dean for Graduate Studies Dr. Kevin Barksdale for his leadership of the MBA program. “Dr. Barksdale has been a tireless champion of the program over the last five years, and a great part of the success should be attributed to his constant devotion to student success,” Gengler said.
UHD’s MBA offers a variety of corporate designed concentration programs, which can be tailored to students’ busy schedules. One alumna that benefitted from the MBA program is Angel Hernandez-DeLeon, Vice President of Human Resources & Building Operations at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
After earning a bachelor's degree in management, she was inspired to continue her studies in the MBA program. Hernandez-DeLeon remained busy as a mother, wife and professional, but she found an overwhelming support system from the Davies College of Business.
"The structure of the classes and the program allows you to maximize what you get out of it,” Hernandez-DeLeon told UHD News. “You come out of the program with a professional network and new skills. It gives you an edge and helps you go above and beyond to reach your goals.”
For more information on the UHD MBA, visit the website.
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.
