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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Part-time And Executive MBA – Which is Right for You?

November 24, 2009

in MBA experience

Shortly after  I set my sight on getting an MBA degree, and started doing prelimenary research, I realized that part -time MBA programs come in more than one flavor. They are all similar in that you do not have to interrupt your career (if it is indeed a career, not just a job) or even leave a job ( if it is just a job, but you cannot afford the opportunity cost of full-time MBA). However even with this feature in common there are essentially three available ways to get your MBA on a part-time basis:

  • Part-time MBA
    • Regular part-time program
    • Accelerated part-time program
  • Executive MBA

Executive MBA is a considerably different program from the ‘regular’ part-time MBA programs, and I am not planning to discuss it in detail further in my blog. Just a few short notes on this program:

  • It is geared for the c-level or pre-c level executives who have enough latitude at their respective organizations, so that the company is often willing to cough up the full cost of attendance as well as allow the participant to attend required full day, week or more long,  on-campus or international residencies several times a year.
  •  The diploma at graduation is clearly showing that it is an ‘Executive MBA’ degree.
  • The curriculum is somewhat different from regular MBA program, so that it allows the participant to finish the program in about the same time as full-time MBA students, while the classroom time is considerably shorter.
  • The applicants have considerably more years of progressive professional experience, usually 10-15, with about half of that experience in managerial positions
  • Given the previous pre-requisite, the average age of participants is around 40 y.o
  • GMAT is usually not required for the applicants, neither undergraduate GPA is considered in many programs
  • Participants are usually treated as first-class passengers on airlines, with various perks. (Such as , for example, catered meals on days of classes in Executive MBA program at George Washington University School of Business).

Those are just the highlights of the Executive MBA and I did not have time or desire to explore it further at the time of considering MBA for myself, as it was clearly not cut for me (neither was I meeting its pre-qualifications).

As for other aspirants of MBA degree, the above list will give you pretty much clear ball park estimate if the Executive MBA program is feasible for you. If, however, you decide that there is mismatch between you and the EMBA, keep reading this blog to learn more about the part-time MBA program, including more details about the part-time MBA program in George Washington University School of Business, and other MBA programs available in Washington, DC area.

For those who are still interested in Executive MBA degree, there are three Business Schools in the Washington, DC area that offer this option:


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