Despite doubts about the worth of a master’s of business administration in the 1990s, applications to NIU’s program are up 20 percent from 1989.

“Job opportunities are not as good for every graduate as they were 10 years ago,” said Steve Hallam, Graduate Business Studies director. “There are more MBA’s on the market, but it’s still the most versatile degree I could imagine.”

MBA’s can find jobs in government, big and small businesses or go into business for themselves, Hallam said.

Applicants to NIU’s MBA program must acquire a minimum of 1,100 points from the sum of their undergraduate grade point average (multiplied by 200) and their Graduate Management Aptitude Test score, he said.

But a limited number of students with fewer points are admitted if they can demonstrate considerable work experience, he said. There are about 600 students in NIU’s MBA program, he said.

According to the NIU Career Planning and Placement Center’s Graduate Follow-up report for 1988-89, 80 percent of NIU MBA graduates responding to the survey had found full-time employment. That is equal to the percentage of all master’s degree recipients who responded they were employed full-time.

The salary range for NIU MBA graduates was from $25,000 to $75,000 with an average of $39,000, higher than the $36,242 average reported by the College Placement Council Inc. in July.

“We’ve done follow-up studies which show overwhelming support among (our) alums,” Hallam said.

The average age of NIU’s MBA student is 27. Many older students have returned to school hoping for promotions in their present jobs, he said.

NIU’s business department is considering how to teach students ethics, communication, leadership skills and a global business sense, he said.