Get In, Get Out and Get to Work: 5 EMBA Programs You Can Complete in 18 Months or Less

Everyone wants to achieve the mythical balance between our careers and our personal lives.

But when we add a return to the classroom to the mix, even the most flexible EMBA program can really shake things up. But not every EMBA program requires a full two years of commitment from its part-time students. Instead, many schools are offering a turbo-charged course of study to get executives from orientation to graduation in record time. So if your time is money—and we’re sure that it is—here are Ivy Exec’s recommendations for the best programs with the shortest durations.

The INSEAD Global Executive MBA

Duration: 14 – 17 months

INSEAD holds many top honors: including our ranking as the top EMBA program in Europe and in the world. However, INSEAD also holds the distinction of being able to help its students graduate in near-record time. Program participants at INSEAD can have a degree in hand as early as 14 months after they first begin their studies. And, as one might expect of the top EMBA program on the planet, graduates can expect a hefty average salary increase of around 52%.

Students pursue their EMBA at INSEAD across three regions: Europe (France), Asia (Singapore) or the Middle East (Abu Dhabi). The entire cohort graduates together in Singapore. While the program’s globetrotting structure is impressive, it is perhaps the international network its alumni acquire that is the most valuable of all.

“INSEAD, ‘Business School for the World’, was the perfect fit and offered me the opportunity to have a global business school experience,” says Jarat Ford, EMBA class of 2015. He is now the Senior Vice President of the Lexington Security Group in the UAE. “The most powerful tool is probably the great lifelong network I’ve acquired. In one of our Organisational Behaviour classes we analysed our previous networks and I realised that mine had not been diverse or multicultural enough to be fully effective. Now I know someone in almost any country or industry you can name. And they are all people I can call for advice.”

The Fox Executive MBA at Temple University

Duration: 16 months 

The Fox EMBA comes in at a speedy 16-months. Even with such a short timeframe, this program packs a serious punch: graduates can expect an average salary boost of 48% after earning their diplomas. Better yet, the Fox EMBA does not sacrifice flexibility to complete its curriculum in such a short time period. The cohort meets in the heart of Philadelphia only once each month for a weekend: from Friday to Sunday. The program also includes some remote coursework to supplement and enhance in-person programming. Every Fox EMBA student enjoys one weeklong global immersion business trip. For particularly global-minded students, the school allows program participants to take two of their core classes in any of the school’s partner programs around the world.

The Fisher EMBA at Ohio State University

Duration: 17 months 

The 17-month Fisher EMBA is a fast-track to success. Students meet once a month for sessions that run Thursday through Saturday on campus. Graduates can expect an average 50% salary boost upon earning their diploma. In addition to a required international trip each year, the program also features a globally diverse cohort, with 35% of students hailing from outside of the US.

Texas Christian University Neeley Executive MBA

Duration: 18 months

The TCU Neeley EMBA helps its graduates achieve an average salary boost of 56%. In just 18-months, executives can earn their degree with on-campus sessions every other weekend on Fridays and Saturdays. The program also includes a two-week international trip where the cohort is given exclusive access to meetings with government and business leaders. Recent trips have traveled to China, South America, Europe and North Africa.

Ray Taylor, EMBA class of 2015, is the lead pastor at the Trinity Harvest Church in Hurst, Texas. As a church leader, he may seem, at first, to be an unusual candidate for an EMBA. However, he realized that he could not lead as a clergyman alone: he needed business administration skills. He chose TCU Neeley for its focus on driving immediate results for its students without wasting any time at all.

“The commitment that Neeley makes is ‘Class on Friday’ and ‘ROI on Monday,’” he said. “But in my case they exceeded the expectation with ‘Class on Friday. ROI on Sunday.’”

The University of Georgia EMBA at the Terry College of Business

Duration: 18 months

The hybrid online Georgia EMBA runs for a quick 18-months. Its graduates can expect an average 34% salary boost upon earning their diplomas. With half of its curriculum provided online, the other half is taught in the classroom during primarily weekend sessions. The Georgia EMBA also includes a 12-day international trip that many alumni fondly recall as the most challenging and memorable part of their executive education experience. Program participants can opt to engage in an independent study module that is tailored to hone students’ skills to meet the specific challenges of their own organizations. These independent study programs also offer intensive one-on-one guidance from a faculty member.