Alternating Saturday-only Class Format Established
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To maintain both the highest quality Executive MBA program and a format that best accommodates the work schedules of rising managers and executives, Owen faculty and staff made a collective decision to transition to an alternating Saturday format (two Saturdays/month) for students entering the program in August, 2009. We will maintain our traditional 60-credit hour curriculum by the addition of two short summer terms to the Executive MBA program.
Why the change in format?
After listening to the challenges that current and prospective Executive MBA students are facing in this difficult economy, we believe that the alternating Saturday format will enable a wider audience of extremely highly qualified executives to consider Vanderbilt. For self-funding individuals, the prospect of being out of the office two Fridays every month has been a conflict, which has migrated to tuition-sponsored students as well, given the economic strains their companies are facing. The new format will fortify our pool of seasoned executives seeking to build upon their career success, while eliminating disruption to job responsibilities during the traditional work week.
In a recent market survey of 2009 Vanderbilt Executive MBA applicants and inquiries, 70 percent and 80 percent of these audiences, respectively, indicated that they preferred an alternating Saturday schedule. We are confident that our pool of talented candidates for admission will continue to flourish with this new format.
How will the new format be structured? Will the Classes of 2010 and 2011 have different schedules?
Under this new schedule, incoming Executive MBA students (Class of 2011) will attend classes on alternating Saturdays over 24 months, including two short summer sessions (although students will have a four-week break from mid-July through early August between Year 1 and Year 2), and will complete their 60 credit hour program by August, 2011. These students will be in class on alternating Saturdays from 8am to 6:50pm. The extended Saturdays, combined with short summer sessions, enable us to maintain the exact curriculum as the traditional Friday/Saturday Executive MBA program.
The program schedule for the Executive MBA Class of 2010 will remain intact for their second year of study, with the current alternating Friday/Saturday format so as not to disrupt their existing plans to graduate in May, 2010. Below is a side-by-side view of the Executive MBA program schedule as it currently exists and how it will look beginning in August for incoming students.
Will the new format affect the quality of the program or diminish the degree?
We remain true to being the highest quality, comprehensive world-class MBA degree program for working executives. The new schedule maintains the same number of in-class hours, but positions us to continue attracting the best students who demand high standards and consistency in their education and class peer group. We will not dilute the challenging admissions or course requirements.
Our goals in making this change are simple--preserving the selectivity of the program while bringing flexibility to employers and their key managers who need advanced education for the demands of difficult economic times and beyond. We welcome your continuing feedback and help in spreading this news to potential candidates who would be incredible contributors to the Vanderbilt Executive MBA classroom.
For more information, please contact:
Tami Fassinger, Associate Dean, Executive Programs
Juli Bennett, Associate Director, Executive Programs
Office: 615.322.3120 | Email: emba@owen.vanderbilt.edu
