Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Information:
Executive MBA Program
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
1000 Oakbrook Drive, Suite 220
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-6794
(734) 615-9700
(734) 615-9701 FAX
emba@umich.edu
What makes Michigan
different from other EMBA programs?
How does the Executive MBA program differ from Michigan's
full-time MBA program?
What areas does your curriculum emphasize?
How long does the program take to complete?
What is the format of the program?
What happens when we are not in Residency?
How much time should I expect to set-aside for
homework during the week?
How many students per class?
Will I be expected to work alone, or will I be
assigned to work with a group of my peers?
Where do classes meet?
Where do I stay while in Residence?
Can I choose a major for my Executive MBA?
Will my degree be the same as if I attended the
full-time program?
Who are the faculty teaching in the EMBA?
Is the Michigan EMBA Program accredited?
Is the Michigan program ranked?
How do I apply?
Do you hold information sessions?
When are applications due?
When will I be notified of a decision regarding
my admission?
Can I apply to the Executive MBA and
another Michigan program during the same year?
Do I have to take the GMAT?
Do international candidates have to take the TOEFL?
How much does the program cost?
What is included in the cost of the program?
Are scholarships and/or loans available?
Is corporate sponsorship required?
When are payments due?
Do you offer career development services?
Is on-campus recruiting provided for EMBA
participants?
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A: As the latest in the portfolio of
degree programs offered at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, the Executive MBA Program offers three differentiating factors, including its
intense focus on leadership development, the applied nature of the curriculum, and the
unique once per month online/on-campus format. Parallel to the traditional courses is
a professional development track in which participants outline goals as well as
identify strengths and areas for growth during the first year. In the
second year, a number of different workshops will be organized around these
identified goals. Recent topics include dealing with media in crisis
situations, managing relationships with corporate boards, and managing senior
staff groups. We seek to bring together a
diverse set of individuals representing the broadest spectrum of industries as
well as firms and individual functions. Building on the tremendous
resources of our world-class Executive Education Center as well as the overall
Business School, we provide an intense learning environment for lifelong
learning.
A: The Executive MBA program is structured
to meet the needs of individuals in senior management roles, focusing on
leadership skills needed to be successful at the executive level. Specifically,
the program targets participants who have had generally 10-15 years of work
experience, with significant experience in a managerial/supervisory capacity.
The collective professional experience of EMBA participants enriches the
learning experience both in and outside the classroom.
The participants’ average age for the last several entering classes has been
40, with nearly 10 years in a
managerial/supervisory capacity. Participants come from a broad variety of
organizations, including Fortune 500 as well as regional and entrepreneurial
businesses. While the core curriculum is similar to that in the full-time
MBA program, the overall EMBA curriculum is more strategic in focus and designed to help
participants make an immediate impact at work, while taking advantage of the
participant's professional experiences. Both programs include Michigan's
signature field project course which partners students with organizations across
the world.
The day MBA program is a two-year,
full-time program targeting individuals who have had approximately 4-5
years of work experience, typically at the analyst level, average age 28. Candidates are
looking at their MBA experience as a way to "jump-start" their career as well as
to explore different career options. Whereas the EMBA program is a "lock-step"
program where all participants take the same classes at the same time, the
full-time program allows for a focus area (i.e. consulting, finance, marketing).
A: The curriculum at Michigan emphasizes
general management and leadership development - it is highly applied and geared
toward providing the skills and toolsets needed by individuals to lead
organizations. Participants seeking advancement to the highest levels in
their organizations need to have a broad-based education as opposed to becoming
functional experts. As such, the EMBA curriculum provides a more strategic
approach to business issues and problem solving focusing on the tools needed to
be a successful leader. Being able to identify the "big picture" strategy
and its implementation is critical to our approach.
Parallel to the traditional courses is a professional development track in
which participants outline goals as well as identify strengths and areas for
growth during the first year. In the second year, a number of different
workshops will be organized around these identified goals. Recent topics
include dealing with media in crisis situations, managing relationships with
corporate boards, and managing senior staff groups. Also included are a number of other presentations, including our Executive
Speaker Series, as well as a number of business related sessions.
While the curriculum is designed as lock-step in which candidates all
progress through the same series of courses - meaning there are no formal
electives - there are opportunities to customize the experience based on
individual interests. This may range from course assignments in which
participants and/or teams can study specific industries and/or organizations, to
the ExecMAP field projects in which participants are able to select from a
variety of projects in different industries and functional areas.
A: The Executive MBA Program at the
University of Michigan is a 21-month program. Courses begin in August or
January and
conclude in April or September.
A: The EMBA Program targets two classes to enter the program each year, one
beginning in August, one beginning in January. Participants attend a 10-day Residency
in the beginning of each academic year, and return to campus approximately once per month for an
all day
Friday/Saturday Residency. There is a major field project course held
between the first and second years. During the weeks when participants are not in residence, the program takes
advantage of a number of different distance learning technologies to augment the
traditional face-to-face classroom teaching as well as provide opportunities for
virtual team meetings.
A: Participants are provided with the
necessary materials and technologies to facilitate their distance learning
efforts. With three courses typically taught concurrently, each month is
organized to allow for one full week of online learning per class. We
provide a series of custom CDs which may offer a number of different learning
opportunities ranging from streaming video to interactive cases.
Course materials are typically designed so that they may be completed
asynchronously, allowing maximum flexibility. The EMBA Program also
supports a software platform allowing a broad range of features to supplement
virtual teams, including document exchange as well as voice conferencing.
A: On average, you should anticipate
spending between 15 - 20 hours per week on homework, including meeting times and
time spent reviewing online materials. Depending on the course material as
well as individual habits, this time may vary.
A: We target a class of 60 to begin each
Fall and Winter (August and January start dates).
A: You will be assigned to a group that will include five or six of your peers.
Although not all class work will be assigned as a group task, we recognize that
many decisions made in the work environment are done so with a group of
colleagues. Teams are formed with the intention of bringing together a
diverse group of individuals across function and industry. Groups will typically change at least three times in the
program to maximize your interaction with other classmates and form the basis of
a lifetime network.
A: Classes meet in the Executive Education
Center at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Campus.
In September 2005, the EMBA Program moved all classes to the
Michigan Information Technology Center building, approximately 1.5 miles south
of the main campus. This brand new building features a complete
state-of-art conference center with tiered classroom and all support facilities
necessary. This temporary move is to accommodate a major expansion and
renovation of the Business School complex. We will move back to our
central campus location in Summer 2009.
A: During
construction and renovation of the Business School complex participants are housed at
the Sheraton Four Points Ann Arbor, local full-service hotel near the MITC center;
shuttle service is provided. Full health and fitness facilities are
available while EMBAs are in Residence.
A: As this is a "lock step" program,
participants take the same classes at the same time. While there are no
formal electives, there are opportunities to customize the experience based on
individual interests. This may range from course assignments in which
participants and/or teams can study specific industries and/or organizations, to
the ExecMAP field projects in which participants are able to select from a
variety of projects in different industries and functional areas.
A: Yes, there is only one Master of
Business Administration degree granted by the Stephen M. Ross School of Business
at the University of Michigan.
A: Faculty are drawn from the same pool of faculty teaching in the full-time
program. Faculty in the EMBA more often are senior faculty members with
significant research, teaching and consulting experience.
A: Yes, the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is fully accredited by AACSB International, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
A: BusinessWeek in 2007 again ranks the Executive MBA Program as No. 4
in the world, a position the program has held since becoming eligible for
consideration in 2005. US News and World Report has recognized
the Ross EMBA in the top ten in the country
since the program launched in 2001; the program is ranked No. 6 as the top public EMBA
program in 2007.
The Wall Street Journal has ranked Ross among the
top business schools in the nation since 2002, and as No.
1 in 2006. As a new program, Financial Times will not include Michigan's
EMBA in
their respective rankings until 2008.
The overall Business School has a truly world-class "general management" faculty
that recently received a third straight No. 2 in the rigorous ranking published
in the Journal of the Academy of Management and whose research
productivity has now risen to No. 7 worldwide in the most recent Financial
Times rankings. Financial Times ranked the Strategy Department
at Ross as #1 in the world in 2008. BusinessWeek ranks the fulltime day MBA Program
among the top 5 in the country.
A: You will need to submit a current
application, including three letters of recommendation, four essays, transcripts
from all educational institutions at which you studied, a passport-size
photograph, the application fee, and other administrative forms. Once a
completed application is received, we will contact you to schedule an evaluative
interview with a member of the Admissions Committee.
A: Yes, multiple sessions are scheduled
each year. For the current schedule,
Click here. If you are
unable to attend one of the scheduled sessions, we would be happy to meet with
you on an individual basis either in person, or over the phone.
Q: Can I sit in on a class?
A: Because of the intense academic atmosphere created within the classroom, we
do not allow prospective candidates or visitors to sit in the classroom.
We are, however, happy to put you
in contact with a current participant or alumnus so that you can learn first-hand about the
program. Similarly, we are happy to schedule your interview when one of
the classes are in session so that you might see our facilities and interact with current participants
during scheduled breaks.
A: Applications are currently being accepted for the Winter 2009 and Fall 2009 entering classes. Deadlines are as follows:
Winter 2009 (Classes begin January 2009)
- June 1, 2008 - early decision
- July 15, 2008; September 1, 2008; October 1, 2008; November 1, 2008;
December 1, 2008 - rolling decision
deadlines
Fall 2009 (Classes begin August 2009)
- December 1, 2008 - early decision
- February 1, 2009; March 15, 2009; May 1, 2009 - rolling decision
deadlines
Because a rolling admissions process is
used, we encourage you to apply early within an Admissions cycle. We will
continue to accept applications on a space-available basis after the final
deadline for a specific class.
Contact the EMBA Program Office for updates at (734) 615-9700.
A: Consideration of applications is done
on a rolling admissions basis, meaning that applications will be reviewed as
they are received, and decisions will be announced typically within 3-4 weeks of
receipt.
A: Individuals are unable to apply to more
than one program at the Ross School of Business in any given
admission cycle.
A: Applicants to the Executive MBA Program
at Michigan are not required to take the GMAT. If you have taken the GMAT test
within the past five years, however, you should include your scores with your
application. For information on the GMAT test, visit www.mba.com
or call 1-800-462-8669. The code to have scores automatically sent to Ross
is SN1-J6-94.
A: The TOEFL is required for non-native
English speakers. International applicants who have eared a degree from a
United States school or an institution abroad where the curriculum is
exclusively in English are exempt from the TOEFL requirement. Those who
have worked in the U.S. full time for two or more years in the past five years
are also exempt from the TOEFL requirement. Candidates should obtain a
score of 600 or higher on the paper-based version, 250 or higher on the
computer-based version, or 100 or higher on the Internet-based version; candidates must also take the writing test included in the
examination unless the writing test is not given at the particular test site.
For information on the TOEFL test, visit www.toefl.com. The code to have
scores automatically sent to Ross is 9585. Scores are valid no more than
two years prior to an application deadline date.
A: Fees for the 21-month program beginning
Fall 2008 and Winter 2009 are $120,000 for in-state participants and $125,000 for out-state
participants. Fees for the class entering in Fall 2009 and Winter 2010 are
identical and
will be announced in
July 2009.
A: Included are all costs of attendance,
including all course books and materials, housing and meals, as well as laptop computer.
Transportation to and from Ann Arbor is not included. Because the program
is designed for intense group interaction, it is expected that participants stay
in the Executive Residence during scheduled sessions. For candidates
traveling from more than 60 miles, hotel stay on either Thursday night or
Saturday night for a regular 2-day residency is included.
A: A limited number of scholarships
(ranging from partial to full tuition) are
available to participants working in the public and/or non-for-profit sectors.
Loans are also available and we will gladly facilitate your financial aid
process. Contact the EMBA Program Office for details.
A: No, corporate sponsorship is not required, although a Statement of Corporate
Support indicating support of your participation in the EMBA Program and
recognition of the time requirement is required.
A: A non-refundable deposit of $1000 is required upon admission to hold your
place. There are five semesters recognized within the EMBA Program; payment is due prior to the start of each
semester in roughly five equal installments. For the Fall 2008 entering
class, payments are due July 15, and November 15, 2008; March 15, July 15, and
November 15, 2009. For the Winter 2009
entering class, tuition payments are due November 15, 2008; March 15, July 15
and November 15, 2009; March 15, 2010. Similar payment dates will be used
for subsequent entering classes.
A: As most participants receive some type of financial support from their
employer, formal on-campus recruiting services are more limited. However, the EMBA
Program does work with the overall Business School's Office of Career
Development to make available a number of other resources including access to
alumni databases, self-assessment tools, and other networking tools and
skill-building sessions and workshops. Additional development sessions are
included within the EMBA's Professional Development Program. Other
resources include one-on-one job coaching and counseling sessions, as well as
proprietary databases of corporate information. Specific job postings are
available for alumni of the program. Many of these services, with the
exception of one-on-one coaching, are available to alumni of the program on an
on-going basis.
A: No, on-campus job recruitment is not provided.
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