Top 5 EMBA Programs for Engineering Executives

When most people think of engineers, they imagine someone with the skills necessary to develop new technologies or maintain health and environmental safety.

This is true. Engineers produce the result, and engineering managers provide the direction and support.

For engineers transitioning to management roles and who believe in an MBA education with a cohort that’s representative of their colleagues in the engineering industry, here’s a list of the top EMBA programs for engineering executives based on Ivy Exec’s 2017 Best Executive MBA Programs rankings.

IMM Global EMBA (Purdue University Krannert School of Management)

Coming in strong at number one is the IMM Global EMBA program from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Executives and professionals from the engineering field comprise 30% of the overall student population. This rigorous 19-month program combines in-classroom instruction and online technology, and offers you the chance to travel with your classmates to seven countries on four continents.

Students have an average 14 years of work experience, and 88% of the program’s teachers have doctorates. Students who complete their IMM Global EMBA training report an average salary increase of 50%.

Imperial EMBA (Imperial College London)

Number two on the list with 17% of students from the engineering sector is the Imperial Executive MBA program from Imperial College London. Designed for the working engineering executive, the program’s core modules are taken on campus one weekend per month in the first year. In the second year, students can take their electives online. Students also travel to China for a one-week residency, and join fellow students for a three-day study tour of one of Europe’s top business schools and another week at a top U.S. business school.

Students have an average 15 years of work experience, while the program’s professors, whose teaching methods combine research, theory, and practical application, all have doctorates. Students who complete this EMBA program report an average 63% salary increase.

EMBA Americas (Joint: Cornell University and Queen’s University)

The third is the Executive MBA Americas program from Cornell University and Queen’s University, where 15% of the students are from the engineering and telecom industries. The 17-month program is taught 40% in-classroom and 60% online. Classes happen bi-weekly on Saturdays and Sundays, and include three residencies of varying length. Students can attend classes in different locations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Peru, and Chile.

Students’ work experience average 13 years, and 93% of the professors teaching the program have doctorates. The reported average salary increase post-graduate is 53%.

World EMBA with Cyber Security (George Washington University)

Next at number four is the World EMBA with Cyber Security program offered by the George Washington University, where 10% of students are from the engineering and sciences fields. The program runs for 16 months, and classes for this intensive 100% classroom curriculum take place in the afternoons, including Friday afternoons.

For world travel, students complete two international residencies (Estonia and Turkey for 2017) and cover projects with operations in Brussels (NATO), The Hague (European Cybercrime Centre), and Estonia (Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence). On average, students have been working for 13 years, and 100% of the program’s professors have doctorates.

EMBA Global Americas and Europe (Joint: London Business School and Columbia Business School)

Rounding out the top five is the EMBA Global Americas and Europe program, a joint offering from London Business School and Columbia Business School. Of this 20-month program’s total student population, 6% are from the energy and engineering sectors. The learning environment is 100% classroom, and classes are held four to five days a week per month. Students also travel to Argentina, China, Chile, Greece, South Africa, Germany, Dubai, and the Russian Federation.

Students’ average work experience is 11 years, and 98% of the 150 program faculty members have doctorates.

If you’re an engineering executive who prefers to study with fellow students from the engineering field who know and understand the challenges you face every day, the above list is worth looking into.