Home » Education » College & Universities » Graduate School

MBA or Executive MBA: What's The Difference?

3 Comments

3 Like

Like 3

Pin It

Ranked #5,503 in Education, #129,377 overall

Is An EMBA Right For You?

Are you a mid-career professional looking to freshen up your skills, gain industry-current information, and possibly do some networking?

Maybe you've been considering enrolling in an online MBA degree program. Online MBA programs are expanding as more people discover that effective education can also be convenient and flexible.

While you research your MBA options, you may notice that some schools offer an "Executive MBA" (EMBA) degree option in addition to traditional MBAs.

If you're wondering what exactly the difference is, Executive MBAs are pitched for a somewhat different student population and generally follow a different format than other MBA programs. While Executive MBA programs will vary somewhat from school to school, this lens, presented by Colorado Technical University Online (CTU Online) reviews what makes an online EMBA different.

Executive MBAs Are For Experienced Professionals

Enrollment and acceptance requirements may differ, too

Online MBAs and Executive MBAs from CTU Online

Traditional MBA programs usually require applicants to be bachelor degree holders who achieve a certain score on a standardized test known as the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test). The required GMAT score will vary from school to school.

Students admitted to traditional MBA programs can be completely inexperienced in the working world, or can be older students who've been in the field for a while.

In order to apply to an Executive MBA program, applicants must have a number of years of relevant business or management experience.

At most schools, this means at least five years. However, the Executive MBA Council, an organization that aims to advance executive education, found in a 2007 survey that EMBA alumni had 12.7 years of workplace experience on average.

Other factors schools consider when evaluating EMBA applicants include:

professional recommendations

work experience

career goals

past academic performance and transcripts

Additionally, some EMBA programs may not require a GMAT score from applicants.

EMBA Degree Programs Encourage Teamwork

That's How It Works In The Real World, Too

In a traditional MBA program, students have flexibility as to which courses they complete and when. This means they may not have the same classmates for each course.

For Executive MBA programs, the course program is fixed, and all students advance through the program together.

Executive MBAs emphasize team work, and whether you are studying in the classroom or online, group projects can give you more time to develop meaningful relationships with fellow classmates.

Since your classmates are also drawn from a peer group of executives, your learning takes on an extra dimension as you and your classmates compare your experiences.

EMBA Degree Programs Are Designed For Working Students

Both Executive and traditional MBA programs are designed to be completed in two years, although some Executive MBA programs may offer a more intensive course load, allowing students to possibly complete their degree program sooner.

EMBA programs are typically designed to involve a time commitment of about 15-25 hours a week, allowing students to continue working full time.

While on-campus EMBA programs are designed to be convenient for working executives, students who opt to pursue their executive MBA online gain even more control over their studies.

With an online MBA degree program, you can head to class whenever you're connected to the Internet.

Executive MBA: Practical Professional Education

Learn it tonight, use it tomorrow

Finally, while MBA programs in general are designed to be applied to the real world, Executive MBA degree programs focus on coursework and content that students can implement at the office the very next day.

This practical approach to graduate-level education may be just what you're looking for if you're ready to gain new business skills and expand your network.

Hear What EMBA Grads Have To Say

CTU and CTU Online Grads Discuss Their Executive MBA Experiences

CTU EMBA Graduate - Gary: by ctuniversity | video info

1 rating | 116 views

curated content from YouTube

About CTU Online

Colorado Technical University has been a provider of career-focused higher education since 1965, CTU offers traditional and Executive MBA programs both on-campus and online through CTU Online. Find out more at http://www.coloradotech.edu.

CTU can not guarantee employment or salary.

References:
Executive MBA Council

More Information About Executive MBAs

CTU Online is not responsible for the content of third-party links. They are provided for informational purposes only.

What Makes an Executive M.B.A. Different - US News and World Report: More information about EMBAs from US News and World Report.
How executive MBA programs evolve to meet the needs of the business world | Smart Business: "Many people find themselves in business without a business background. They might have gotten a degree, even an advanced degree in the sciences or engineering, for instance, and found themselves working their way through their organization, ultimately into managerial roles, but had never gone to business school. Many people return to school for that reason."
Evolution of the Executive M.B.A. - USNews.com: Executive M.B.A. programs have come a long way since the first such program launched at the University of Chicago in 1943.
What A Difference One Letter Makes - Financial Post: "To outsiders, the distinction between an MBA and an EMBA (Executive MBA) is often unclear. But the differences between the two are significant, from the curriculum to the student profiles."
Execs find value added in MBA: "There are two types of people who pursue EMBAs, says Jim Dewald, associate dean of graduate programs at the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business. There are those who are doing well, but are looking for tools as they gain more responsibility."
The real value of an EMBA: confidence | Financial Post: Despite recent pessimism about the value of an Executive MBA, the program continues to attract many applicants who find the program not only offers a monetary return on investment, but also a boost in confidence, soft skills and networking opportunities.

Guestbook Comments

Reply

amitjivani Jan 18, 2012 @ 5:28 am | delete

MBA colleges in Pune should read this lens.

Reply

OrangeCountyPrivateSchools Sep 28, 2011 @ 9:19 am | delete

Choosing an online MBA program, hybrid program or a regular program, it is completely your decision.Online MBA programs are good options for freshers who want to go for MBA ,whereas Executive MBA is meant for those who have got professional experience.

Best Online MBA programs