PMBA students are typically already professionals in their field and are returning to school for many reasons, some of which include:

1. They see that the demands of their career field require an advanced degree.

2. They have always had the goal of earning an MBA.

3. They want to make a career change and the MBA can help reposition them in their next field.

4. They need the MBA for the next promotion they seek.

5. They hope to teach at the college level one day and need an AACSB accredited business
    degree to reach that dream.

Whatever the reason, our PMBA students are diverse yet share several characteristics: they are determined, committed, and busy professionals who see the RU MBA as the tool they need to reach their goals. They are generally working full-time in addition to their evening coursework. As a result, the classroom discussions are rich with the experiences of our students (who average 7+ years of work experience) as well as our faculty.

Our students frequently mention that the reason they chose the PMBA at RU is for:

· Convenience --Classes meet in the evenings at locations in Roanoke and Radford.

· Value – No other AACSB-accredited MBA program in Virginia is a better value.

· Flexibility – PMBA student can tailor their MBA through electives that meet their individual
                            professional needs

There is one more reason -- the faculty. Our PMBA students cite the face-to-face contact with our faculty as a key factor in choosing the RU MBA program. Our graduate faculty have excellent professional credentials, and they bring this experience into the classroom and merge the academic with the real-time work environment of our students infusing the curriculum with relevance.

Our PMBA students are changing the way the region does business…and they are doing it while they earn the degree, not just when they finish.