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The University of North Georgia's (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) Cottrell Master of Business Administration (MBA) ranked second in Georgia and 35th nationally in Fortune magazine's list released in April.  

"We at the Mike Cottrell College of Business take great pride in being named one of Fortune's Best Part-Time MBA Programs. The Cottrell MBA offers a challenging, fully-online curriculum that helps working professionals gain new skills while empowering their career aspirations," Dr. Wendy Walker, MCCB associate dean for faculty and graduate programs, said. "Our expert faculty encourage students to build on their work experience to learn to be innovative and adaptable business leaders in a rapidly changing global environment. Student success is our No. 1 priority." 

Adrian Kim, a Â鶹ÊÓƵ Police officer, graduated with the Cottrell MBA in May. He previously earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Â鶹ÊÓƵ and planned to be an officer in the Marine Corps. After a motorcycle accident, Kim decided to be a Â鶹ÊÓƵ officer while figuring out his next steps. He took advantage of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Tuition Assistance Program for faculty and staff to earn his MBA. He plans to eventually attend medical school.

"Â鶹ÊÓƵ calls out the inner leader in every person. You can see it in the curriculum. It teaches you a lot about self-discipline. But they also give you flexibility because they know life happens," Kim said. "The program really asks you to take a chance, step out and be the leader you're supposed to be deep down inside and cultivate it the right way. They ask you questions about your thought processes and the morals behind business ethics." 

Kim also earned a graduate certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation. He valued the low student-to-teacher ratio of the MBA program. 

"Every professor comes with the willingness to make strong relationships with their students. They're very personable. That's what makes this a great experience," Kim said. "You can get out as much as you put in. I appreciate that ability to have a good connection not just with the faculty, but with the curriculum as well. It's a university that wants to foster good connections and bonds." 

Students in the Cottrell MBA program develop their leadership skills while becoming empowered to use the knowledge and skills acquired in the program to create value for their companies, even before they graduate. Most of the MBA faculty started their careers in the industry and integrated their first-hand knowledge with the theoretical knowledge needed for students to advance in their careers. 

Fortune compiled the list based on a variety of factors, including where the leaders of America's 1,000 biggest companies pursued their MBAs (20%), online search volume (10%) and eight other school-provided data points. 

Other Georgia schools on the list include the University of Georgia at No. 13 and Georgia State University at No. 39. A total of 50 MBA programs earned recognition.