The Executive MBA is particularly designed for people who have attained long years of expertise in their fields but who still aim to be promoted to higher management positions. Specifically, this degree is for people holding managerial and executive positions, such as senior managers with at least ten years of experience, who still see themselves as having more corporate responsibility. The executive MBA is useful for these people in top level positions as they can share their executive experience during their study, become more competent and confident along the way and eventually improve their chances of promotion.

The courses included in this program are aimed at meeting the needs of busy professionals. Courses such as career management and corporate strategy are focused on global business issues and techniques. Classes are usually held during the weekend while the entire course lasts for two years. The schedule offered allows executives to continue with their work while at the same time pursuing their EMBA. The skills and knowledge taught are the same as that of the full time, part time and online MBA programs. The only difference is that those involved in the EMBA are executives who have expertise in their respective areas.

The executive MBA aims to develop new skills in business administration and improve existing ones. These are focused on marketing, management, operations, finance, leadership, problem solving, technology, decision making and plan implementation. The EMBA program is considered full time and its curriculum is very structured. Most of the time, students are tasked to do group projects and meetings.

Most of the faculty members of top business schools are experts in their own fields as students taking executive MBAs are believed to have vast knowledge and skills in their chosen fields. Most companies shoulder the tuition of their people taking EMBAs and they expect a return from their investment by way of improved performance level in the office. Executive MBA programs also give great opportunities for networking which many companies can take advantage of.

Meanwhile, the executive MBA has also gone global. In fact, five business schools from around the world have made a partnership to provide an EMBA with international scope. The difference lies in the curriculum, international network and extensive experience overseas required among participants. This type of EMBA includes international courses, get more students from abroad and provide short educational trips to other countries during which students meet with local executives. An example of this type of global approach is the OneMBA which targets to expose some 100 senior executives to business practices in each of the five school’s region. The business schools involved in this partnership are from Hong Kong, Brazil, Mexico and the U.S.

The EMBA was first offered in the 1940s. The Executive MBA Council says around 175 universities and schools are now offering 210 MBA worldwide.