MBA or EMBA: Which one to choose? 

Imagine being in the final year of your undergraduate studies, preparing to appear for MBA entrances in a few months, and suddenly, you hear about an EMBA programme. What now?

Are you too invested in the preparations and can’t think of anything else for the moment? Will taking up an EMBA help you in your career prospects?

Here are some FAQs answered to help you choose:

Let us focus on the mainstream MBA first. 

MBA stands for Masters of Business Administration, a more comprehensive course that guides students to enter a professional setup and work in the industrial administration and managerial sector.

How Much Could MBA Graduates Hope To Earn?

The main things students needs to remember before they take up an MBA are:

  • In USA the duration of an MBA is two years compared to a year in Europe.
  • The applicant does not necessarily require former work experience to apply though most schools prefer 3+ years of work experience for their full-time MBA programs
  • A student may appear for the GMAT exam (similar to CAT in India) – but for schools outside of India, the GMAT score is only one of the criterion for admission
  • In North American B-Schools, a GMAT score of 600/700 makes a candidate competitive for admission. In India, the 80-90 percentile is a minimum requisite for top B-schools (IIM and associated institutes).
  • MBAs are self-funded courses. For funding, there are various education loans and scholarships available for meritorious students.
  • MBAs are usually residential courses which give students more interactive learning experience and helps in building up strong interpersonal relationships
  • An essential feature of an MBA is that it is a training course that shapes young minds to enter the professional world. Usually, a student enters a B-School after completing their undergraduate degree, which assures an easier transition into the job market.

Let us now see what the EMBA is all about. EMBA stands for Executive Masters of Business Administration. This course is mostly taken up by professionals who want to complete the second level of higher education that will help them in pursuing the career that they are already in.

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The main things to remember in the case of EMBA are:

  • The applicants of an EMBA are usually professionals with close to 10-15 years of work experience. One does need to clear any entrance exam to enter the course. (Applicants who don’t have an undergraduate degree may have to give the GMAT)
  • Unlike an MBA, it’s not a full-time learning course. The classes are held on weekends or part-time. One is allowed to continue their full-time work while completing their MBA course.
  • The duration of an EMBA is similar to that of an MBA – 2 years in America and 1 in
  • The EMBA course costs are at times funded by the employer. Scholarships are also available
  • Since this is a higher-level professional course, there is less requirement for

campus-residence or regular interaction between students – professionals undertaking the course are already well-versed in skills required at the office.

Differences Between an MBA and an EMBA

Let’s sum up the key differences between an MBA and an EMBA.

Applications 

MBA applicants can have less work experience, usually up to 5 years, and hence, test results have greater significance. You will require a GMAT score of 600-700 to apply for an MBA course.

EMBA applicants, however, generally have 10-15 years of professional experience. There are no entrance exams held. Also, applicants don’t normally require a GMAT score, except those who don’t have a bachelor’s degree in business. 

Duration 

The total MBA course duration is typically 2 years in North America, and 1 year in Europe. The same goes for an EMBA course. However, unlike an MBA student, an EMBA candidate studies part-time during the evenings or weekends. They can continue their full-time work while pursuing an EMBA course. 

Fee Structure

 You need to bear your own MBA fees. However, there are numerous scholarships available.

The best thing about an EMBA course is your employer may cover a majority of your course fees since they understand that you would bring back a plethora of new skills back to the workplace after the EMBA. You can self-fund though, or avail an EMBA scholarship. 

Lifestyle

MBA candidates can have a more immersive lifestyle while living in and around the campus and spending time with batchmates. However, for EMBA applicants, interaction with fellow students is limited to once or twice every week, thus forming fewer new work relationships.

Conclusion

These are some of the basic similarities and differences that one should consider before you apply for an MBA or EMBA course. Remember, a self-assessment and your educational and professional requirements should be of the most important focus before you apply for either of the courses.

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