Articles

The Difference Between an Executive MBA and other MBA Programs

2009-06-19

Making the decision to continue your education and earn your MBA is a big one, and a choice that has the potential to offer you considerable benefits.  With an MBA, you'll be more marketable to employers and you'll demonstrate that you're a driven individual with a successful record of rising up to challenges. You'll also be able to build a network of classmates and professors who can assist you in your job search, while potentially acquiring a valuable list of future contacts.

However, there is one more thing for you to consider before you take those first steps toward your continued education: which MBA program is best for you? A traditional MBA or an executive MBA?

A traditional MBA program will attract a younger manager or management student who wishes to sharpen his or her management skills.  This student may not have any workplace experience outside of internship hours required for an undergraduate degree. The traditional MBA’s content focuses on the core disciplines of management, assuming no prior experience.

The executive MBA, on the other hand, assumes a basic competence in the business world. These degrees are geared toward enhancing the careers of working executives. Rather than concentrating on core tenants of business and management, MBA executive programs will emphasize process, insight, and the application of new learning to an already held position. Executive MBAs typically require some, if not significant, experience in the workplace, and thus attract older, more experienced students than a non-executive MBA program.

Executive MBA programs are for business professionals who already possess on-the-job experience in their field or industry, and who are seeking to sharpen their general management skills to continue to climb up the corporate ladder. Because of this, executive MBA students are immediately able to implement and practice what they learn in the classroom in their jobs. Furthermore, since their classmates are also working business professionals, they will have a greater opportunity to learn from their input and experiences rather than those programs whose students are fresh out of undergraduate school. Another benefit of an executive MBA program is that many workplaces offer tuition assistance or tuition reimbursement for their employees since completion of the program will directly and beneficially impact their company’s productivity.

If you're a working professional who is seeking to further your career, or if you're a new graduate wondering whether or not you should enter the work-force before considering a higher degree, there are many factors to consider prior to enrolling in an executive MBA program versus its traditional counterpart. Take some time to evaluate which program most effectively suits your lifestyle before making a decision that will greatly impact the direction of your career.