Chapman University

Chapman University

Argyros School of Business and Commerce

One University Drive

Orange, CA 92866

Admissions: 714-997-6745

Fax: 714-532-6081

Email: gonda@chapman.edu

Website: http://www.chapman.edu/argyros/programs/grad/emba/benefits.asp

Apply Online: https://app.applyyourself.com/AYApplicantLogin/ApplicantConnectLogin.asp?id=chapmang

Application Deadline: June 1

What we most like about Chapman’s Executive MBA program is what makes it relatively unique: students get eight sessions each academic year with an executive coach to help provide career guidance and counsel. What’s more, the school even allows you to trade off some of these sessions to your spouse or significant other, even if that person is not in the program. That’s certainly an unusual twist, but not the only one is this surprisingly creative program.

All students also are handed Apple iPad2s when they enroll in the EMBA program, and your electronic textbooks and case studies for each class are loaded into the tablet. Chapman also provides tutors to students for some of the more challenging courses in finance, accounting and economics. The school even feeds students before each of the classes that meet from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday evenings and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday mornings.

As if this isn’t enough, the tuition includes all accommodations and meals for three off-campus residential sessions to San Diego, Asia, and Washington, D.C. Recent classes have gone to China and Vietnam to visit factories, meet with government officials, and executives of the international operations of such companies as Levi’s, Boeing, and Bank of America.

That’s a lot of value for the price of this program–$83,790, about ten grand more than the average cost of an EMBA–and one that is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the primary accreditation group for business schools.

Like most EMBA programs, this is a lock-step, cohort experience in which an entire class of students move through each course together with the opportunity to take only two electives during the 21 months course of study.

Ideal applicants should have at least ten years of work experience, or at least five years in a managerial capacity.  And for applicants who apply early, there’s a much better chance of getting a scholarship from the school to bring the costs of this program down further.

Latest Up-to-Date Rankings:

2012 Poets&Quants: NR

2011 BusinessWeek: NR

2011 U.S. News & World Report: NR

2010 The Wall Street Journal: NR

2011 Financial Times: NR

Rankings Analysis: The Argyros Executive MBA program is unranked.

2012 Tuition & Fees: $83,790

Average Months of Work Experience: 10 years desired

GMAT Required: Yes, but this can be waived based on undergraduate GPA and job responsibility.

Class Enrollment: 22

International: NA

Female: NA

Mean Age: 37

Classes Meet: Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings in Orange, with three residential sessions at the start, middle and end of the program

Length of Program: 21 months

Start Date: August

ALSO SEE: THE BEST LOS ANGELES METRO EXECUTIVE MBA PROGRAMS 

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