Executive MBA Online

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by beeroclock, Mar 8, 2015.

Loading...
  1. beeroclock

    beeroclock New Member

    I have achieved my Graduate Diploma in Management and i know you can top-up this qualification to an MBA, which i am going to do. As i am working i will want to do this solely online or distance learning, so i can manage my time better.

    I know there is two different kind of MBAs the Traditional MBA and the Executive MBA which is slightly longer. Does anyone know if one will help you in your career better than the other or are they both classed as equal qualifications? Does anyone know of any Executive MBA top-ups that can be done online, or a Traditional MBA top-up that can be done online?

    I just do not want to do the Traditional MBA and this will have less credibility than an Executive MBA, it really is not made clear what the difference is, which makes it very hard and frustrating for me. I am already working in a higher managerial level in an organisation and have over 8 years managerial experience. Looking at the entry requirements i could get onto both these courses, but i do not know how to decide from one or the other.

    I would be very grateful for any replys helping me in the right direction. Thank you so much for your time today and i hope you are having a pleasant day. I look forward to reading your replys, which i hope someone can help me as soon as possible.
     
  2. major56

    major56 Active Member

    MBA vs. EMBA … e.g., different target groups…

    MBA programs and Executive MBA (e.g., managers going back to school) programs sometimes have comparable curriculums, but the class format and admission requirements normally differ
    .
    Typically, the applicants to an Executive MBA Program must have as a minimum five years professional work experience. EMBA programs are usually designed to meet the educational needs of mid- /upper-level managers or executives, to broaden their business perception, deepen their leadership skills, all while … accommodating the work and personal /family commitments of students (e.g., lower opportunity cost and increased flexibility). EMBA students are often sponsored by their employer with the goal of increasing one’s direct influences and commitments to the organization. Admissions candidates are frequently evaluated based on what they can /will bring to the program. Additionally, taking the GMAT may not be required; whereas, MBA applicants are not required to have professional work experience, but in most cases, they will take the GMAT or GRE (re AACSB). The MBA degree is, for all intents and purposes, a general management business degree.

    Because the EMBA program is geared toward the higher level of work experience professional, it is offered in an abbreviated arrangement with class meeting times designed to accommodate an executive’s work timetable. EMBA students learn via cohorts using a lockstep curriculum /coursework order. Learning through cohort allows students to both learn from /network with one another.

    The differences between an EMBA vs. MBA can fluctuate from B-school to B-school. While the EMBA and a traditional MBA both can offer equally important benefits, one’s specific career path and years of professional experience may help decide which degree route is better.

    Bottom-line—the traditional MBA programs are typically geared toward students who are in the earlier stages of their careers and who might be considering transition from a different occupation, or who have aspirations to develop their skill-set in a particular business discipline, i.e., hard /concrete skills, such as, marketing, finance, accounting, etc. Conversely, EMBA programs can integrate emphasis on soft skills (i.e., leadership— executive-level critical thinking and strategic decision making), hard skills and/or a hybrid of both.
     
  3. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Executive MBAs don't necessarily are more prestigious than traditional MBAs. Executive MBAs tend to be shorter in duration and way more expensive than the regular MBAs. Executive MBAs are normally open only to experienced people.
    Executive MBAs appeal to experienced professionals mainly because you can get a much richer experience due to the fact that your peer class mates are mature and experienced individuals that contribute to learning. Executive MBAs tend to be less technical (e.g. less focus on stats, finance, etc) and more focused on developing soft skills such as leadership, communications, etc.

    So it depends on your goals, if you are interested in a more technical career such as financial analyst, operations analyst, etc, a more technical and professional oriented MBA would be better. If you are already a point in your life that need the networking and skills to go into a senior management position, an Executive MBA will serve you better.

    Just bear in mind that not all EMBAs are created equal, if you go for an executive MBA, I would recommend a top school at the level of Duke University for the effort to be worthwhile.
     
  4. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    major56 covered the differences between the MBA and the EMBA well.

    That said, I don't think you reasonably have to worry about a lack of credibility if you go the "traditional" MBA route. Traditional MBA versus EMBA are often different pathways to the same degree (though not always). Many schools award a diploma that says "Master of Business Administration" even if you completed an EMBA program to earn it.

    That's the case at Wharton. Either MBA or EMBA, you end up with the same diploma.

    Are there programs out there that actually write out "Executive Master of Business Administration" on your diploma? Sure. And I think this article by the Associate Dean of Global Outreach at the University of Chicago Booth School poses some very interesting questions you should ask if you encounter a school that actually awards a separate degree (i.e., awards an EMBA and an MBA separately).

    Personally, I would avoid a program that awards a separate degree because I think it's kind of a jerk move on the part of the school.

    Let's say I graduate from Wharton with my MBA which I earned through a two-year full time program. Now, Wharton starts awarding an EMBA to executives who go back to school. My degree was just made second class. I had a top credential from a top business school and then the business school doubled back and made my top credential sound like it is lower tier. At least, that's likely to be the perception. Some people, who know little about the difference between an MBA and an EMBA might just assume that an EMBA is "better" since it has the word "executive" in it.
     
  5. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    My impression is that the executive MBA is easier than the traditional MBA. I went through an executive BBA and it seemed easier.
     
  6. GoodYellowDogs

    GoodYellowDogs New Member

    An EMBA is generally shorter and easier. Why is it easier, because usually you work in Cohorts on projects. So in your cohort of 4-8 people you all get the same grade, presumably because you all worked equally. It means that if you are weak in finance, then you will probably do well in finance because someone in your cohort will be good at it. The same thing applies where you are strong in something, you'll probably carry the cohort and do more of the work.

    A lot of doctors and lawyers do the EMBA thing.
     

Share This Page