Can you complete an EMBA in one year?

Many business schools offer accelerated EMBA programs leading to graduation in one academic year. However, you should expect an intensive study schedule that will demand high levels of self-discipline and independence.

Is an executive MBA respected?

Yes. Business schools often confer an MBA degree on graduates of EMBA programs. In these cases, the degrees have no functional distinction. Some employers may prefer graduates of EMBA programs. EMBAs often place a stronger emphasis on the core analytical proficiencies used by business executives.

Is an EMBA program easier to get into than an MBA program?

In terms of historical academic performance, the respective standards of EMBA and MBA programs generally align. However, EMBA admission guidelines place more emphasis on work experience. Program admission is generally restricted to learners who have already established themselves as business professionals and typically have managerial experience.

1-Year Online Executive MBA Programs

Updated on May 30, 2024

Edited by

•

Reviewed by

Learn more about our editorial process

Research key features of one-year executive MBA online degrees. This program guide covers a degree overview, admissions, financing, and more.

Executive MBA (EMBA) programs are designed for established professionals seeking educational upgrades to advance their careers. Pursuing a one-year executive MBA online can be an efficient path to prestigious credentials that can open doors to upper-management roles.

As of April 2024, Payscale reports that professionals with executive MBAs earn an average base salary of $129,000 per year. By enrolling in an online MBA program, you can earn an advanced business credential on a flexible schedule that allows you to continue in your current job role while you study.

Payscale associates executive MBA degrees with high-ranking corporate positions, including:

Marketing director
Director of operations
Executive vice president or president

Notably, Payscale also links executive MBAs with multiple C-suite roles, including chief operating officer, chief financial officer, and chief executive officer.

Enrolling in an online MBA program can help you earn an advanced business credential on a flexible schedule that allows you to continue in your current job role while you study. This program guide covers essentials, including admission standards, curricula, and information to help you decide whether or not an EMBA is right for you.

Why Get an Online Executive MBA?

A one-year executive MBA online program can be an efficient path to a valuable degree. Schools often tailor their online executive MBA programs for enhanced flexibility. They typically use asynchronous learning formats, which allow you to study at the times most convenient to you.

Asynchronous online program structures can help you balance school, external factors, and personal commitments, such as:

Unpredictable or irregular working hours
Time zone differences
Family and childcare

In addition, some business schools are innovating to meet demand. Many tweak their EMBA program content to appeal specifically to students planning to pursue executive roles. They often include more intensive and personalized coaching designed to enhance students’ leadership skills and confidence.

Beyond this difference, EMBA programs generally cover the same or similar material as general MBA degrees.

The following chart describes some common factors learners consider when weighing EMBA and general MBA programs. Use it to help guide your decision as to which of the two degrees to pursue:

Choosing Between an Online Executive MBA and a General MBA
If	Then
You have already established a business career, and you want to accelerate your advancement potential	An executive MBA is probably a more efficient option.
You want to leverage your existing business experience to quickly earn an advanced business degree	An executive MBA program is probably a better match.
You cannot or prefer not to leave your current job to pursue your degree upgrade	An executive MBA is likely better, but you can also find general MBA programs to accommodate you.
You have less experience or have not yet established a business career	Consider a general MBA program, as you may not meet EMBA admission standards.
You want a slower, more flexible learning pace with summers off and built-in internship or work-study opportunities	A general MBA program may better meet your needs.

Requirements of Applying to an Online EMBA Program

Admission standards for online one-year executive MBA programs vary among schools. However, most schools request the same basic standards from applicants, including:

A bachelor’s degree
Multiple years of relevant work experience
Professional or academic endorsements from authoritative sources

Depending on the program, you may still qualify for entry if you hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-business field. However, most EMBA programs look for at least 8-10 years of professional business experience. EMBA programs move through material quickly, making experience essential to your success.

You are less likely to encounter internship requirements or opportunities in EMBA programs. EMBAs feature compact, accelerated structures designed to expedite degree completion. Many students in executive MBA programs also hold jobs, making internships both infeasible and unnecessary.

Some executive MBA programs include capstone courses, while others dedicate those learning units to the further development of targeted skills. Curricular structures vary and often depend on the program’s underlying philosophy.

The One-Year EMBA Format

To maximize your chances of success in a one-year online executive MBA, you will need:

Insights from professional experience
High levels of self-discipline and motivation
Independent learning capabilities

EMBAs are some of the fastest MBA programs online, with academic requirements compressed into accelerated schedules. Expect to spend an intensive year covering material similar or identical to that of a standard two-year MBA program.

However, note that EMBAs sometimes feature reduced credit requirements. Such reductions typically apply to the foundational coursework undertaken by learners who lack extensive professional experience.

Some business schools confer EMBA graduates with a regular MBA degree, while others specify that you graduated from an executive program. Employers tend to view the degrees similarly.

If you want to move into upper-level executive jobs, a specified EMBA may benefit you. Executive MBA programs maintain a sharp focus on building the leadership, critical thinking, and analytical decision-making skills on which successful executives rely.

Common Online Executive MBA Courses

Managerial Finance
This course covers key topics in enterprise finance, including financing sources, the relationship between risk and return, and business valuation standards. Through close analysis of these concepts, students build a deep understanding of payout decision-making, the time value of money, and how to assign funding to capital budgeting priorities.
Economic and Financial Analysis
This course develops your ability to apply economics theory and finance principles to practical real-world situations. Emphasizing analytical thinking, the course builds managerial proficiencies across multiple areas. These areas include financial forecasting, demand estimation, consumer and market theories, and the long-term management of corporate assets.
Strategic Analysis
Learners explore methods of leveraging unique organizational strengths to generate competitive advantages. Coursework maintains a core focus on the critical relationship between strategic planning and sustainable enterprise success. It also emphasizes established paradigms and ethical best practices such as standards-based benchmarking and value-chain analytics.
Regression Analysis
This exploration of statistical analysis methods focuses on regression techniques, which broadly emphasize forecasting and future predictions. Students also explore the ways in which consumer markets tend to behave following key changes to product or service offerings or pricing levels. Students also engage with methods for using statistical data to perform business diagnostics.
Organizational Change Management
Businesses are in constant states of change, especially during growth cycles. This course explores the managerial and executive decision-making strategies used to guide business success during periods of profound change. It also covers change-focused management principles on the micro, macro, and global levels.

Featured Online EMBA Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Learn More

Visit Site

Learn More

Visit Site

Learn More

Visit Site

Paying for an Online EMBA Program

As a student in a one-year online executive MBA program, you will qualify for a complete set of financial aid options. These primarily include graduate school scholarships, grants, and federal or private loans.

Some employers offer tuition reimbursement as part of their employee compensation packages. If you have access to these benefits, your employer may subsidize or even fully fund your degree. Conditions may apply. For instance, you may have to commit to staying with your current employer for a set period following degree completion. Check with your human resources department if you are unsure whether your employer offers such support.

On an annualized basis, tuition costs for EMBA programs generally align with those that apply to regular MBA degrees. However, executive MBAs have built-in savings opportunities because of their accelerated structures. Standard MBA programs last for two full-time academic years. One-year EMBA degrees, thus, tend to have lower overall costs, which can result in a better return on your investment.

Frequently Asked Questions About One-Year Online EMBA Programs

One-year MBA programs offer exceptional value. They open the same set of career doors available to graduates of longer programs. Their compact structure also requires less initial investment, which actually improves your long-term educational returns.

Note: The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed May 1, 2024.