DEFINITION of Carlson School of Management

The Carlson School of Management is the school of business at the University of Minnesota. It enrolls approximately 4,600 students, including about 1,110 master of business administration (MBA) students.  The Carlson School of Management offers undergraduate, graduate and doctorate-level programs in a variety of business disciplines, including accounting, economics, international business, human resources, marketing, management and finance.

BREAKING DOWN Carlson School of Management

Located in Minneapolis, Minn., the Carlson School of Management was established in 1919 as the University of Minnesota School of Business. The school changed names and locations five times over the years. It changed its name to the Curtis L. Carlson School of Management in 1986 following a large donation. Starting in 2007, the Carlson School of Management became one of the first business schools to require all students to have one year of international experience.

The Carlson School of Management has two facilities: the Curtis L. Carlson School of Management and Herbert M. Hanson, Jr. Hall. Both are located on the University of Minnesota’s West Bank.

Carlson School of Management Programs

The Carlson School of Management has seven departments: accounting, finance, information and decision sciences, marketing, strategic management and entrepreneurship, supply chain and operations, and work and organizations.

The undergraduate program offers ten majors: accounting, entrepreneurial management, finance, finance and risk management insurance, human resources and industrial relations, international business, management information systems, marketing, public and nonprofit management, and supply chain and operations management. Masters programs include: accountancy, business analytics, business taxation, finance, human resource and industrial relations, and supply chain management. The school also offers a doctorate in business administration.

The school offers full-time MBA, part-time MBA, online MBA and executive MBA programs.

Carlson School of Management Rankings

U.S. News & World Report ranked the Carlson School of Management the 15th best undergraduate program in the nation in 2018. The management and information systems was ranked fourth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in 2018. The full-time MBA program was ranked 22nd in the United States and 32nd internationally in 2017 by The Economist.

Carlson School of Management Alumni

Notable Carlson School of Management Alumni include:

  • Curtis L. Carlson, Chairman, Carlson Companies, Inc.
  • John G. Stumpf, Former CEO, Wells Fargo
  • Thomas O. Staggs, Former COO, The Walt Disney Company
  • C. Elmer Anderson, Former Minnesota Governor, Minnesota State Senator; Chair & CEO, HB Fuller Co.
  • Tony Dungy, Former Head Coach, Indianapolis Colts, National Football League
  • Flip Saunders, Co-owner, President of Basketball Operations & General Manager, Minnesota Timberwolves, National Basketball Association; Former Head Coach, Minnesota Timberwolves, National Basketball Association