Columbia's curriculum unites academic research with real-world practice in order to give students foundational knowledge and specialized business skills. The curriculum is designed to emphasize big picture skills, raise awareness of issues surrounding business ethics and create an entrepreneurial mindset.

Columbia's core MBA curriculum represents approximately 40% of the MBA degree requirement. Exemption exams are offered before the beginning of each semester, giving students who are well-versed in a given subject area the chance to replace a core course with an elective.

Columbia Business School students can take electives starting in the second term. Columbia Business School offers over 200 electives. In addition, students can take graduate-level courses offered across Columbia. While students can choose their own electives, Columbia also has a list of recommended courses for common career paths.

Of the 751 MBA students in entering Columbia in 2011, 35% are women, 35% are US minorities and 38% are international students. The average Columbia Business School is 28 years old with 5 years of work experience, a 3.5 undergraduate GPA and a GMAT score of 716. Most Columbia Business School MBA students were undergraduate majors in either social sciences (35%) or business (29%).

Half of 2011 Columbia MBA graduates work in the finance industry, followed by consulting (22%). Top employers include:

• Amazon
• American Express
• Bank of America/Merill Lynch
• Bloomingdale's
• Citi
• General Motors
• Google
• L'Oreal
• UBS
• Unilever
• Goldman Sachs
• JP Morgan Chase & Co.