6 EMBA Programs with Flexible Schedule Options

Trying to go to business school while maintaining your current job is challenging to say the least, but taking a year or more off to earn your MBA isn’t always practical. Many EMBA programs understand this and offer flexible schedules so you can find an arrangement that fits with your schedule. This way, you can take the absolute minimum amount of time off-work (if any) to attend your classes.

While there are a large number of Executive MBA programs that offer flexible scheduling – after all, EMBA programs are for people who want or need to keep working full-time while going to business school – here is a sampling of some of the most convenient options available, from our 2018 Best Executive MBA Programs ranking.

Emory

Emory University’s Goizueta Business School has EMBA programs to suit everyone. Its Weekend and Modular MBA Programs for Executives have three scheduling options. There is a cohort that meets on alternating weeks (Fridays and Saturdays). This might be a good fit for someone who works Sunday to Thursday or who can flex his or her schedule to work Monday to Thursday. There is also an evening EMBA. Classes meet twice per week for roughly three hours starting at 6:30pm, leaving a comfortable commute for people who work until 4 or 5. Finally, you can also choose a modular MBA. In this program schedule, you will have 8 residencies (one each quarter), each lasting one-week. In addition, all program schedules have a 10-day immersion study trip.

Whichever program you choose, the Emory EMBA is ranked 25 in the world and 6 in the US South/Mid-Atlantic region. It will take 16-19 months to complete. The average class size is 42 and top industries include: Healthcare, Financial Services, Education, Technology, and Consulting.

Columbia

Columbia University is home to the Columbia Business School Executive MBA Program. The 24-month program is ranked 6 on the world amongst EMBA programs and 2 in the Northeast US. It also offers a wide variety fo attendance options.

For instance, depending on your time availability, you could opt to take classes every Saturday. For someone with weekends off, this could be a good fit and not require you to adjust your work schedule at all. The Columbia EMBA also has a Friday/Saturday option. In this schedule, students meet on alternating weeks for two consecutive days. This way, you get every other weekend off. You just have to take off two Fridays a month. Finally, there is the EMBA-Americas option. Every month, students in this cohort meet for 5-6 day blocks.

The average class size in the program is 137. Top industries include: Financial services, Consulting, Healthcare, Technology, Government, and Pharmaceutical.

IESE

University of Navarra’s IESE Business School offers the IESE Global Executive MBA. The program is ranked 17 in the world and 5 in European EMBA rankings. IESE offers two schedule options for its students: an Americas track and a European track. In the Americas track, your studies will begin in Barcelona, then you will have several modules in New York as well as one each in Shanghai and Silicon Valley. The European track also starts in Barcelona. From there, you will travel to New York, Shanghai, and Silicon Valley. In addition, both tracks offer elective modules. Choose from locations in Bangkok, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Accra, and Munich.

The IESE Global Executive MBA takes 16 months to finish. Each module lasts two weeks and there is one every two months. The average class size is 60. Top industries include: Manufacturing, Financial services, Consulting, Telecommunications, and Pharmaceuticals.

Auburn Executive MBA

Auburn University’s Raymond J. Harbert College of Business offers the Auburn Executive MBA. The program takes 21 months to finish and it is ranked 20 in its region overall.

In this program, roughly 70% of your study is classroom-based while 30% is all online, making it easy to fit into your schedule. If you choose the Auburn Executive MBA, you will need to plan for five residencies during your studies, each one lasts for one week. During this period, you will have classroom time during the day as well as opportunities to build relationships and camaraderie. In addition, you also have a short international residency that you will need to complete.

The average class size is 50. Top industries include: Government, Manufacturing, Technology, Financial services, and Non-profit.

Cornell EMBA Americas

Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management  teamed up with Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business to offer The Executive MBA Americas. The 17-month EMBA program is ranked 4 in the world.

This program meets for classes every other weekend on Saturdays and Sundays, leaving you free to hit the grind Monday through Friday. Throughout your studies, you can expect to travel often. Have your passport ready. Classes rotate between Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. In addition, you will also visit several cities in North and South America as part of your studies.

Stateside, you can expect to visit Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and Washington DC amongst others while your Canadian travels will include Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. You will also visit Peru:Lima, Chile: Santiago, Mexico:Monterrey, and Mexico City.

The average class size is 158. Top industries are: Finance, Energy, Utilities, Telecommunications, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Consulting.

The Broad Executive MBA

Ranked in the top 10 for work-life balance, The Broad Executive MBA at Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business, is designed for busy professionals striving to balance work, home, and other obligations with their upward career trajectory. Boasting a flexible timeline with classes held every other Friday evening and all day Saturday, the Broad College Executive MBA offers a schedule that fits your life. This robust and flexible part-time MBA is compressed into just 20 months.

Allowing their students to work with the same group of high-performing professionals for the duration of the program, the Broad College Executive MBA encourages teams to outline when and how often they meet, utilizing advanced technology to alleviate any unnecessary strain on their already busy schedules.

The average cohort size is 150. Top industries include: Operations/Logistics, Finance/Accounting, General Management, Information Systems, and Marketing/Sales.