BYU, Utah business schools ranked among top in the nation

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's two largest business schools have been listed among Entrepreneur magazine's top 25 undergraduate business colleges.

BYU's Marriott School of Management ranked 7th, and the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business ranked 16th for 2011. BYU also ranked 2nd in the magazine's list for graduate entrepreneurship.

BYU was also recognized for excellence in its graduate business program.

"We are pleased with the national recognition of the entrepreneurship programs at BYU," said Scott Petersen, managing director of BYU’s Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology. "The BYU entrepreneurship faculty and founders work hard to help students shape their ideas and to provide them with the necessary mentoring to successfully launch their business ventures."

"We are honored to be included in such a prestigious ranking," U. business school dean Taylor Randall said. "We are dedicated to create entrepreneurs and business leaders for life."

The University of Utah is also ranked first in the country for creating start-up companies, edging out MIT, according to the Association of University Technology Managers.

Lassonde Entrepreneur Center director Troy D'Ambrosio said the ranking reflects the school's focus on having students engage with helping developers of technology with commercialization and business planning. Nearly 160 businesses have launched from the school over the past decade, with 127 still operating, according to the school.

— Geoffrey Fattah