Notre Dame to Launch ‘Global’ Executive MBA Program

The University of Notre Dame is overhauling its executive MBA (EMBA) program to focus on global leadership and immersion trips — and will be shuttering its EMBA program in Chicago as part of that new focus.

The Mendoza College of Business is revamping its EMBA program starting in fall 2024 to bring a heavy focus on global leadership — including international immersion trips that will be offered across three continents, according to a press release. Some of those immersion programs will focus on the Global South.

Notre Dame’s EMBA is currently offered in both South Bend, Indiana, and Chicago. But the class of 2025, which begins classes starting this August, will be the final Chicago cohort, according to the release.

Executive MBA programs typically confer the same degree as a traditional MBA, but they are geared toward working professionals with years of experience who are looking to advance their careers. Classes in many EMBA programs are offered outside of typical business hours on a part-time basis. They typically offer an intensive and condensed curriculum in a cohort-based model.

Notre Dame wants to capitalize on that cohort model to bring students together solely at its South Bend campus. That program still allows students flexibility to work toward their degree while keeping their jobs, and students will meet once a month for in-person residencies.

“By bringing all Global EMBA students to campus for their residencies, we can provide a holistic Notre Dame experience and establish greater consistency between the cohorts,” Martijn Cremers, the Martin J. Gillen dean of the Mendoza College of Business, said in the release.

“The shift to a global perspective aligns with the larger business demand for effective leaders with a strong understanding of the complexities of a global economy, particularly in working with varied work cultures.”

Notre Dame’s two-year Global EMBA will keep the university’s current EMBA curriculum and calendar, but it will require students to complete at least two international immersions. Students will go on one immersion at the beginning of the program and another during their final semester.

“As someone who has worked globally for most of my professional life, I understand the high value placed on leaders who understand how to solve problems in global environments,” Gianna Bern, academic director for Notre Dame’s EMBA programs, said in the release.

“The Global EMBA is designed to leverage all of the strengths of our existing program — the curriculum, the faculty, the campus and the reputation for excellence represented by the Notre Dame MBA degree — while students also gain up to three international immersion experiences on three different continents.”