Executive MBA programs are geared toward people who have been working in the business world for around 14 years and have quite a bit of managerial experience, says Carla Hayn, senior associate dean of the Executive & Fully Employed MBA Programs at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
“Most executives who enter an Executive MBA program are more mature, experienced and about 10 years older (with an average age of 37) than people enrolling in full- or part-time MBA programs,” she says.
Smart Business learned more from Hayn about how to find the right MBA program.
How can an executive determine whether getting an MBA degree is the right choice?
It you are on the brink of being promoted or have already moved into a top management position, an Executive MBA program will definitely enhance your skill set and your ability to succeed in your career. You’ll have opportunities to learn more about the specific areas in which you may need more specialized knowledge (e.g., corporate finance, brand management, supply chains, etc.). You’ll have classmates who are experts in their fields from whom you can learn. You can make use of the array of elective courses to acquire further expertise in your field.
Why are elective offerings an important part of MBA programs?
All Executive MBA programs provide you with the ‘core’ business knowledge in accounting, finance, marketing, economics, etc. However, programs vary widely in the number of electives available to executive students.
At UCLA Anderson, we provide 15 electives each year especially for our executive students in diverse areas such as Mergers & Acquisitions, Venture Capital & Private Equity and Online One-to-One Marketing. Executives can also choose from the wide array of electives offered in our full- and part-time MBA programs. In addition, executive students can travel through our International Study Programs (recent trips include Brazil, China, S. Africa, India) and our exchange programs with partner Executive MBA programs throughout the world. Executives can even earn certificates in finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, sustainability, or international studies, officially recognizing their accomplishments in these areas.
