Like beignets and Dixieland jazz music, some business school opportunities are only available in New Orleans. That’s because Tulane University offers a combination of hands-on learning and strategically crafted course programs that are as unique as the city’s one-of-a-kind character.
These five new graduate degree offerings from the highly ranked A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane prepare students for tomorrow’s careers in accounting (MACCT), business administration (MBA), business analytics (MANA), finance (MFIN), and management of energy (MME).
Best of all, international students enrolled in any of the new master’s programs are eligible for an optional practical training (OPT) F-1 visa extension.
“The MFIN program at Tulane is a STEM-based program, which is very important. It gives us more opportunities and more time to study and work in the United States,” said Yimeng, a finance PhD student from Liaoning, China.
Keep reading to learn more about Tulane, the Freeman School, and the five new and innovative graduate-level business courses available to international students.
Is Tulane a Good Business School?
Not only is Tulane’s Freeman School ranked among the top 70 business schools in the United States, but its program continues to improve and get noticed. In 2024, the full-time MBA program that’s now STEM-designated and available to international students jumped in ranking from 81 to 62.
“When I was deciding where to study internationally, the Freeman School of Business at Tulane stood out,” said Yinghong, a MANA graduate student from Henan, China. “I saw that the MANA program wasn’t just about textbooks and lectures. It was about engaging with real-world problems, collaborating with peers, and embracing diverse perspectives.”
Experiential Learning at the A.B. Freeman School
The Freeman School is committed to experiential learning and to providing interdisciplinary programming that prepares students for tomorrow’s business challenges. The new $5M Schwartz Family Center for Experiential Business Learning will give students hands-on experiences in a wide range of real-world scenarios.
“Studying at Freeman allowed me to collaborate and also to network,” said Juwon, an MBA student from Nigeria. “In my class, there are several students with different experiences and backgrounds, which is also going to help me in the business world after my graduation.”
Career Resources for International Business School Students at Tulane
The Freeman School has a dedicated Career Management Center that connects students with career consultants, alums, and prospective employers. Programs at Freeman are selective and feature small, collaborative classes with unparalleled access to professors and instructors.
“At the center, we have a lot of resources for international students seeking jobs in the US,” said Madeline Kawanaka, assistant director of career management. “We are very adept at helping them navigate business norms and learning how to network here.”
Let’s take a closer look at the new STEM-designated master’s courses and programs available at Tulane University.
Master of Accounting
Students from a variety of quantitative backgrounds apply to the MACCT program at Tulane University in preparation for the US national Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. Tulane’s program also offers an accounting specialization — in taxation, for example — which separates its graduates from those of other programs.
Students enrolled in the master of accounting program at Tulane’s Freeman Business School must complete seven core courses for 18 credit hours. With the remaining 12 required credits for the degree, MACCT students choose electives that determine their specialization.
The best thing is over here, we have practical learning experiences — it’s not just theoretical. That’s the best part of everything. Freeman has helped us inculcate all our learning into practical world applications.” - Sobin, India, MACCT program
Master of Business Administration
MBA students at Tulane are always pursuing career-building experiences. They can take signature programs such as the two-semester Student Venture Accelerator course at the Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Students can also work with an actual enterprise to solve complex business problems as part of the Consulting Practicum. Last summer, 100% of the class of 2024 was either employed or engaged in an internship somewhere in the US.
Students enrolled in the full-time MBA program at Freeman learn to lead tomorrow’s businesses and deal with the unknown. Departmental leaders recently redesigned the curriculum to give students strategies and skill sets that help them deal with disruption and unpredictability.
“Our professors want to see us succeed. They knew our names on the first day of classes, and when they walked in, they addressed us and knew our background and what we wanted to do in life,” said Shreya, an MBA student from India. “That showed me how invested they are in our career and our professional growth.”
Master of Business Analytics
Students enrolled in the one-year business analytics master’s degree program at Tulane get hands-on experience working with real businesses in and around New Orleans. Students are exposed to the latest innovations in the analytics field through their professors and their research projects. The master of business analytics degree delivers a future-proof, sought-after skill set that’s applicable to several industries.
Business analytics at Freeman is a nontraditional, project-based program with a curriculum that includes industry experience with one of several program partners. Students complete 30 credits in two or three semesters. In addition to the experiential learning opportunities, MANA courses cover skill-based subjects such as visualization through Tableau, data exploration through SQL, predictive modeling®, and deep learning (Python).
I was assigned to Riley Food Company [for the business analytics project] and started a semester-long internship. It’s a good opportunity to bridge the gap between academia and the industry. Freeman helped me develop a forward-thinking and innovative mindset.” - Shiqi from Liaoning, China, MANA program
Master of Finance
Students studying in the master of finance program at Tulane have access to unique coursework unavailable at other universities in the United States. These opportunities include:
Access to the nation’s first university-sponsored securities analysis course, the Burkenroad Reports
Experience managing one of three investment portfolios equaling $5.8 million through the Darwin Fenner Student Managed Fund course
An intensive introduction to nontraditional investment opportunities other programs pass over, such as hedge funds and distressed debt, through the finance department’s Selber Courses
The grad school finance program is spread over two or three semesters and requires 30 credits to graduate.
“It’s not the case that people studying finance need to work in the financial industry,” said Lei, master of finance, 2018. “I got a master’s degree in financial management and now I am involved with the management of a wine industry association. I help wineries find their own promotional channels, which requires a lot of financial knowledge. My studies have enabled me to be competent for this job and made me more confident about my future.”
Master of Management in Energy
Students studying in the graduate-level management of energy program will get to work at the Freeman’s Trading Center, located within the Tulane Energy Institute. The MME program focuses on the business of energy. Students develop the skill sets for energy-centric careers in finance, risk management, and trading and work for consulting firms, utilities, trading organizations, and banks.
The two- to three-semester MME program is taught by industry leaders, renowned professors, and faculty members at the forefront of energy management research.
“I have an undergrad [degree] in mechanical engineering and when I went back home to the Seychelles, I started working with the utility company,” said Kalsey, an MBA student with an energy concentration. “The Seychelles is in the midst of transitioning their energy generation, so I got involved in a solar energy farm that we were creating. With that, I realized I wanted to be at the forefront of this energy transition.”
Career Opportunities in New Orleans
From crawfish to French colonial architecture, New Orleans is a city unlike any other in the United States. But beyond the thriving and vibrant culture, New Orleans — and Tulane University — offer hands-on learning opportunities that distinguish students after graduation. More opportunities, and with master’s degrees that are eligible for STEM-based F-1 visa extensions, students get more time, too.
“Being an international student, initially I thought this would be really difficult for me to get adjusted, because back in India, everything is different,” said Sobin. “But when I came here, I realized that everybody is so friendly. This is like my second home. I traveled across 9,000 plus miles to this place to get my master’s in accounting and soon I’ll be a proud alum of the Freeman School.”