University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business: A Tradition of Excellence and Ethical Leadership

The Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame has a rich history and a strong reputation for providing an excellent business education rooted in ethics and values. Located on the University’s 1,200-acre campus in South Bend, Indiana, the college empowers students to become bold, ethical leaders committed to driving meaningful impact in their careers, organizations, and communities. With a focus on both personal and business growth, Mendoza aims to "Grow the Good in Business." The region boasts a population of more than 300,000, offering outdoor activities, and extensive options for food and drinks. National Lakeshore, and more. Detroit are all within a few hours’ drive of campus. professionals. two international airports. Notre Dame are taught in English. backgrounds and come from numerous countries around the world.

A History of Business Education at Notre Dame

The Mendoza College of Business was founded in 1921 by Rev. John Francis O'Hara, though the roots of business education at Notre Dame stretch back further. Business and commerce classes had been taught at Notre Dame since its foundation, with a Mercantile Department established as early as 1853. However, the teaching of business remained fragmented for many years. A Department of Commerce was established within the College of Arts and Letters in 1913, offering a Bachelor of Philosophy in Commerce.

The real beginning of the school was on April 20, 1921, when the department was removed from the College of Arts and Letters and became the separate College of Commerce. The first dean of the college was John Francis O'Hara (who later became the president of the University and a Cardinal). O'Hara, who had spearheaded the new foreign commerce program, was inspired by his knowledge of business. He had studied at Wharton and of the history and culture Latin America (where he had lived following his ambassador father). He hoped to place Notre Dame and its graduates in the burgeoning trade and growing economic power between North and South America. In 1921, the college had about 400 students and 13 faculty. Under O'Hara's leadership, the school soon offered 85 classes in 5 departments (accounting, marketing, transportation, finance, and foreign trade) and his efforts, together with a societal trend towards valuing business education to obtain a job, made the college tie the College of Arts and Letters as the highest enrollment in 1922 with over 500 students. Despite criticism that the college's education was becoming too commercialized and vocational, O'Hara maintained a liberal arts theme in the business courses and retained language, philosophy, political science, and history classes.

James E. McCarthy succeeded O'Hara as dean in 1924, holding the position until 1955. During his tenure, the college rose greatly in prominence and visibility, hugely increased the number and quality of courses, and became the university's largest academic division, increasing from 500 to 1500 students. In 1933, Chicago businessman Edward N. Hurley donated $200,000 for a new building for the college, which was named Hurley Hall.

In 1954, the school opened it first masters program, tailored to men and women from religious orders. The masters evolved to become the Masters in nonprofit administration. In 1962, the school's name changed to become the College of Business Administration and was also accredited by the AACSB. In 1967, the school started its MBS program with a class of 50 men from 17 states and 3 foreign countries; 1970 saw the enrollment of the first women in the program. In 1999, the new and current building was completed. Located just southwest of the Notre Dame Stadium, it was designed following a nautical motif and nicknamed "the ship of commerce". executives, Tom and Kathy Mendoza. In 2006, Notre Dame bought the Santa Fe building in Chicago and relocated the Executive MBA, MS in Finance, and MS in Business Analytics programs. In 2007, the college was one of the first signatories of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME).

Rankings and Recognition

The Mendoza College of Business consistently receives high rankings from various publications, reflecting the quality of its programs and the commitment of its faculty.

In 2010, Mendoza was ranked as No. 1 for undergraduate business by Bloomberg Businessweek, the first of five consecutive years. In 2016, Mendoza's undergraduate business program was ranked No. 2 by Bloomberg Businessweek. Mendoza's undergraduate business program was ranked No. News in 2016. In the 2017 edition, Mendoza no longer appears among the top 10. However, in 2017, Poets and Quants ranked Mendoza's undergraduate business program at No.

MBA programs include No. 22 by Forbes, #34 in 2023 by Bloomberg BusinessWeek and No. News & World Report. In global rankings, the Mendoza MBA was ranked No. 40 by The Economist and No. 80 by Financial Times. Its Executive MBA program was ranked No. For 2025, it ranked No. Of the three methodological categories, they placed best in Admissions, landing at No. 9 out of 104 ranked programs. For the fall 2024 incoming class, Mendoza had an 11% acceptance rate, making it the 12th most selective program on our ranking.

The advantage of Notre Dame is the respect and recognition received from around the world. Being ranked among the world's best in business education conveys the quality of our programs and the commitment our faculty share in being the best in their field.

The Notre Dame MBA Program

The Notre Dame MBA is a full-time, two-year program designed with flexibility and customization at its core. With customizable coursework, hands-on projects, and guidance from industry-savvy faculty, students are prepared to lead with confidence and purpose. The curriculum provides a balanced mastery of all functional areas of business-finance, accounting, marketing and management. Signature courses in Problem-Solving and Innovation gives students the tools to diagnose problems, understand the critical issues and frame innovative solutions. Further, students are exposed to the complexities of global business through a series of engagements with leaders worldwide. Immersions in Asia, Latin America and Europe provide opportunities to experience other cultures first-hand.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

The Notre Dame MBAMendoza places an emphasis on providing an excellent business education that puts priority on ethics and values. MBA students learn leadership skills so that they can solve some of the toughest problems in business, and do so with a consciousness of how their actions impact the larger community.

Mendoza currently offers nine concentrations: business analytics, business leadership, corporate finance, digital marketing & marketing analytics, innovation & entrepreneurship, investments, marketing, strategy, supply chain & operations management.

Experiential Learning

Mendoza’s experiential learning opportunities take students beyond the classroom. At Mendoza, learning goes beyond theory. Some of the popular experiential learning opportunities include Applied Investment Management, which gives students the opportunity to invest live funds from the Notre Dame endowment, and service-learning experiences through the Meyer Business on the Frontlines Program. In addition to a required internship for two-year MBAs, all students have opportunities to engage in off-campus study programs in Silicon Valley or Chile in a seven-week immersion into the local community along with direct insight from active industry practitioners in the tech industry and international business industry.

The Powerful Means Initiative (PMI) serves as the umbrella for Mendoza’s hands-on learning programs, including the Impact Consulting minor, the Innovation for Impact Club, and an emerging Impact Investment Fund and Incubator.

Career Development

Career Development is a priority. Graduates launch careers at top firms including EY, Guggenheim, Graham Allen Partners, JPMorgan Chase, PwC, and more. 97.3% of 2024 grads secured a job within three months, down a smidge from the 97.98% for 2023 grads.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

A Purpose-Driven Community

Joining the Notre Dame MBA means becoming part of a mission-driven, close-knit community that values collaboration, integrity, and impact. One of the hallmarks of a Notre Dame MBA occurs once you graduate. “Having been part of the Notre Dame MBA family as a student, alumnus and administrator, there are many elements of the program and the experience that are special to me,” says Joe Sweeney, academic director of the MBA Programs. “One of the most important aspects is that Notre Dame is a place for people who want to be part of something larger than themselves.

Undergraduate Program

As a business school within a Catholic university, Mendoza College of Business shapes its undergraduate curriculum around the guiding principle of “Grow the Good in Business.” This vision challenges students to contribute to human flourishing, cooperate in solidarity, and compete in the spirit of excellence. Its business program is at once student-oriented, integrated, and innovative. Recent updates to its curriculum provide greater flexibility and expanded options, allowing students to tailor their academic journeys. With increased opportunities to pursue secondary disciplines, students can explore their interests more deeply while building a strong foundation in fundamental business principles.

Mendoza’s integrated curriculum stands out for its emphasis on both analytical excellence and ethical decision-making, with a strong foundation in Catholic social teaching. In 2022, Mendoza introduced the most significant changes to its core curriculum in over 15 years, allowing students to better tailor their coursework to their academic and career goals. The recently approved double major option allows students to pursue two business disciplines without extending their time to graduation. Examples include its STEM-designated Business and Computer Science (CSBA) double major, a collaboration with the College of Engineering, equipping students with a rigorous foundation in both fields.

Mendoza’s signature undergraduate course is called “Foresight in Business and Society,” a required course for all junior-level students at Mendoza. The capstone course is designed to give students a view into the real-world and features guest lecturers, use of alternative class space and activities, a mentorship program, class discussions, and teaching by a diverse team of instructors. The Mendoza undergraduate program offers a holistic education with a rich variety of classes in liberal arts, science, theology and other programs, and a foundation in ethical ideals.

Campus and Facilities

The Mendoza College of Business main building, located on DeBartolo Quad, was built in 1996 and designed by Ellerbe Becket. Its 196,986 square feet of space includes the 300-seat Jordan Auditorium, classrooms, offices, administration, and digital spaces. The Stayer Center for Executive Education, built between 2011 and 2013 and located immediately south of the main Mendoza building, hosts both the degree and non-degree programs aimed at the executive-level MBA students and corporate clients. The University’s 1,200-acre campus in South Bend, Indiana features iconic landmarks including the Golden Dome, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Hesburgh Library with the Word of Life Mosaic ( also known as “Touchdown Jesus”), the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, and directly across from Mendoza, Notre Dame Stadium.

A Notre Dame Education

A Notre Dame education is a rigorous one that prepares you for business with a balanced worldview. It develops you as a leader - true to your core values - with the moral courage to act with integrity. When you study business at Notre Dame, you don’t just learn more. You become more. You grow the good in business. Personal Growth. Business Growth.

Alumni Network

“Notre Dame’s alumni association (specifically as it pertains to their business school alumni) is widely known as one of the best in the world. The level of care Notre dame alumni take care of current Notre dame students and Notre dame alumni is to a level that is unmatched. “Cannot emphasize enough the Notre Dame Network and people’s willingness to take intro calls, connect students to employers, and assist in career guidance and networking.

tags: #University #of #Notre #Dame #Mendoza #College