The Wisconsin MBA Program in strategic human resource management is a comprehensive program that prepares students to experience a high degree of success as managers in a wide range of positions in the human resources field. With a curriculum that balances the necessary management skills with specialized knowledge in human resources, the program prepares students for positions in compensation, talent management, and employee relations, as well as for leadership roles as generalists. Upon graduation, most students enter leadership development programs at leading corporations, which provide a tremendous platform for rapid career advancement. The qualifications, real-world experience, and vast network gained in the Wisconsin MBA Program have helped graduates land leadership positions at major corporations such as Cisco, IBM, and Johnson & Johnson.

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Common Jobs for Graduates

  • HR Leadership Development Programs
  • Succession Management and Workforce Planning
  • HR Business Partner
  • Talent Management
  • Social Media and Recruiting
  • Compensation Management
  • Organizational Training and Development Program Planning
  • Diversity Management

Salary Data — Class of 2017

$99,000

Average base salary

$95,000

Median base salary

61%

Average salary increase
pre- to post-MBA

$20,000

Average signing bonus

$9,000

Average other compensation

Placement Data

100%

Internship placement rate
(2015-2017)

93%

Received full-time offers within three months of graduation
(2015-2017)

Recent Full-Time Employers

  • 3M
  • Amazon
  • Aramark
  • Chevron
  • Cisco
  • Citi
  • DISH Network
  • Emerson Electric
  • GE Healthcare
  • General Mills
  • Halliburton
  • IBM
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Jones Lang Lasalle
  • Owens Corning
  • Starbucks
Full-time employers for 2013–2017 shown.
Photo of Matthew Newman

“The HR relationship between the Wisconsin Business School and IBM spans decades. The Wisconsin School of Business has done an excellent job recruiting top candidates and then developing their strategic and analytic thinking. Students are professional and well-prepared to make an immediate impact as business leaders in HR. IBM continues to see great value hiring UW–Madison HR students as they often fit from a cultural and professional perspective. Many UW alumni have grown careers in IBM to senior-level executives where they have the opportunity to define the future state of HR for the company and the world.”

—Matthew Newman
Director, Human Resources, IBM

“Johnson & Johnson values the Wisconsin MBA for its focus on applied learning experiences through the specialized HR curriculum and capstone projects. Graduates demonstrate broad-based business acumen and learning agility we appreciate.”

—Ashley Thompson
HR Leader, North America BUHS Partnership Group, Johnson & Johnson

Photo of Jed Kortens

“I always love having the opportunity to recruit at Wisconsin. I’ve found that while the students come from a variety of backgrounds, they receive a very good grounding in business and a great HR skill set. I really enjoy getting to meet them during the interview process, work with them during their internships, and watch their careers grow as full-time hires.”

—Jed Kortens
Total Rewards Manager, Cisco