The 2018 Top EMBA Programs in the Mid-Atlantic/South

Business schools in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern United States may not be the first to come to mind when deciding where to study for your Executive MBA. Most people immediately look towards Ivy League schools or those located in that hip hub of business New York, but if you don’t expand your search, you are missing out on some truly brilliant EMBA programs.

Here is an overview of some of the best EMBA programs in the Mid-Atlantic and South, from Ivy Exec’s 2018 Best Executive MBA Programs ranking.  While they are just a sampling, you will get a good idea of what the southeastern part of the United States has to offer.

The UNC Executive MBA Program

North Carolina is home to The UNC Executive MBA Program. Offered through the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, this program is ranked 3rd overall in its region and 18th in the world. The UNC Executive MBA Program is ranked 5th for prestige, 6th for career advancement, 4th for curriculum, and 11th for global experience.

The program takes 20 months to complete. It involves 70% classroom learning and 30% online courses. There are two schedule options. The Weekend MBA meets on Friday and Saturday every third week of term, plus there is a three-day weekend required every third class weekend. In contrast, the Evening MBA program meets every Monday evening at 5:45pm and some Tuesdays over the program term.

The average cohort size at The UNC Executive MBA Program is 50 students and they bring an average of 13 years of work experience with them. Top student industries include healthcare, financial services, technology, manufacturing, and consulting.

The Executive MBA Program at Georgetown McDonough

The Executive MBA Program at Georgetown McDonough comes from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business in Washington, DC. Overall, it is 20th in the world and 4th in the Mid-Atlantic/South. Within its region, the program is ranked 2nd for prestige, 10th for career advancement, 11th for curriculum, and 4th for global experience.

The program lasts 20 months and includes 71% classroom time with 29% online work. Classes meet Fridays and Saturdays every other week.

The average class size in the Executive MBA Program at Georgetown McDonough is 55 and they have an average of 14 years of work experience before joining the program. Top student industries include consulting, government, healthcare, finance, and energy.

Weekend and Modular MBA Programs for Executives at Emory Goizueta

If Georgia is a better fit for your needs, consider the Weekend and Modular MBA Programs for Executives at Emory Goizueta. Emory is often considered one of the “new” Ivy League schools and its business school, Goizueta, does not disappoint.

It is ranked 10th in its region for prestige, 4th for career advancement, 8th for curriculum, and 6th for global experience. The 19-month program involves a mixture of classroom work, online experience, and there is an experiential component.

There are two available class structures. The Weekend EMBA meets every other weekend on Fridays and Saturdays for the first three semesters. However, that changes during the final two semesters. Some evening work is required for certain electives as well as more weekend work. Emory Goizueta also offers a Modular EMBA. This structure requires students to take one-week immersive experiences eight times over the course of the 19-month program. Students can choose domestic environments as well as international ones.

The average class size is 42 and the average years of experiences 14. Top student industries include healthcare, financial services, education, technology, and consulting.

Auburn Executive MBA

The Auburn Executive MBA is located in Alabama at Auburn University’s Raymond J. Harbert College of Business. It is ranked 28th in its region for prestige, 22nd for career advancement, 19th for curriculum, and 23rd for global experience.

The program takes 21 months to complete, 70% of that time is spent in the classroom while 30% is online work. Classes combine online study with five one-week residencies on-campus. There is also an international study trip included in the course, the cost of which is built into your tuition costs. There are three specialisms available: Leadership, Healthcare, and Operations. The latter earns a Six Sigma Green Belt in addition to the EMBA.

The average cohort is 50 students, each with 14 years of work experience. Top student industries are government, manufacturing, technology, financial services, and non-profit.

The decision about where to earn your Executive MBA is an important one. While the qualification alone counts for a lot, so do the unique experiences you will have as you attend your EMBA program. The residencies you take, the cohort you connect with, the alumni network of which you become a part will each contribute to how you reach your goals going forward. Make sure you research all the options available.

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Ivy Exec’s goal in releasing its annual EMBA program rankings is to support its members and the broader, global professional community in making better-informed decisions when selecting the best-fit Executive MBA program for themselves. Pursuing an EMBA is a significant investment of time, not to mention money, so these rankings may help a professional consider potential ROI ahead of time.