The executive MBA (EMBA) is ideal for employees with eight to 13 years' work experience. Graduating through most executive MBA programs results in a fully accredited MBA. Many of the classes, professors, case studies and exams will be the same as for the full- and part-time evening programs. Here, we explain some of the differences:
Students
The EMBA draws upon the collective work and talent of a class of accomplished vice presidents, directors, bankers, doctors, lawyers and non profit workers. In a traditional program with very bright and highly motivated people, the fact they often have less than five years' work experience does not provide the insight and maturity called to make important business decisions. The beauty of the EMBA is that you will not only study a company facing real challenges but the chances are that you will also have classmates who have worked in that company and were involved in senior-level decision making. “I learned as much from my classmates as I did from my professors,” explains a former marketing executive.
Curriculum
The curriculum is rigorous and highly competitive. Expect to put in fifteen hours work a week preparing for class. The education is also extremely practical compared to the much more theoretical traditional MBA. Coursework is hands-on as lessons can be immediately applied in the workplace and studied in actual work settings. Year one classes lead on to advanced managerial and leadership oriented classes in year two. The maturity of the class, combined with student experience creates a rich and rewarding learning experience. The EMBA program is structured to allow full-time students, full-time employees and even full-time parents to graduate with an MBA within two years.
Classes
Classes are held on weekends (Friday — Saturday or Friday — Sunday), monthly or bi- monthly, on evenings or during concentrated week-long sessions on a regularly scheduled basis over the two-year course. According to accreditation groups, as long as a fixed number of class hours are fulfilled per semester, administrators have the discretion on course delivery. Flexible schedules allow students to attend programs in other states, regions or even countries.
Graduate Management Admissions Test
Take the GMAT exam seriously and treat GMAT preparation as a way of easing into student life. Most EMBA programs, particularly the accredited ones, require the GMAT, although there is less emphasis on the score than in the traditional programs.
Corporate Sponsorship
Sponsorship comes in two forms: time away from work and tuition payment. Time away from work to attend class is more important and requires employer consent. The application process includes a form explicitly stating the time requirement will be authorized by the employer. Without this the application will fail. Less critical for acceptance is corporate financial sponsorship. While the employer is encouraged to help defray the cost this is not common practice. According to the EMBA Council and Business Week only about 20% of students are fully sponsored. Qualified candidates who are financing their education are not turned away.
There are many other considerations when comparing the executive MBA with a traditional MBA, including the application process, the tuition and career services. Consider attending a class and meeting the students. Talk to your boss or HR manager about sponsorship and coordination. If you are still trying to determine the best route to take to advance your professional education, start by completing the
EMBA Self-Assessment offered by EMBA World.
For as many working professionals, the EMBA presents a practical option to advance beyond middle management into more senior positions.
About the author
Jason A. Price, MS, MBA, is Director of EMBA World
www.embaworld.com, a New York City-based organization dedicated to helping employees and employers understand options concerning graduate level business education and in particular the executive MBA. He is author of
The Executive MBA: An Insider’s Guide for Working Professionals in Pursuit of Graduate Business Education. He can be reached at
Jason@embaworld.com.