Weatherhead School of
Management, Case Western
Reserve University
Lena Kvelland Farstad and Ina Kyrkjebø Wickmann
Fall 2011
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The school and its surroundings
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is located 8km from downtown Cleveland,
Ohio. The Weatherhead School of Management (WSOM) is a private business school
conveniently located in the University Circle.
Case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland's University Circle, the 500acre, park-like home of more than 40 cultural, medical, educational, religious, and
social service institutions. The only independent, research-oriented university in a
region bounded by Pittsburgh and Rochester on the east, Nashville on the south, and
Chicago on the west, Case Western Reserve holds membership in the Association of
American Universities, and is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of
the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by several nationally
recognized professional accrediting associations
The Weatherhead School of Management is a private business school of Case
Western Reserve University, considered to be a top-tier business school, with its
strongest programs concentrated in organizational behavior, nonprofit business,
information systems, entrepreneurship, and executive education
Current faculty divisions and special areas
WSOM has its strongest programs within the fields of organizational behavior,
nonprofit business, information systems, entrepreneurship and executive education.
The school offers undergraduate programs, MBA, Masters and Phd. WSOM is
especially committed to two disciplines; Manage by Designing and Sustainable
Enterprise.
Number of students - graduate and undergraduate – number of
exchange students
The student body is made up of approximately 4200 undergraduate students and
5600 graduate and professional students. Students hail from all 50 states and 92
countries.
Study structure
All courses are taught in English. The workload depends on the classes you take.
Class participation is important! The study structure is more practical than at BI. You
work both individually and in teams. In some classes, you also get to work with local
companies. The classes are smaller than at BI, and the professors know you name.
All literature is in English. Not all professors use textbooks, but rely on handouts and
articles. The exam form varies from course to course. Blackboard and school e-mail
are used frequently. There is one computer lab you can use, and free printing.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
When did you receive the information package from the University?
- We received e-mails a couple of weeks after we got enrolled, for instance regarding
selection of courses. Later on we also received an information package sent to our
home address so that you could start the Visa-procedure
Any difficulties?
- We had to ask for information, but once we got in contact with the school, they
were very helpful and friendly.
Visa Procedure and travel experiences
As soon as you have received the necessary documentation from Case, you need to
book an appointment at the US Embassy in Oslo. Before you can book an
appointment at the embassy you need to fill out their DS-160 form. You need a
student visa.
What problems, if any did you encounter?
Make sure your passport is valid and in one piece - especially if your passport was
issued in 2004 (or earlier), Lena’s passport got damaged at the embassy and had to
replace it.
Does the visa cost anything?
Yes, you have to pay a Sevis Fee of $125 as well as NOK800 for the visa itself.
How did you order your ticket – any problems?
We ordered tickets via Kilroy. No problems, but traveling to Cleveland is expensive,
especially if you book a one way trip. It is recommended to book a return ticket, just
make sure you can move the return date around without a high fee.
Academic Calendar
Arrival date – introductory week
We arrived August 15th, and the orientation for international students started on the
18th. The general introductory week was the week after. Only 1st year students
participate in the introductory week, and there is no program especially for
exchange students. Although there are only 1st year students in the orientation and
you will have classes with the 2nd year students it’s always nice to get to know more
people!
First day of the semester?
Classes started around 29th of August, so we had time to take a week-end trip to
Niagara Falls and Toronto before the classes had started properly.
Last day of classes?
The last week of classes: the week of December 5th.
Examination period?
The examination period started on the week of December 12th.
Any special events?
None in particular, but International Student Services (ISS) will send out emails about
social events etc.
Reception
How was the reception at the school?
Very good! We met with our coordinator Tim Slager, and he was very welcoming.
Was the administration and faculty well prepared for your arrival?
Yes, we experienced no problems, (although you sometimes have to make sure you
are all lists etc, they don’t seem to have very clear guidelines for exchange students)
Did the school’s students participate in the reception of the exchange students?
There is no special program for exchange students.
Housing
Did you have housing at your disposal or did you have to find your own housing?
We found our own housing on the school’s Aloha listing where apartments and
houses are listed both from commercial companies and private land lords. Ask the
school (or us) where it is nice to live! You can also live in Steiner House which is very
popular, but then you will have to apply immediately after you get nominated from
BI. We were there at a couple of parties and it seemed like a fun living arrangement,
but slightly too much 18-year-old-frat-house feeling about it.
What support did you receive from the school in locating housing?
Our coordinator Tim Slager sent us some suggestions as well as recommendations
for which areas to stay out of.
Any special issues or good ideas for prospective students?
Start early to look for housing! And be aware of which areas are safe and which ones
you should stay out of. We recommend Cleveland Heights, as well as the campus
area such as Little Italy.
Costs
Describe the most important expenses such as rent, books, food, etc.
Rent was cheaper than in Norway (we payed $800 per month for a 3 bedroom
apartment in a duplex house!) Books are costly! You can rent books, and also sell
back those you buy. Food is cheaper than in Norway, but it can easily get expensive if
you go shopping on whole foods every week.
The International Office
Is there an international office?
International Student Services.
Who is responsible for incoming exchange students?
Our coordinator quit shortly after our arrival, but the International Student Services
will assist you.
How does the international office function?
You have to go meet with them as soon as you arrive to update your visa status.
They will provide you with all the information you need, as well as answer all your
questions.
Do you receive all relevant information?
Yes.
Exchange promotion
What kind of activity did you take part in to promote exchange to Norway at your
exchange university?
None in particular, but both faculty and students are interested in “the Norwegian
way” both in and outside the classroom, so we tried to promote it in as many
conversations as we could. This is where it is nice to have been a part of the
introduction week with the first-year students so you can talk to them about Norway
and BI, as we did a lot.
Social Activities
How is your relationship with other students?
Very good!
How is the relationship among the exchange students?
There were only seven of us this semester, but four of us became very close.
Is there a student organization, and if so, are the exchange students part of it?
There are several student organizations open for exchange students.
Are there any special activities and gatherings for exchange students?
Not in particular - but social activities are open to exchange students.
How do you like it at the school?
Very much! There is a bar located at campus called The Jolly Scholar, and graduate
students from Weatherhead gather here every Thursday night. So if you want to
socialize, go to Jolly’s!
Culture and Language
Do you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
No, everyone speaks English.
How are the possibilities to experience the country and the culture?
If you structure you school work well, you will have time to travel and experience
North America. There is a Fall break in mid October, as well as the Thanks-Giving
Holiday in November, prioritize to travel!
Cultural and Social Effects from the Exchange Experience
You will get friends from all over the world - maybe future business connections?
You will learn a lot from going abroad for a semester - academically, culturally,
socially and about yourself!
ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The Teaching situation
Languages are taught in English, sometimes from professors with English as a second
language (e.g. Indian origin), but without problems.
Keeping in mind that we did not take any financial subjects, the level of study is very
similar to the level at BI. Most students have a work experience of 2-5 years as a
prerequisite to be accepted in the program, but keeping up was never a problem.
Coming from BI you will have a slightly more robust theoretical foundation allowing
you to participate and understand the educational level quite well.
There is a little more work, you usually have presentations in the subjects in addition
to project paper and other assignments. There are in some subjects more frequent
smaller assignments than at BI, resulting in more opportunities to get good grades.
Being that you take electives from the second year of the MBA program the
teachings are a bit more practical than at BI. It is still theoretical, but it is common to
work on projects with real life businesses.
Many of the professors use case discussions actively both as assignments and class
discussions, as well as group work and lectures. It is a good mix of all three, but class
participation is usually very important.
The relationship between faculty and students is more professional than Norwegians
are used to. You address them with professor + last name, but they are still very
helpful and interested in you and your opinions.
Relationship between the students in the classroom is perhaps a bit more
competitive than Norwegians also tend to be used to, but still very friendly and
welcoming. Since the students you take classes with are mostly second year MBA’s
they are very familiar with each other, and therefore highly welcome of new
additions.
Required Literature
All literature is in English
The level of literature varies depending on the courses, but is not very different from
the literature level at BI.
In general, the literature is used for a broad overview.
We only had one final exam (projects with presentation and paper instead), and that
exam was based on lecture notes that actually served as the literature in that class
(Six Sigma and Quality Management)
Exams
We had exams only in one course (one midterm and one final). It was an “open
book” exam with a multitude of true/false statements, multiple choice questions,
and a few essay questions.
Being that it was an open book, applying the knowledge learned from the reading
material and class discussions were required to pass the exam.
Other
Students have easy access to the library and its resources.
There is a computer lab in the basement of the building with open entrance, as well
as computers in all three floors of the main library. Access through your student ID
and own password.
IT is usually used in all classes with presentations, videos, data analysis, voting
systems etc.
Description of Courses
Course Name
Prereq.
Exam
Major at BI
MKMR 411 - Customer Relationship Management
Marketing
None
Marketing
MKMR 408 - Marketing Metrics
Marketing
None
Marketing
ORBH 491 - Managing Diversity and Inclusion
None
None
Organizational
Behavior
OPMT 420 -Six sigma and Quality Management
None
Multiple choice
and written
Operations
Names and e-mails:
Please feel free to contact either of us for more information, we are happy to help!
Ina Kyrkjebø Wickmann:
ina.k.wickmann@gmail.com
Phone: 92857336
Lena Kvelland Farstad:
Lena.farstad@gmail.com
Phone: 94488545