by Doug Schmitt
BusinessSchools.com Staff Writer
September 25, 2006
Frequently referred to as the “Gateway to the West”, St. Louis has a metropolitan population of approximately 2.7 million. Once having an economy based on river commerce during the steamboat era, St. Louis today has a diverse and growing economy with an array of large corporations and small companies. In addition to a healthy economy, the city offers several attractions for its residents to enjoy. Theatres, galleries, restaurants, outdoor attractions, and professional sports teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams provide entertainment for everyone.
Employment and Internships
Business and finance are major industries in the St. Louis economy. Forbes' magazine named eight of the regions businesses on their list of America's Best Big Companies. Many St. Louis employers offer internship and employment opportunities for students and graduates. Some employers in the region are Anheuser-Busch, A.G. Edwards, Edward Jones, BJC Healthcare, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, SSM Health Care, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Emerson Electric.
According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), the outlook for business and related jobs in St. Louis is good through 2012. Management-related jobs will experience 10.52% additional opportunities. General and operations managers will see 11.27% new jobs; financial managers will experience 12.14% additional jobs; and human resource managers job opportunities will grow by 9.80%. Meanwhile, business-related jobs operations occupations will expand by 11.98%. Business operations specialists will have 16.80% new jobs and financial specialists will experience 5.56% more jobs.
Education
Students will find many educational opportunities to choose from in St. Louis. One option is the John Cook School of Business at St. Louis University. Having a Part-time MBA program that ranked 25th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, students are offered 10 undergraduate and 5 graduate programs with concentrations in areas including Accounting, Banking, Business Administration, Business Economics, Business Law, Hospitality Management, Merchandising/Retail, and Personnel Management as well as others.
The University of Missouri - St. Louis College of Business Administration offers bachelors and masters programs. Some specialties include Business Management, E-Commerce, Human Resource Management, Information Systems, Management Science, Marketing, and Taxation. In Addition, the University of Phoenix – St. Louis campus offers degrees in Business Administration and Management, Criminal Justice Administration, and Health Care Administration.
Financial Aid
Students in St. Louis will not experience a lack of financial aid options. Grants and loans are available from private, institutional, and government sources. The Pell Grant and Federal Stafford & Plus Loans are a few examples of these, all of which may be applied for by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Scholarships are available from schools and outside sources. The University of Missouri - St. Louis offers scholarships to incoming freshmen as well as current students. St. Louis University offers scholarships to its students such as their Presidential Scholarship, which will pay the recipients full tuition. Additionally, Washington University in St. Louis awarded over $53 million in scholarships and grants to students during the 2005-06 school year.
Summary
St. Louis offers a wealth of educational opportunities to business students. The diverse & thriving economy will provide many employment opportunities and the recreational resources to be enjoyed outside of school and work all combine to make St. Louis a great place to pursue a business degree.
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