Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center Interior, courtesy photo
Launching in fall 2026, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School will introduce a new Executive MBA program aimed at experienced professionals navigating increasingly complex leadership roles. The program focuses on analytical decision-making, leadership judgment, and global business strategy, with pathways designed for executives seeking career advancement, industry transitions, entrepreneurial ventures, or re-entry into the workforce.
Designed as a hybrid program, the Carey EMBA integrates AI, data-driven strategy, and decision-making under uncertainty across its curriculum.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CAREY EMBA
Applicants come to the program with varied objectives, says Sheila Mahony, the Director of Executive MBA Programs at Carey. Some seek internal advancement or new ventures; others are exploring industry shifts or professional re-entry.
Mahony says the program structure is designed to foster cohort connection within its 19-month format. “Completing an executive MBA in nineteen months is a short amount of time,” she says. “So having that cohort element is a valuable piece of the experience.”
Once a month, students convene in Washington, D.C., for an intensive weekend of coursework and leadership development.
Carey manages travel logistics, accommodations, meals, and program materials to allow participants to focus on academic and professional engagement.
“All our EMBA students have to do is arrive,” Mahony says. “They can focus on being present, learning, and building relationships.”
After each residency, participants return to their organizations with ideas and frameworks developed during the program. “We want EMBAs to be able to say, ‘I was thinking this through over the weekend, and I have some ideas,’” Mahony says.
The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center
PERSONALIZED EXECUTIVE COACHING
Between residencies, students continue coursework online and participate in individualized executive coaching.
According to Mahony, coaching is intended to help participants clarify career goals and translate classroom concepts into professional strategy.
“We provide a great deal of access to our coaches,” she says. “They are really individualized.”
Coaches work with participants to refine career direction and leadership priorities.
“The impact of coaching is transformative,” Mahony adds.
A PROGRAM INFUSED WITH DATA AND AI
David Smith, academic program director for the EMBA, says technology literacy is a core emphasis.
“Our goal is to infuse tech, data, and AI across all disciplines and courses,” Smith says.
Because participants enter with varying levels of technical expertise, the curriculum is designed to build competency across a range of starting points.
Ethics is positioned as a foundational component of the program. Students begin with a Responsible AI course addressing ethical boundaries and governance issues related to emerging technologies. The curriculum also draws on resources from Carey’s Center for Digital Health.
“This center attracts leading experts in faculty, fellows, and industry collaborators,” Smith says.
Academic Program Director David Smith. Courtesy photo
WHO THE CAREY EMBA IS BUILT FOR
The program targets mid- to senior-level professionals seeking leadership development, industry transitions, entrepreneurial opportunities, or career rebuilding following disruption.
Participants are expected to come from sectors including consulting, government, military, and healthcare – areas where Carey has longstanding academic and institutional ties. The school’s Washington, D.C., location is positioned as a strategic asset for engagement with policy, industry, and public-sector organizations.
“We are right down the street from the capital and Congress,” Smith says.
Experiential learning is built into the curriculum through a global immersion in London and an executive field project in which participants work with organizations on real strategic challenges.
“For this project, our EMBAs will partner with various companies that bring executive-level challenges they are seeking to address,” Smith says.
Students analyze these challenges and develop recommendations intended for practical implementation.
“These experiences are designed to push our students beyond their comfort zones and help them understand risk in a different way,” Smith adds.
Carey welcomes applicants to begin their application on Carey’s site.
Campus photo, courtesy of Will Kirk
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