It’s one of the most prestigious management degrees available, offered by many of the world’s top business schools. QS TopExecutive takes a look at what every candidate should know about the Executive MBA.
New research released this week has found that MBA graduates in the US earn, on average, US$40,000 more per annum than bachelor’s degree holders. According the Graduate Management Admission Council’s (GMAC) Corporate Recruiters Survey, “employers in the US expect to pay MBA graduates substantially more in 2012 than new hires with only a bachelor’s degree. This translates into annual earnings for new MBAs that are US$40,000 higher, on average, than the salaries bachelor’s degree holders can...
According to a recent survey of business school deans and directors, the majority of MBA programs need to improve their nurturing of innovation, while blended learning MBA delivery modes are likely to become more common place in the coming years.
As one of the most prestigious MBA study destinations in the world, North America attracts a wealth of international and domestic students. TopMBA.com takes a closer look at the international and domestic study experiences, with insight from MBA candidates who selected both the US and Canada as their business school destinations of choice.
The Executive MBA is credited with equipping candidates with a range of skills. So what exactly are the core values of an Executive MBA? QS TopExecutive asks the experts.
QS TopExecutive looks at the top five things an EMBA teaches you that will make you a better manager.
Applying to business school was a roller coaster ride for Amit Mahajan, but that didn’t stop him from being accepted into Cranfield School of Management...
Deciding which MBA program to apply to? The Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree, when not the butt of uninformed yet amusing jokes, often makes headlines for the significant salaries which MBAs are able to command. However, what is often ignored is that to achieve such high salaries, MBA students and graduates alike need to possess something greater than a passion for high earnings: career progression and a thirst for self advancement.
At some point, usually early on in the application exercise, most candidates will wonder how to finance an MBA program. If you’re already wealthy enough not to have to worry about financing your MBA program then you could ask yourself if business school is necessary for you at all. And if you haven’t asked yourself that question yet, perhaps your lack of business acumen isn’t right for business school in the first place.
An Executive MBA certainly adds benefit to a candidate’s career, but as these EMBA graduates found out, it wasn’t necessarily in the direction they were expecting.
From holding their own in the boardroom to establishing a successful start-up, newly-confident alum speak of what they’ve achieved post-EMBA.
As of June 5th 2012, the GMAT exam is going to change to incorporate a brand new GMAT section, titled Integrated Reasoning. However, as TopMBA.com explains, this shouldn’t be something to keep aspiring MBA applicants awake at night with worry.
Recommended reading from Anne Nemer, Assistant Dean for Executive programs, EMBA Worldwide Program, Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburg US.
Four dimensions of self preparation and self-assessment to consider before applying to business school. By Jason Price, Director, EMBA World
Sylvie Morel is the Overall System Deputy Manager for AREVA NP on the Olkiluoto EPR Project based in Finland, and she credits her Executive MBA for getting her there.
As Executive MBA programs continue to develop to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global landscape, changes are also afoot in the world of EMBA financing, writes Ann Graham
The value of a business school comes when an MBA leaves the program and rejoins the workplace. This is why it’s essential that candidates realize that MBA degrees are not all the same...
Recent trends have shown MBAs moving into non-traditional MBA career sectors. TopMBA.com looks into the shift from the traditional MBA career sectors to the non-traditional. MBA alumni are continuing to move away from traditional MBA careers and into functions and industries not commonly associated with business school graduates.
If you’re looking to take the next step up the career ladder, QS TopExecutive looks at the ways an Executive MBA can get you there.
What do you, the Executive MBA candidate, need as part of your profile to ensure you meet business school expectations?
MBA alumni networks, a term used to refer to the close bond between those that attend or attended the same business school or MBA program, can often be extremely beneficial to those on the MBA job hunt. Primarily, this is as a result of each business school’s emphasis on creating their own society, so that those MBA alumni who graduated decades earlier remain committed to their younger cohort, often helping them with introductions, mentorships, and recommendations.
Consultancy organizations across the globe tell TopMBA.com that they have increased the number of MBA jobs available, and 2012 appears to be another positive year for MBA graduates and alumni looking to enter or continue working in the sector.
Technological advances have stimulated a boom in distance learning MBA programs, but are they a viable alternative to traditional study modes? TopMBA.com discusses the pros and cons of distance MBAs.
One of the regular questions that business education experts are asked MBA applicants is: ‘What exactly is an MBA?’ While seemingly an obvious question that anyone interested in applying to business school should know the answer to, it can be surprising when asked by highly-skilled, talented professionals, intent on discovering the many benefits which MBA programs can bring.
Have you ever been asked to describe yourself in five words? Or to explain what you do in one minute or less? Being able to explain who you are and what you do is an art form and one many of us are yet to master.
Reading recommendations from Hina Wadhwa-Gonfreville, Editor in Chief, QS TopExecutive.
Reading recommendations from Steve Seymour, Director of MBA programs, Ashridge Business School.
Reading recommendations from Amy Hillman, Executive Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.
Reading recommendations from Michael Gibbs, Clinical Professor of Economics Faculty Director, Executive MBA program, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
As the home of the MBA, North America is the most appealing MBA study destination among prospective students, with the main decision for applicants being whether to study an MBA in the USA, or an MBA in Canada. Business education expert Aled Owens explores the ever-popular aspiration of pursuing an MBA in North America.
As one of the world’s business hubs, studying an MBA in London has always been a popular option amongst business school applicants from around the world. However, with sensational newspaper headlines predicting an end to the City’s global financial importance, TopMBA.com takes a look at the career options for MBAs in London.
Australian MBA salaries are high and business schools in the country are favorable among recruitment managers. However, interest amongst applicants to apply for an MBA in Australia has dropped slightly. TopMBA.com looks into the benefits of studying an MBA in Australia.
Top business school faculty and experts on management education from around the world give TopMBA.com their advice on how to file a successful MBA application
Coca-Cola CEO, Muhtar Kent talks to TopMBA.com about how his MBA helped him climb to the top of the global fizzy drinks company. Kent never set out to become the leader of a multinational organization after he graduated with his MBA in 1977. He began his post-MBA job hunt looking for two things – a worldwide and diverse organization and the potential for career growth. Now, he is leading the world’s largest beverages organization – The Coca-Cola Company.
An Executive MBA requires a significant investment of time which means your priorities will change while on the program. Here are some tips for things to do before you step into that EMBA classroom.
An Executive MBA requires a significant investment of time which means priorities will change while you study for the program. So, what should you do before you step into the EMBA classroom and put your life on a hiatus for 12-24 months?
Two of the world’s leading MBA jobs and salary trends surveys show that the business school job market in North America is seeing signs of improvement, especially so in regard to equal salaries between men and women. The results show that recruitment and salary trends for MBA graduates and alumni in North America have developed in recent months, with females across the region earning far closer salaries to their male counterparts than anywhere else in the world.
Lindsey Nefesh-Clarke was declared the winner of the 2009 Student of the Year Awards at the Annual Gala of the Association of MBAs (AMBA). She explains how her career has taken a ‘quantum leap’ thanks to her EMBA.
MBA admissions essays are vital in securing a place at one of the top business schools. However these essays are all too often a neglected aspect of the MBA admissions process, as candidates devote far more attention to other key areas, such as the GMAT test.
Despite gloomy news in the eurozone, one sickly patient at least seems at last to be rising from its bed. MBA job availability and salaries, according to two influential surveys, are on the mend
Differentiating yourself from the hundreds of other EMBA candidates is essential if you want to increase your chances of acceptance into business school. Here are a few ideas for standing out from the crowd.
As an experienced professional, those days you once spent studying in the classroom may seem like a long time ago. David Shindler, author, experienced coach and consultant, gives you his top tips on how best to prepare for the EMBA classroom.
With globalization playing a bigger role in the growth of businesses, over the past few years some of the world’s top business schools have reformed their MBA programs to better prepare graduates for the fast-evolving business world.
An Executive MBA is credited with providing graduates with a number of different skills, not least a wider perspective on business management and practices. But the benefits of this prestigious business school degree go much further.
Economic troubles in the eurozone and beyond are dominating headlines around the world. But that’s not to say that it would be a mistake to study an MBA in any of those countries, or others affected by the ongoing global economic troubles. In fact, in many instances it can be a benefit to MBA students.
Some students commencing their MBA in 2012 will be among the first to enter business school having taken the new integrated reasoning section of the GMAT or the revised GRE. TopMBA.com takes a closer look at the implications of the test changes.
Home to two of the four BRIC nations, the Asia-Pacific region is certainly becoming more and more economically influential. But how does life fare for MBA students and graduates in the region?
One EMBA program, five places, six paces. ESCP Europe’s Executive MBA program is a reflection of the school’s intrinsic values – truly European in every way, flexible with a human dimension, innovative and diverse.
With a wealth of different MBA programs to consider, business school applicants often report a great deal of confusion in determining the ideal MBA program format for them. For those applicants with six or more years of work experience, an executive MBA can often be the most beneficial option, as an increased level of experience among cohorts ensures greater class-insight, focused debate, and a wealth of diverse experiences to benefit from.
Software programs and smartphone apps are helping the busy EMBA executive improve systems, performance and output. We take a look at some useful technology for EMBA executives and what to look out for in 2012.
Assessing the return on investment is an important step in deciding whether to pursue an MBA. Ross Geraghty looks at the factors to consider when calculating the return on investment of MBA programs...
We help you get through some of the jargon you'll come across in the application process.
If you’ve been weighing up the possibility of embarking on an Executive MBA, here are five more reasons why an EMBA will be one of the best moves you can make for your personal and professional career this year.
This could very well be the greatest advantage of studying for your Executive MBA.
With a growing number of off-campus program formats such as online and distance learning MBAs being offered by business schools, TopMBA.com weighs up the pros and cons of on-campus and off-campus MBA study modes.
Otmane Bensaid is a recent graduate of the business school classroom. The Moroccan professional and father of two, has just completed his Executive MBA at the prestigious EMLYON Business School in France.
Technology careers are seemingly becoming the most appealing to MBA candidates, according to a recent survey. In the TopMBA.com Applicant Survey, global figures show that while 5% of candidates come from a technology background, around 25% nominate technology as one of the sectors they would like to work in on leaving business school.
‘An MBA says something about you,’ says entrepreneur Nick Barker. He tells Ann Graham about his Executive MBA experience at Nottingham University Business School.
From consulting projects to immediate implementation of expert advice, QS TopExecutive has top tips on how you can make your Executive MBA as relevant as possible in the workplace and in your career.
Year-on-year, the Asian region is becoming more and more globally important to business. While for the past two or three decades Asia dominated the manufacturing sector, it is now that the region is strengthening its overall business strategies, with local business dominating both local and international markets. As a result of Asia’s heightened business needs, the role of locally based business schools, serving international needs from an Asian location, has never been more important.
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to apply for an Executive MBA program at one of the world’s top business schools, QS TopExecutive has some top tips to help make it happen.
MBA candidates from the fast-emerging BRIC economies, Brazil, Russia, India and China, are demonstrating a much greater confidence in the salary benefits of the MBA program than their counterparts in the developed world, according to a major QS survey.
Research into the MBA job landscape for 2012 has found that more companies are looking to hire more MBAs, for higher salaries.
Deciding which MBA programs or business schools to apply to is a conundrum faced by even the most decisive of MBA applicants.
In a world that is growing more integrated by the year, the importance of future business leaders having an international outlook cannot be underestimated. In their quest to ensure MBA students are given the international exposure needed to operate in the heavily globalized world that they work in, many business schools place a high importance on international class diversity.
In the second of this two-part series of how an Executive MBA fits your personal career plan, QS TopExecutive gets some expert advice from business schools.
Whether you’re an Executive MBA candidate, student or alum networking is an integral part of your business school experience. Keep your network working throughout the festive season with these top tips.
Despite the ongoing economic troubles over the past few years, business schools in the USA and Canada remain highly relevant to global MBA employers and a must-have for domestic employers.
European business schools continue to be at the forefront of innovation in business education, ensuring they attract top international talent which in turn attracts global MBA employers.
Year-on-year, business schools in the Asia-Pacific region are strengthening their role in the global MBA education scene. For example, the number of Asian and Australian schools featured in the QS Global 200 Business Schools Report has increased from 10 in 2004 to 36 this year – a massive rise in just seven years.
The majority of employers in Latin America are still looking to hire MBAs educated at the best international business schools in North America and Europe, while local demand that does exist in Latin America tends to be on a country basis with few employers recruiting across borders within the region.
The business schools in this year’s rating for the Africa and Middle East region have all featured in previous years. Three out of five of the schools are located in South Africa. There are many more business schools across the African continent, but management education is still in its infancy and it will take many years before these schools achieve real prominence on the international stage.
China and Hong Kong are growing considerably in both popularity as an MBA destination, and in terms of employer demand for MBA graduates. In fact, the upcoming QS Global 200 Business Schools Report 2012, released on Monday will show no fewer than eight business schools from the region that are valued by international employers for producing highly employable MBA graduates.
They say word of mouth is the best way to do business, but these days, word of mouth is onscreen, via social media platforms. So how can social media help small business owners?
An EMBA is a ticket to career success. It will open up further opportunities, provide you with a new skill set, and put you on the path to promotion. But there’s still that age-old saying "it’s not what you know, but who you know".
Whatever your career goals, an Executive MBA could be the boost you’re looking for to reach them. We take a look at what you need to consider when choosing an Executive MBA that fits your personal career plan.
Extending your network of business contacts is a true benefit of the Executive MBA. But what is the best way to utilise this newfound connection of likeminded individuals?
Studying for an Executive MBA can be stressful. Keep your stress levels at a minimum with these top 10 tips to manage stress.
Balancing work, family and study can be stressful. Nutritional therapist, Alli Godbold, offers her advice on eating the right foods during your Executive MBA.
MBA programs that contain elements focused on entrepreneurship are in demand by MBA applicants, according to business school faculty, independent experts, and industry research. Conversely, as a result of the significant economic events over the past few years, less important to MBA applicants are financial electives...
The Executive MBA is a qualification designed for middle managers looking to progress their career and establish themselves in the executive arena. Yet business schools are seeing diversity in their EMBA cohort profiles. So where is the new breed of EMBA candidates coming from? QS Top Executive takes a look.
Both group work and your elective choices will make up a large part of your Executive MBA program. Here are a few starter hints to prepare you.
There are many facts and choices to consider when selecting an Executive MBA program. Here we uncover some of the terms you will no doubt come across in your research.
There are many different types of MBA available. Full-time, part-time, Executive MBA, GEMBA. Read our guide to the different program types.
Whether it’s for work or play, smart phone apps have transformed the world of mobile devices. But when there are so many to choose from, which ones are best suited for the EMBA candidate?
In a bid to cater to professionals who do not want to devote two years of their work life to earn an MBA, an increasing number of Indian business schools have started offering one-year accelerated, full-time courses.
Emmanuel Carcassonne, a recent graduate from IE Business School, shares his experience of the Executive MBA program.
Admissions directors from some of the world’s top business schools reveal the books they would recommend EMBA candidates have on their bookshelves.
How many times have we said to ourselves “if only we’d known...”? Ann Graham finds out from some EMBA alums what they wished they’d known before starting their Executive MBA.
While seemingly paradoxical, MBA employers are increasingly placing an emphasis on the entrepreneurial talents of their new hires. Though traditionally an area where a business school graduate might aim to start up their own enterprise, employers value the talents of graduates who can, in tough economic times, develop fresh sources of revenue, while the graduates themselves find greater security in testing their entrepreneurial ideas with the financial backing of their employers.
The role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on MBA programs is rapidly evolving as a result of the economic difficulties over the past five years. After the global recession at the end of the last decade, some, rightly or wrongly, placed blame at the doors of business schools for failing to ingrain the importance of CSR values on their alumni. Further, protests around the world against the perceived greed fostered in some industries shows a global population becoming increasingly...
A long-standing favorite specialist area for many MBA graduates, finance has taken a hit in popularity amongst applicants in recent years, following the global financial crisis. However, as business schools continue to react to the ongoing financial events around the world, altering their programs to incorporate the lessons that need to be learnt from such economically game-changing events, employers continue to value the modern approach of MBA graduates to finance.
The fast-growing global importance of information management to the business world has created an increase in the demand for MBA graduates with technical skills over the past decade. Of particular note is the fast-paced growth in technology, specifically new platforms such as social networking formed on the back of the rapid integration of the online domain into everyday life.
Innovation has long been both the cause and effect of developments in MBA curricula taught at the world’s highest respected business schools. With the stories of many famous business leaders beginning through innovations of new or current processes and technology, schools understand the importance of developing the ability to form innovative ideas and implementing them in the future business world.
MBA education evolves with the changing needs of a competitive economic environment, and over the past decade, international management and the need to understand management within a global context has grown significantly in importance.
Despite the ongoing academic debate about the ability to teach or simply nurture leadership skills, many schools have adopted leadership development as a primary thrust of their MBA programs.
The fast paced technological evolution over the past few decades has changed the shape of marketing for ever, heightening its importance in the business world. In order to meet these demands, many business schools have emphasized the nurturing marketing skills in their curricula.
An MBA specialization in operations management looks at the underlying concepts of the production and operations function of an organization, and are generally divided into two areas – the study of service operations, and manufacturing or production operations.
Business schools that emphasize strategy as part of their standard programs, and MBA programs specifically specializing in strategy can place successful alumni in careers focusing on new commercial avenues, as well as modernizing the management of existing business structures.
While Australian employers offer MBA graduates the highest average salaries within Asia-Pacific, it receives less interest from business school applicants than other countries in the region, research by QS shows.
The majority of business schools advocate that EMBA candidates are selected on a case by case basis. But each school does have a preferred number of years of professional experience they would like candidates to have.
