MBA or EMBA

E.M.B.A- Executive Master of Business Administration- as a concept took birth several decades ago in Chicago University. It came to get designed with a view to enable senior managers, who would be working with some concern, to equip them with MBA. Its duration is one year as against two years for regular MBA. EMBA helps working professionals acquire management skills, which helps them in further career opportunities. In the case of EMBA, an experience of 5 to 10 years in senior management is the basic requirement. This experience is said to be the criterion to dispense with one year of the regular MBA, which is so on account of the practical work experience that is supposed to carry with it a perspective of corporate functioning.

While EMBA does not offer the entire gamut of courses, as in the case of MBA, it does offer smaller classes which are helpful in mutual interaction and better attention. In addition to this, if a good reputed university falls in one’s lot, the faculty too will be extraordinary, in as much as they may not be from the school only but from outside too. The other advantage EMBA has- and this indeed is a substantial one- is that the companies either pay for the entire course in full or pay a large part thereof. Besides, one also earns full salary while attending the school. So, financially this can be said to be a gain of considerable value. In contrast, a regular MBA study would involve fees and no income during the 2 years of study. These then are the chief significant benefits of going in for EMBA.

But, EMBA does carry some disadvantages too. Firstly, not many institutes offer the course. And of those that do open admission therefore, there are only limited numbers which provide coaching at par with regular MBA. The second drawback is that the company which pays for EMBA, by the very fact of financing the education (and may even be paying salary) put on embargo on further quest for greener pastures. Furthermore, while the text books may be the same for both MBA and EMBA, home work, tests and topics discussed may differ for the reason that time is less in latter case. Added to this is the fact that EMBA qualify for admission based on work experience in their profession. This gives an academic edge to the regular MBA in terms of academic excellence.

That being the for and against MBA and EMBA, the matter of choice will be largely determined by one’s needs and conditions. That said, the fact remains that given a good school the differences between the two get hugely narrowed.

As for the conditions that settle the choice between the two, it is part of wisdom to take up a job, if one has failed to secure entrance of CAT, XAT etc. Gain some experience and keep one’s vision hitched to EMBA. The benchmark will be the timing.

That being the case, the final choice will be the conditions of each individual case. The specific requirements in a case will govern the choice. Each course is addresses to particular segment. The course may be the same, coaching largely identical and even institutes and faculty may not vary yet, each will apply to differently placed candidates.

It cannot be questioned that a regular MBA of 2 years duration is pregnant with several options to choose from for a career. It’s an academic reach and connected matters make the degree holder profounder by comparison. Hence its market value and demand. But this in no case undermines the EMBA which is the same and yet different.