Guide To The Top EMBAs In The Boston Metro Area

MIT Sloan

From New Haven, Connecticut to Providence, Rhode Island, these Executive MBAs in and around Boston help mid-career professionals move to the next level of leadership.

There are six EMBA programs in and around Boston that range in price, duration, delivery method, and areas of specialization. As prospective candidates do their research, they’ll notice that tuition ranges from $198,500 for a fully in-person program like that at Yale School of Management, and $18,536 for a mostly online program at New England College. While price is a major factor in a student’s decision to apply to their school of interest, other elements come into play, such as cohort size, international exposure, faculty, and schedule. Here, we break down all of that and more to help make the decision easy.

Johanna Hising DiFabio, assistant dean of MIT’s EMBA program, says the biggest benefit of an EMBA compared to an MBA is that students enter the program with years of managerial experience under their belt. She believes that this breadth of experience allows students to both reflect back on their careers and apply new knowledge to their jobs in real-time.

However, DiFabio adds, no two EMBA programs are the same.

“There are some great programs out there,” she says, “but they’re all slightly different — whether it’s in the content they’re teaching or in the class sizes.”

COMPARING BOSTON EMBA PROGRAMS

For a high-ticket program located two hours south of Boston in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale School of Management’s EMBA costs $198,500. This program is priced high for a reason; students can choose from three specialty areas of focus, including healthcare, asset management, and sustainability that account for 25% of the program’s curriculum. Plus, the 75-person class has the opportunity to participate in the Global Network for Advanced Management, which is a partnership between 30 of the world’s top business schools that allows them to study and make international connections. This 22-month program begins in July and is delivered every second Friday and Saturday. Plus, there are four on-campus residency weeks as well as the opportunity to spend one week abroad during the Global Network week, which is said to be a program highlight.

Just 30 minutes outside of Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts is MIT Sloan School of Management. Slightly less expensive than Yale, MIT’s EMBA costs $185,435 and is offered in a shorter time frame of 20 months. Like Yale, you get what you pay; 69% of MIT EMBA grads receive a promotion either during or after completing the program. Plus, with MIT’s focus on action learning — meaning learning in an applied, real-world setting — students are able to immediately apply what they’ve learned in class to their jobs. The in-person delivery includes four executive modules that are six to nine days long and spread six months apart. Topics such as Leadership and Integrative Management, Innovation Driven Entrepreneurial Advantage, Leading in a Global Context, and Leading With Impact. All other courses are delivered every three weeks on Fridays and Saturdays for a total of 26 weekends. Plus, there are three elective terms where students get the chance to take any course at the Sloan School of Management, allowing them to venture beyond the EMBA curriculum. This program is better for those who enjoy a bigger class size; MIT enrolls 126 students, split into two cohorts.

Next is the joint EMBA degree program offered by IE University in Madrid, Spain and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Ringing in at $135,000 (excluding travel and accommodation cost) for 15 months, students are able to gain international perspectives and exposure at two high-ranking schools. Plus, they get alumni status at both following graduation. Since the curriculum blends advanced business courses with humanities and social sciences to provide students with a broader vision of the business landscape, it was voted third best EMBA worldwide and the best EMBA in Europe in The Economist. Offered in a blended format, this program combines face-to-face periods with interactive, online sessions so that students can participate from anywhere in the world. These in-person periods occur at IE Business School’s campus in Madrid, Spain, Brown University’s campus in Providence, Rhode Island (which is just over an hour south of Boston) and an immersion in Cape Town, South Africa.

A considerably less expensive EMBA is offered at Suffolk University in the heart of downtown Boston for $85,725. Running 16 months in length, classes occur every Saturday to provide a convenient schedule for mid-career, full-time professionals who don’t want to take any time off work. Perfect for those looking for a curriculum that focuses on leadership and collaboration, Suffolk offers small class sizes and the opportunity to complete a semester-long capstone project. Plus, students get to participate in a Global Travel Seminar where they can visit companies like UBM, Lloyd’s of London, and State Street Global Advisors to gain real world experience and networking.

For physicians who are interested in getting an EMBA in the Boston area, Brandeis’ The Heller School for Social Policy and Management offers its program for $76,420. Designed for working MDs, DOs, DMDs, DDs, and DPMs who want to improve clinical outcomes, financial performance, and patient experience in their healthcare organizations, this program features a flexible hybrid format. Courses are delivered online with the exception of four, 10-day on-campus residencies in January and May of each year at the Executive Conference Center at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts — just 30 minutes from Boston. Plus, class sizes are small and the curriculum includes a mix of traditional classroom lectures, individual and team projects, webinars, online independent work modules, case studies, applied learning assignments, simulation exercises, and assessments that integrate knowledge across courses.

Lastly, we have the affordable EMBA taught at New England College for only $18,536. Students in this program spend more time online than in-person, with only one three-day on-campus residency scheduled per term. Despite the amount of time students spend online, instructors offer virtual office hours. Designed for working professionals who already have a master’s degree and want to up-level their skills in finance, accounting, leadership, and business as a whole, the curriculum is focused on giving students practical, tangible skills — perfect for those who prefer to learn through action rather than theory.

PREPARING FOR AN EMBA

Preparing to apply to any graduate program can be an intimidating process. For prospective EMBA students, MIT’s DiFabio has some advice.

“Be yourself and tell your story. Don’t try to be anyone else,” she says. “When we read an application and interview a potential candidate, we’re looking at someone holistically and are trying to understand who they are, what makes them tick, what they want to do, what impact they want to have in the world, and if we can we help them get there.”

Wendy Tsung, assistant dean of Yale School of Management’s EMBA program, advises that prospective students avoid second guessing themselves if they feel ready for the next step in leadership and responsibility. Besides getting the student’s employer and family on board with their academic plans, she tells them not to wait. “Go and reach for what it is that you’re thinking about doing,” she says.