Though Johns Hopkins University began awarding graduate business degrees in 1961, the Carey Business School wasn't formed until 2006, when the university's school of professional studies in business and education split into Carey and the School of Education. Currently, Carey only offers part-time MBA programs, with courses held either in the evenings or Saturdays, with the exception of the full-time MBA/MPH program. The school will launch its first full-time MBA program in 2010. Unlike at most business schools, joint degrees at Carey are a centerpiece of the school, drawing from Johns Hopkins' reputation in medicine and science to offer a range of programs--an MBA in medical services management and MBA/MS in biotechnology, among others.

After a foundational core, students decide on a concentration in one of seven areas, ranging from competitive intelligence to information technology, to information security management. The school operates an MBA Fellows program, a way for students to earn the degree through online classrooms, though it also holds classes at four campuses around Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Though Carey is just getting its legs, students benefit from the reputation of Johns Hopkins University with employers, particularly in science-related fields. Quality of life and social activities vary from campus to campus, and, due to the part-time slant of the program, most students are focused on outside work and family obligations rather than student organizations.