Executive MBA - Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Pursuing an Executive MBA degree is a major personal and financial commitment. We encourage you to explore opportunities with your employer for sponsoring your degree.

Before you approach your employer, we encourage you to do your research and approach the discussion like any business proposal. Remember, sponsorship is a business decision for your organization. An investment on their part in your education must be seen as a long-term benefit to the organization. Present your case with this in mind.

Plan

Formulate an answer to this question: “Why should my company sponsor me in Michigan Ross' Executive MBA Program?” Include aspects of company growth and the need for strong leadership in a challenging economy. You also may want to emphasize the long learning curve for senior executives hired outside the firm. This supports the business case for cultivating internal talent.

Research your organization’s internal policies regarding educational sponsorship requests.
Include a realistic schedule of the time you will be away from the office for orientation and mid-term residencies. Remember: Our once-a-month format minimizes disruption to your schedule.

Commit to the Organization

Losing you after you acquire your degree may be one of management's primary concerns. Demonstrate your commitment to the organization by outlining how minimally your job will be affected by the EMBA Program, including any needed redesign to minimize the impact of your absence. Also specify how much your colleagues will benefit from new knowledge, frameworks, tools, and best practices that you will bring back to the organization. Be creative and emphasize your willingness to do whatever it takes to participate in the program, e.g., using vacation time or forgoing a bonus or raise.

Communicate

Since sponsorship is a business decision for your company, design and communicate your approach to complement the goals and policies of your organization. As you prepare to begin the EMBA Program, make sure to continue the communication — with your organization’s leadership, your direct management, and your colleagues and peers. When they know what to expect, they will be prepared to accommodate your needs.

Get Endorsed

Determine who will make the decision about your sponsorship and work your way toward this person, starting with your closest mentor. If each person can endorse you to the next in line, you are more likely to succeed in your request. Once the ultimate decision-maker has approved you for sponsorship, make sure to get it in writing.

Follow Up

Gaining approval to enroll in the EMBA Program is only the beginning. Make sure to follow up on every detail required by your organization and the EMBA Program. Make the process as seamless as possible for your staff and superiors. It’s your education, your responsibility, and your future.

"The once-a-month format is a huge differentiator."
Earning an MBA while staying on top of work and family commitments seemed like a tall order to Ryan Majkrzak, MBA '13, but Ross’ once-a-month format made it possible.
"I was able to apply Ross tools to my work right away."
Matt Denninger, MBA '13, is a senior marketing manager for Advanced Energy Industries Inc.'s solar energy business. He says the tools he's gained at Ross already have enabled him to apply strategic change within his company.
"I'm gaining the business skills I need to manage change in healthcare."
Betty Chu, MBA '13, is a physician and medical staff president. She says she knew that to be a successful leader and change agent, she had to expand her education beyond medicine.
"Faculty are very focused on practical, real-world application."
Preston Young, MBA '13, says the Ross EMBA program is teaching him to see management and leadership strategy from entirely new angles.
"I'm tackling our toughest issues with confidence now."
Tessa Myers, MBA '13, says she's at a point in her career where she's striving to contribute more value to the organization and take on more strategic responsibility over larger areas.
"My new position came as a direct result of the program."
Prasanna Kumar, MBA '11, says he pursued an EMBA program to give him the skills and credibility to take his career further. In just a short time, the Ross experience delivered.
"Every part of the curriculum touched on an important aspect of my work."
Luke Nachtrab, MBA ’11, describes how he looked at 25 of the top EMBA programs and chose Ross because of its strong emphasis on strategy and general management.
"I got a comprehensive set of tools I've been able to apply immediately in my work."
The general management curriculum gave Larry Pemble, MBA ’11, knowledge he says he’s putting to use across his organization.
"I'm a stronger consultant to my clients and better business owner."
Keisha Strong, MBA ’11, says the Ross EMBA is helping her make real world impact. As a consultant, she’s helping clients leverage her new knowledge for global expansion.
"The FBI is run like a business."
FBI agent Jeff Brown, MBA '11, knows how to tackle bad guys. But the Ross EMBA Program has taught him to tackle finance, accounting, and other business fundamentals.
"Ross gave me great problem-solving tools."
Mike Carscaddon, MBA '08, has nailed a solid foundation in international operations at Habitat for Humanity International. The Ross EMBA Program gave him the data-driven outlook needed for his nonprofit.
"The monthly format was ideal."
John Chang, MBA '09, became a doctor in order to help people. But a contentious meeting with hospital administrators made him realize his profession is evolving — physicians now need a head for business.
"Ross made me a more effective leader."
As a doctor and professor, Edith Mensah-Osman, MBA '11, is leveraging her MBA to lead the business side of research.
She calls the Ross EMBA Program the best gift she's ever given herself.