What is an EMBA?

Everyone has probably heard the term MBA or ( Masters Business Administration). An EMBA or an Executive MBA is a program in which the professional who has earned their MBA and now wishes to expand their knowledge of management capabilities by furthering their education as an Executive Master of Business Administration. Professionals who are career orientated, and have a goal to reach a higher pay scale, and/or better position in the United States and/or globally. This education will further the professional’s knowledge of expanded management experience. One profession that the EMBA degree would help one is that of the nurse practitioner or nurse management.

Online EMBA Programs:

There is a lot to consider if one wants to take an EMBA program online, and the prospective student should take time to research all of their options. The one most important thing that the student will need to find out is if the college or university that they are considering is accredited. Colleges and universities are aware of the fact that most professionals cannot have a job interruption to go back to school. There are a host of EMBA programs online that the student will have to research. Online EMBA programs are highly flexible for the working professional. The student will have to research a few of their choices of colleges or universities to find out the following:

• How flexible is their class schedules?
• How does the tuition cost vary among other schools?
• Is the school going to offer the degree of interest?
• Make sure that the college or university you choose will match your personal goals?

Which Online EMBA Program is Considered The Best?

No one student will find the best EMBA program per say, because what one thinks is the best program for them, and will best fit their needs, may not be the best EMBA program for the next professional. It really does not matter which online EMBA program from what school that one decides upon, each program will meet the needs and goals of any student wishing to further their management skills. The main focus on the school first and foremost is if it is accredited.

Why an Accredited EMBA Online Program?

It is best for the student to look into the type of accrediting that the school has. Are they accredited with the AASCB, are they regionally accredited, or are they nationally accredited? A good accrediting essentially means that these associations have put their seal of approval on the college or university regarding this online course of study. If the school has no seal of approval then do not waste the time and money it will take to obtain a degree through this school.

This program can take up to two years or more depending if one is taking courses part-time or full-time. If one takes online EMBA courses on the weekends only it may take two years to complete. While there are many good and accredited schools in the United States, some countries all also paving the way towards excellent EMBA course study and some overseas colleges and universities will not take quite as long to complete.

EMBA vs MBA –  What is the Difference?

The professional has went to school a long time to earn their MBA, so why is this not enough? Why must that person consider even yet more education to obtain an EMBA? The MBA degree was well known for over 50 years, and about 15 plus years ago there was new degree that came onto the scene, and this was the EMBA. The enrollment in the EMBA program has had its ups and downs over the last several years, but more recently the enrollment process has leveled off and stayed steady. The professional seeking a more advanced knowledge of business management will sharpen their skills by seeking an Executive degree in business management. Whether the student is taking an EMBA or MBA course the student will be required to take:

• Statistics
• Marketing
• Accounting
• Management
• Finance
• Legal issues
• Ethical issues
• Sales
• Economics

There are other courses required that are not mentioned, but much research involving at least 80 colleges and universities has been completed in order to determine the exact differences of these programs, and after research was completed it was found that there was really no differences in the EMBA vs the MBA program. It was also understood that the basic program content was no different between these two degrees and neither was the quality of education received, however, the nature of each program is very different.

EMBA vs Online MBA – What is the Difference?

Your first question should be: what do I expect to learn to help me do my job better? When it comes to an EMBA, most professionals graduate having sharpened their business acumen, gathered a collective understanding of how business operates, broadened their global business perspective and enhanced their communication skills. Because it is so easy for a professional to become focused in their current job duties, many companies promote the study through executive online MBA programs, because it forces their employees to take a step back and understand a more general viewpoint of the operations. Once professionals attain this perspective, they’re better positioned to advance their careers.

Online MBA students also leave their programs with a different take on their company’s business dealings. How the EMBA and the Online MBA differ is that during the course of online study, MBA students enjoy a larger role in controlling their study schedules while still being able to implement the lessons directly into their current positions because they don’t have to divide their time.

By considering factors like the accessibility of the faculty, the program’s quality, the programs impact on students’ careers, post-graduate career services and other important qualities, The Wall Street Journal in a recent issue listed a ranking of all the existing accelerated MBA programs.   This is a great starting point for researching what attributes you want to look for in an MBA, but since these aren’t the only types of MBA programs, consider, too, how long each type of MBA program typically lasts:

MBAs Time to Graduate
EMBA: 2 years or less
Online MBA: 1 year to 18 months
Traditional MBA: 2 years
Part-time MBA: up to 5 years

For a working professional who wishes to get an education on the side, the duration of a program can have great effect on how long the person is required to juggle all their responsibilities, including answering to personal and family needs. This is likely why accelerated programs have become so popular. Other explanations for their growing popularity could be the immediate implementation of lessons in the workplace and the success rate of more and more graduates. But a huge pull for many is that companies often are willing to pay for their employees to pursue an executive or an online MBA, because they are short and their returns on the investment come quickly.

Online EMBA vs Online MBA, Which Should I Choose?

If you’re a professional with industry experience and are looking for an accelerated MBA program, an online EMBA could be your best fit. Typically, applicants are expected to have been in the industry for at least five years. Acknowledging their current employment, students complete their courses either by managing work and school simultaneously by taking classes online.  In many cases, EMBA online programs do not require applicants to submit a GMAT score, choosing instead to judge their candidacy based on their performance at work and the responsibilities they’ve had in their professionals lives. Classes are usually small with a lot of individual face-to-face time with instructors.