Fuqua School of Business

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Updated September 27, 2021
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Doretha Clemons, Ph.D., MBA, PMP, has been a corporate IT executive and professor for 34 years. She is an adjunct professor at Connecticut State Colleges & Universities, Maryville University, and Indiana Wesleyan University. She is a Real Estate Investor and principal at Bruised Reed Housing Real Estate Trust, and a State of Connecticut Home Improvement License holder.
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Fuqua School of Business

Investopedia / Ryan Oakley

What Is Fuqua School of Business?

Fuqua School of Business is a graduate business school located at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Founded in 1969, its Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is regularly ranked among the top 15 programs in the world. In 2019, The Economist rated it as the world’s ninth-best MBA program.

Key Takeaways

  • Fuqua School of Business is a graduate business school based out of Duke University.
  • Its MBA program is considered one of the finest in the world.
  • Its alumni network includes many prominent members, including Tim Cook, the current CEO of Apple (AAPL).

How Fuqua School of Business Works

Fuqua School of Business owes its name to John Brooks Fuqua, an American businessman and philanthropist. Raised on a tobacco farm in rural Virginia, he educated himself by regularly requesting books from the Duke University Library, which the university mailed to his home. In 1953, Fuqua showed his gratitude by making a $10 million donation to the university. By the time he died in 2006, he had given the school almost $40 million in combined lifetime donations.

Today, Fuqua School of Business is known for its internationally renowned MBA program, as well as for its joint degree programs. These special programs are offered in collaboration with affiliated institutions such as the Duke University School of Law, the Sanford School of Public Policy, and the Duke University School of Medicine.

Important

Fuqua School of Business has an alumni network over 25,000 strong. Among them are many prominent members, including Tim Cook, CEO of Apple (AAPL); Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and Michael Lamach, CEO of Ingersoll Rand.

Located next to the main campus of Duke University, the business school occupies several buildings, including Breeden Hall, Thomas F. Keller Center, Wesley Alexander Magat Academic Center, and the Lafe P. and Rita D. Fox Student Center.

Real World Example of Fuqua School of Business

The full-time MBA program at the Fuqua School of Business has an annual tuition cost of $70,000, and an acceptance rate of just over 20%. Historically, qualifying students have applied with GMAT scores of just over 700, and GPAs ranging between 3.07 and 3.86 on a four-point scale.

Upon graduation, the school’s MBA recipients earned an average starting salary of $136,000 in 2019, along with an average signing bonus of $30,000. In 2019, 97% of graduates received their offers within 3 months of graduation.

Consulting and technology companies have been prominent employers of Fuqua School of Business MBAs in recent years, with McKinsey & Company, Amazon (AMZN), and Microsoft (MSFT) being leading examples.

Article Sources
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  1. The Economist. "MBA Rankings." Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  2. Duke Fuqua School of Business. "Duke Benefactor J.B. Fuqua Dies." Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  3. Fuqua School of Business. "Career Development." Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  4. Apple. "Tim Cook." Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  5. Duke University. "My Giving Story: Melinda Gates." Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  6. LinkedIn. "Michael Lamach." Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  7. Duke Fuqua School of Business. "Class Profile." Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  8. Duke Fuqua School of Business. "Duke MBA Employment Report 2018-2019," Page 2. Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  9. Duke Fuqua School of Business. "A Record Year for Hiring at Fuqua." Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

  10. Duke Fuqua School of Business. "Duke MBA Employment Report 2018-2019," Page 1. Accessed Dec. 28, 2020.

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