Top Business Schools with the Highest Proportion of Female Faculty Members in 2021

International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8 March every year – and this year, TopMBA wants to celebrate the accomplishments of women in business from across industries and sectors.

Using QS data, we've taken a closer look at the business schools we've analysed as part of our MBA rankings to see which ones have the highest proportion of female faculty members.

Let's take a look at the top 10...

10) Audencia Business School

Audencia Business School’s one-year MBA programme is undertaken in Nantes, France with an optional study week in Italy. Students can also enjoy an optional internship anywhere in the world, as well as earn an online certificate with Boston University and Tecnológico de Monterrey.

With an average of 15-18 countries represented in a class of 30, students range in age from early 20s to late 40s, and there is equal representation of women (47 percent of students are female according to QS data). Audencia faculty members, instructors and guest speakers also represent a wide range of nationalities and backgrounds. Of the 137 permanent faculty members at Audencia, 63 are female.

7=) Lehigh University

Some standout elements of the one-year MBA programme at Lehigh University include: a dedicated mentoring team; the consulting practicum; capstone unifying experience; and a unique curriculum approach.

Applicants who have been admitted to Lehigh University’s 1-MBA programme and who are homeowners and whose current residence is greater than 100 miles from the campus may apply for attending classes via the ClassroomLIVE option.

Of the Class of 2021 profile the average age of students was 28, 45 percent of students were female, 36 percent were international, and 43 percent of students were from underrepresented groups.

The one-year MBA at Lehigh costs US$64,750 in tuition.

7=) Newcastle University Business School

Students on Newcastle University Business School’s MBA can enjoy a number of experiential learning opportunities including a one-week international study tour that includes lectures at partner business schools in Europe and visits to global businesses.

Or students can take part in the Transatlantic Virtual Case Competition whereby students work virtually across time zones and continents in collaboration with students from Boston University Questrom School of Business.

Newcastle offers the Advancing Women in Leadership Scholarship for the MBA programme.

7=) Brunel Business School

The Brunel MBA is a one-year degree programme.

There are three pathways MBA students can choose: General Management; Digital Innovation Management; and Healthcare Management.

Intakes are in January and September. Exams are in May and a dissertation period concludes the programme.

The average age of the current MBA intake is 34 and participants have an average of seven years' work experience.

The class sizes are between 25 and 35 students, allowing for an excellent learning atmosphere and individual attention.

In addition to core modules, students will be invited to join the Leadership Masterclass Series (LMS) – a series of workshops which develop personal and leadership skills, as well as helping to improve your performance as a manager.

MBA fees for all students for September 2021 and January 2022 are £24,270 – full-time (part-time students pay £12,135 per year).

6) Sobey Business School

Sobey Business School’s MBA offers students online prep modules in the summer before beginning the MBA programme. The MBA programme takes 16 months to complete – with 54 credit hours making up 18 courses and six electives.

Sobey offers five entrance awards, valued at $30,000 each. The business school scholarships are reserved for two students from Western Canada and the Territories, two students from Ontario and Quebec, and one for students from Atlantic Canada. Additionally, Sobey aims to award a minimum of two out of five to women applicants.

Domestic and landed immigrants will pay $31,000 in tuition, whereas international students will pay $43,000.

5) Athens University of Economics and Business

AUEB’s international MBA programme takes 16 months to complete. The programme is divided into 5+1 academic periods (seven weeks of classes, then one week of exams). Students undertake the Immersion Graduation Project at the end of their coursework. Tuition is €9,700.

Faculty members at AUEB have taught at a number of prominent business schools including London Business School, INSEAD, Cass Business School, New York University (Stern), Ecole Polytechnique (Paris), Grenoble Ecole de Management, and more.

AUEB’s Business Advisory Council (BAC) consists of a cross-section of business leaders from a variety of organizations that typically hire IMBA graduates. Out of 21 members there are currently six women on the council – all of whom have been very successful in the industry.

4) Almaty Management University

Almaty offers a number of different postgraduate degree programmes for prospective students. In fact, there are five different MBA programmes to choose from at the school.

AlmaU MBA programmes are in the top 200 in QS World University Rankings: Global MBA Rankings 2020 and top-20 in QS Global MBA Rankings: Asia

3) Eli Broad

Eli Broad’s MBA programme takes 21 months to complete. According to data from the Class of 2020, there was an average signing bonus of US$21,000 and an average base salary of US$110,000.

The business school wants to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. At a glance, Broad MBA students are as follows:

• 32 percent international
• 68 percent domestic
• 23 minority students
• 37 percent female
• 63 percent male
• 12 percent US military veterans

One of the prominent student organisations is the Broad Women MBA Association, and the Broad MBA programme is also a partner of the Forté Foundation – meaning female students can earn tailored scholarships for them.

2) University of Sussex Business School

The University of Sussex Business School earned one of the top 50 spots in Europe (QS World University Rankings: Global MBA Rankings 2021) for its MBA programme.

MBA students can enjoy a number of core and elective modules, including: Accounting and Financial Management; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Applied Research Methods; Managing Operations and Quality.

There are two female faculty members on the MBA programme out of 13.

1 California State

And here we have it - the number one business school for proportion of female faculty members in 2021. California State Long Beach’s full-time MBA programme is 21 months and starts each fall.  

The average age of students on the MBA programme is 24, with a GMAT range of 530-650, and an average GPA of 3.24.

Female students make up 68 percent of the cohort, and international students make up 52 percent. The top three undergraduate majors are business, engineering, and chemistry.

Cost is approximately US$45,600 for the programme.