Founded in 1946 as the first international business school in the US, the Thunderbird School has a colorful history and a growing reputation. The Thunderbird School began on a decommissioned military air base near Phoenix AZ, purchased by a US Army Air Forces Lieutenant General at a discount to set up a school, and in its early years served mostly veterans educating themselves on the GI Bill.
Since those early days Thunderbird has distinguished itself as the finest graduate program in international business, leading the US News and World Report rankings in its category for years. The Thunderbird School is legendary for its influential, tight-knit alumni network and its global reach. Accredited by the AACSB in 1994, the Thunderbird School has also been acclaimed by The Economist and Businessweek. The addition of a distance-learning program allows Thunderbird to extend their global focus to a real global student body located all over the world.
The application process requires:
• A completed application form
• Two letters of recommendation
• Personal essays
• Transcripts
• GRE Revised Test (or GMAT) scores
• A current resume and
• Non-refundable application fee of $125.
For students who are interested in distance learning the Thunderbird School provides videos of actual class lectures and an assessment test to determine their compatibility with the program. Tuition is $41,000, and students can choose between a 19-month and a 28-month track mixing Web-based instruction with intensive week-long regional seminars in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
The Thunderbird School instituted a unique Oath of Honor in 2006 which emphasizes “honesty and integrity” and a commitment to “sustainable prosperity worldwide” and opposition to “all forms of corruption and exploitation.” This honor code sets the Thunderbird School apart as an exemplary, globally-conscious business school.