3 Continents, 2 Masters, 1 Amazing Year: UVA MS in Global Commerce

IV with Cyndy Huddleston

Three continents. Two master’s degrees. One amazing year. That’s the program we’re going to explore today!

[0:45] Meet Dean Cyndy Huddleston, Associate Dean, Graduate Admissions & Corporate Relations at the McIntire School of Commerce at UVA. Dean Huddleston is an alumna of the College of William and Mary where she earned her bachelor’s degree as well as a Master’s in Education with a focus on Counseling and Higher Ed Administration. She worked in career services and other administrative capacities at several top schools in the DC area before arriving at UVA in 1999. Currently Dean Huddleston serves as the Associate Dean for Graduate Admissions and Corporate Relations. Welcome!

What is the MS in Global Commerce? [1:26]

It’s a new program launching in fall 2016. It is a deeply immersive one year global MS for recent business grads. Students will study at three schools (on three continents!): McIntire, ESADE in Barcelona, and Lingnan College (at Sun Yat-sen University) in Guangzhou, China. The student body will be international, too – 50-60 students drawn from the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Students will earn two master’s degrees: a degree in Global Commerce from McIntire, an MS in Global Strategic Management from ESADE, and a certificate in International Management from Lingnan.

How the program came into being [4:00]

McIntire has been integrating global concepts in other programs – for example, its MS in Commerce includes a 1-month global immersion. This international orientation was attractive for recruiters – it’s increasingly critical for employees to be able to work across cultures. They wanted to provide this deep training by creating partnerships.

For whom is the MS in Global Commerce? [5:30]

The program is targeted at students who have undergrad training in business/management

What will students learn? [5:55]

At McIntire: global strategy, cross cultural management and communication. At Lingan, finance and operations. At ESADE, innovation, corporate social responsibility, and entrepreneurship. At each university, there’s also a focus on “doing business in X” (China, EU, US).

What are they looking for in applicants? [8:55]

Strong academics, leadership skills. Also, students who will thrive in an international/cross cultural environment: people who are resilient, adaptable, and open to working with people from different backgrounds.

They want applicants with under two years of work experience [9:37]

The application process [9:50]

All three schools are recruiting students. US students can apply through McIntire – students from outside the US can apply to one of the other campuses if they prefer. The required application materials are: test scores (GMAT/GRE, plus TOEFL/IELTS for non-native English speakers); academic transcripts; essays; letters of rec. If invited, an interview is the next step. The adcom members at McIntire are faculty; they review completed applications and make admissions recommendations. Counterparts at ESADE and Lingan also meet and make recommendations.

What does McIntire’s holistic admissions approach mean? [12:10]

They want to understand applicants’ story – not just the GPA. For example, they read transcripts to understand the context behind the numbers – trends, courses, etc. And that prompts interview questions that give applicants a chance to fill in the blanks. Ultimately, they want applicants to be successful and gain from the program – so they’re looking for people who are a good fit.

How has the first year process been? [14:30]

They’re about halfway through the application process, and already have a lot of inquiries from current juniors who are interested in the program.

Any opportunities for travel during the program? [15:25]

Yes! During the portion of the program in VA, there will be planned trips to DC. And in each location, there are locational visits to companies. Students will be in Lingnan during Chinese New Year, and we expect students will have the chance to visit with their Chinese classmates during the holiday.

The posted 4th round deadline is April 15, with a rolling deadline after that. Will applications be accepted after April 15? [16:45]

They’ll accept apps through May 15, and probably keep that as the final deadline going forward.

The first deadline for next year is Sept 15. Will it be a similar application process? [17:40]

Yes. The essay questions may change slightly – the new application will be posted in mid-July to give people a chance to prepare.

How did they choose the partner schools? [18:38]

McIntire has a track record of innovation (modular courses, team teaching, etc). So they were looking for a similar spirit of innovation in their partners – a commitment to excellence and innovation/collaboration.

Is there placement assistance? [20:40]

They’re working on ways to make sure students have easy access to counselors at all three schools. And time will be built into the calendar for travel to career fairs and interviews. They’ll also have access to the alumni networks.

What types of careers will graduates pursue? [22:50]

Leadership development, consulting, finance. Some students already have job offers and are taking a year before starting their jobs to do the course.

Is there a language requirement? Or is language instruction part of the curriculum? [23:55]

The language of instruction is English. But most admitted students are fluent in another language.

Advice to applicants [25:15]

Recruiters at McIntire are happy to talk to candidates and can provide advice and assistance – they’re a great resource.