Charleston Reporter

Bloomberg Businessweek recently recognized the College of Charleston School of Business MBA program for its success in enrolling women.

With 66% of its students being female, Charleston's one-year MBA program was ranked first by Bloomberg Businessweek Best B-Schools Diversity Index in the category of female diversity. 

The rankings occurred at a time when MBA programs across the country are having difficulty enrolling women, according to The College Today.

CofC Director of MBA and professional programs Ron Magnuson credited the program's ability to recruit female students to its policy of being open to students with a variety of undergraduate degrees instead of just business or related fields.

"We don’t scare away students who have an undergraduate degree that may not be quantitative or in business," Magnuson told The College Today. "We work to be more inclusive in terms of our applicants’ backgrounds and welcome those with nonbusiness degrees or no relevant work experience."

According to the index, fewer than 40% of students at the 84 nationally ranked MBA programs are women, and only five MBA programs had an 50/50 ratio between male and female students or greater. 

Women made up one-third or fewer of the student bodies of 27 MBA programs on the list.