Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, based in Los Angeles, was founded in 1920 as the College of Commerce and Business Education. It took its present name ten years ago after receiving a large donation from alumnus Gordon Marshall. Its accounting, finance and entrepreneurship offerings are particularly well regarded; its location means that it also has strong connections with the media and entertainment.

Vital statistics. The two-year full-time MBA course receives hundreds of applications each year; 29 per cent of applications to join the class graduating in 2009 were accepted. Most GMAT scores are between 640 and 740, with the average 690. The average student is 28 with five years’ work experience. First-year students study a range of core subjects, including management accounting, leadership development and corporate finance. The second year is tailored from a number of electives that allow students to specialise in areas such as entrepreneurship, marketing or the business of creative industries. Electives include internships and field projects dealing with business problems at real companies. The course costs $37,158 (£18,235) a year.

Rankings. Marshall is ranked 41st in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Which MBA? guide 2007, 37th in ft.com’s global MBA rankings 2007 and 21st in BusinessWeek’s 2007 list of top business schools.

International experience. Every student must undertake an international travel and study project to complete the MBA. Marshall runs a number of courses about doing business in the Pacific Rim and Latin America. Students can undertake group projects focusing on issues in a business or industry in one of the regions and follow up with a field trip and site visits.

Application deadline: international students who wish to apply for a fellowship are advised to apply by January 15, 2008; see website for all other deadlines.

Sources: www.marshall.usc.edu; mba.eiu.com; ft.com/businesseducation/mba

Next week: Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School in Belgium and Russia