Texas Christian University’s Neeley School of Business is on a mission to become the top ranked EMBA program in the Southwest U.S. with a promise to unleash human potential with leadership at the core and innovation in their spirit. The B-school has a competitive advantage when it comes to location – with Fort Worth ranked as one of the top 20 Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex ranks in the nation’s top five for the number of Fortune 500 company headquarters.
In 2022, the B-school welcomed 19 EMBA students to join their 23 second-year students. Their cohorts are typically very diverse, with an average of 12 years of managerial experience and 19 years of work experience. Typically, 17 or more industries are represented, with backgrounds in general management, finance, accounting, marketing, non-profit, government, military, and healthcare. The program also attracts small business owners and start-up entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses.
“I love the opportunity to be in a room of very bright, motivated, and highly experienced students that believe that a collaborative approach to learning provides an unparalleled education and life-long learning,” says Dr. Suzanne Carter, Executive Director of the EMBA program and seven-time recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Development Faculty Award.
The workload is set up to where students meet on campus every other week Friday and Saturday, as the program realizes their community is working professionals. Neeley offers a modern complex which is just under three years old. The 225,000 square-foot building hosts all the latest technology, meeting spaces, and amenities for students.
As far as curriculum goes, Neeley covers the full range of MBA courses over 18 months and 49 credits – then wraps up with a Strategic Leadership Intensive, which gives students the chance to apply many of the functional-level frameworks to their own business and career goals through both experiential and simulated assignments. Students typically spend about 14 hours weekly outside of classroom time reading, studying, and team-related projects and assignments.
Neeley has one required study abroad course – a 12-day excursion taking place in a variety of locations/countries across the globe, designed to offer a compare/contrast experience of leading in a global business environment. Students work on team projects with industry experts within real companies to identify business opportunities in the various locations we visit.
“I had no idea I would be able to apply things I was learning in the program right away. From day one, I acquired knowledge that made me more confident and valuable in my current professional role and is preparing me for my next opportunity,” says Sara Thurber ‘24.
Most EMBA students remain at the same company they entered the program with, but some pivot to other companies or industries. Neeley has plenty of resources to assist EMBAs with leadership development, such as their long-standing partnership with Korn Ferry, who helps provide a unique 19 competency, 360 assessment to help EMBAs work on their particular areas of leadership skills.
Neeley has recently seen an influx of entrepreneurs interested in starting small “side-gig” companies or comprehensive start-up planning – and for many of them, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is a key resource.
