Auburn University’s Executive MBA at the Harbert College of Business is a 21‑month, cohort‑based program built for professionals who want to accelerate their careers without stepping away from them.
Since its launch back in 1998, the program has maintained its signature hybrid structure. Today, the EMBA blends flexible online coursework with five short residencies and a global business experience. Students will get the chance to build their strategic, financial, and leadership capabilities and apply them immediately in their workplaces.
This program is designed specifically for seasoned professionals with at least eight years of experience, and it’s for anyone who wants a program that respects the realities of executive life while still pushing for growth.
Students will get full visibility with assignments and deadlines at the start of each term. This is designed to give them the clarity they need to plan and stay in control of their schedules.
Each residency is designed to give EMBAs the kind of immersive, high impact learning and relationship building that simply can’t happen through a screen. The lock‑step cohort model is one of the defining features of the Auburn EMBA. It’s expected that these professionals, who are from a wide range of industries, backgrounds, and regions, will learn as much from one another as they do from the curriculum.
Many graduates describe the cohort as the heart of the experience, an invaluable network that continues long after graduation.
“Auburn’s Executive MBA program has already exceeded my expectations,” says Catherine Budzynski, Class of 2022. “Auburn has perfected the ‘secret sauce’ with its strong emphasis on the cohort combined with outstanding professors. The materials and discussions are highly relevant and can be applied to my role immediately.”
The curriculum is centered around leadership, strategy, finance, marketing, operations, and other core business disciplines. They also offer plenty of opportunities to tailor the experience through electives in areas such as leadership, healthcare, operations, and analytics.
The EMBA has just one required international study experience. This is woven in to broaden students’ global perspective and expose them to new markets, cultures, and business practices that shape modern executive decision‑making.
Auburn’s EMBA is also known for its high‑touch, all‑inclusive design. Tuition covers books and instructional materials, lodging and most meals during residencies, accommodations for the global experience, and comprehensive program coordination. Their concierge‑style approach removes the need to carve out time and energy for logistics so that students can focus on learning, connecting, and applying insights in real time.
The program is intentionally structured to deliver both immediate and long‑term returns on investment.
Students will continuously strengthen their leadership confidence, sharpen their strategic thinking, and expand their ability to drive meaningful organizational impact.
Graduates leave feeling well‑positioned to advance within their companies or pursue new leadership opportunities.
“The two years I spent as an Executive MBA student at Auburn was an incredibly rewarding experience,” says Liza Welch Amaro, Class of 2019. “The program enriched me far beyond my expectations by helping me become a better person, a more confident speaker, and a stronger leader.”
