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Posted Sept. 11, 2025

Studying an MBA or Executive MBA

MBA and Executive MBA

Masters of Business Administration and Executive Masters of Business Administration – MBAs and EMBAs – are hands-on, postgraduate business courses that are a great way to further your career and gain skills in a wide variety of business-related areas.

Conventional MBA programs are designed to prepare students to excel in a management career, meanwhile Executive MBAs are intended to teach a current leader how to be more effective in their roles.

Why are EMBAs becoming more popular?

Executive MBA programs are experiencing a surge in popularity – and there is a simple explanation for this. In short, you can start an EMBA at any stage of your life and it’s a sure-fire way to improve your career prospects. As Executive MBA Council’s Executive Director, Michael Desiderio, explains, “These are programs that are designed so that working professionals can fit them into their lives, so you're not going to go on campus during the day four or five days a week.” He continues, “There’s a myriad of formats: everything from meeting monthly for three immersive days to meeting biweekly for one or two days.”

Three unique aspects of EMBAs

Student diversity – a great thing about the EMBA student cohort is its diversity. These students are people that really want to study an MBA program, but that also have work and life experience behind them. The diversity and broadness of backgrounds you will come across – including people from the ex-forces, the politically minded, middle management, and all manner of other diverse career backgrounds. Plus, the EMBA student cohort is likely to feature a wide age range, from mid-twenties up to mid-fifties and beyond! You can literally find anyone on an EMBA course.

High-level content – the content and dialogue in EMBA courses tends to be at a higher level than on a traditional MBA. Designed for mid- to senior-level business managers, Executive MBA programs tend to focus less more on the nuances of business than on business basics. While a conventional MBA may prepare someone to enter a management career, an EMBA is intended to teach a current leader how to be more effective in their role.

High tuition fees – EMBAs tend to command higher tuition fees than traditional MBA programs, and these can be in excess of £100,000! For example, the tuition fees for the January 2026 intake of the Global Executive MBA at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School are £102,235.

MBAs are maintaining their popularity, too

MBA programs are continuing to rise in popularity, especially in the UK where one of the key attractions is the one-year full-time duration of the course – in contrast to the two years it takes to complete most MBAs in the United States or at business schools in Europe. This means that the MBA students at UK business schools are qualified quicker and hopefully accrue less student debt. The UK is also renowned for being a global hub for business as well as education – so by choosing a UK business school for their MBA studies, students know they are going to graduate with a prestigious and highly regarded qualification.

What about MBA courses in the United States?

Prestigious US business schools continue to attract plenty of MBA students every year. In fact, according to a 2024 survey of US business schools by the Graduate Management Admissions Council, applications to MBA programs in the US increased by 12% in 2024. The United States is renowned for its trailblazing business education – with many of the Ivy League universities teaching MBA and EMBA programs out of their business schools. In fact, over the years, many notable US MBA graduates have gone on to achieve great and varied careers, and accumulate much wealth – from Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, who got his MBA from Stanford in 1962 and now has an estimated net worth of over $34 billion, to fellow Stanford MBA alumnus and former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who studied his MBA in 2006.

Reasons to study an MBA or EMBA

Some of the key reasons to invest in an MBA or an EMBA include:

Career change – MBA courses provide students with management knowledge as well as a solid grounding in finance, marketing and accounting, making them attractive employees in many industries and a wide variety of roles.

Develop new skills – students on an MBA program will also develop softer skills, such as learning to be part of a team, time management, communication and networking skills.

Increase earning potential – although it can’t be denied that MBAs and EMBA require a significant financial investment, the rewards when it comes to drawing a salary can be excellent. According to a 2024 survey by US News & World Report the overall average salary including bonus for 2024 MBA graduates was US$121,324, with Stanford University MBA graduates topping the charts at a whopping US$221,471!

International perspective – many MBA students decide to study their courses at overseas business schools giving them an invaluable study-abroad experience. And even those that opt to study their MBA or EMBA in their home country will find themselves studying alongside in a truly international cohort, providing them with an international outlook on the world of business, and the unique opportunity to network with students from a diverse range of countries.

Stand out from the crowd – and of course, in today’s increasingly competitive job market, an MBA or EMBA can be a crucial addition to your CV and make you stand out from other job applicants.

Executive MBAs under the spotlight

We recently hosted a Premier EMBA panel discussion. Watch the video for more information on studying an Executive MBA and how to maintain a good work/life balance while undertaking your studies. Plus, find out from leaders in the industry why they made the decision to study an EMBA.

 

Ready to get started with your MBA study? Explore our extensive database of MBA degree courses to find your perfect course.

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