Executive MBA Program - FAQs

Bowling Green State University’s Executive MBA Program is designed to meet the educational needs of experienced managers and future business leaders. This program allows the convenience and flexibility for professionals to earn an MBA in 20 months while limiting interruptions to work and family responsibilities. The cohort design is a significant benefit of this program where students enter the program, complete classes, and graduate as part of the same close-knit group. This design has proven to greatly increase student success and networking.

No. The term “executive” is widely used to describe programs for working professionals. We require candidates to have at least 5 years of full-time working experience, and we prefer applicants that have some previous management experience. However, we consider each applicant on an individual basis and take a candidate’s future leadership potential into consideration when evaluating applicants

Our program has the prestigious honor of being accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB International is the world’s premier accrediting agency for business education. Fewer than 20 % of all MBA programs nationwide have earned this unique distinction.

As a student in BGSU’s EMBA program you will learn from the same faculty who teach in our full-time MBA program. BGSU only issues one diploma, the MBA, regardless of which format you attend. The EMBA program covers much of the same curriculum as our full-time program; however, the content is approached from a very different perspective in the executive program.

While the MBA program covers some of the same content of our traditional full-time MBA, the subjects are covered from a strategic perspective. In the EMBA we approach subjects from 30,000 feet as we are preparing more experienced students to make managerial decisions for an organization. More class time is spent analyzing alternatives and management decisions as opposed to focusing on the basic concepts. Classes are interactive and students learn from the experiences their classmates bring from their own organizations. The curriculum also features a greater focus on leadership development, managing human resources, and managing in a global context.

Students are likely to encounter individual and group work, projects, case study analysis, presentations, take-home exams, and in-class exams. How students are graded and assessed will vary between courses

BGSU has some of the most respected full-time faculty members in their fields of study. They are active in research, service, and consulting with a wide variety of leading organizations and companies. Most Faculty members hold Ph.D.’s and they provide interactive class discussions that foster student engagement and learning. EMBA classes are taught “in-load” as part of our faculty members’ regular teaching responsibilities and not in addition to their regular work load.

Our ”one-stop shop” is a significant advantage of being enrolled in the EMBA program. Students receive comprehensive administrative support from the Graduate and Executive Programs in Business staff. Our “one-stop shop” handles much of the administrative work and details of your registration so you can focus your valuable time on coursework. Our staff will register you for classes, buy and mail your text books and course materials, provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks on class days, and assist you with any issues you may have related to your enrollment at BGSU.

By enrolling in BGSU’s EMBA program, you will be surrounded by the region’s most experienced and motivated professionals. You will be learning from and with the area’s current and future leaders. On average, a student in our program has fifteen years of professional work experience and is already a manager in his/her organization. Ages generally range from the late twenties to early fifties. Students come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds and types of organizations. Most students in a given cohort do not have an undergraduate degree in business.

We believe in keeping classes small, so students can get a more personalized education to meet their specific needs. Each year we begin with a cohort of between twenty and twenty-five students.

Students tell us that both class interaction and discussion with their colleagues and faculty are too valuable to substitute with on-line content, so our classes all meet face-to-face. We do utilize an on-line course management system called Canvas. Faculty use Canvas to keep students connected between residencies. Class notes, assignments, and supplemental course materials are posted so students can access them anytime, anywhere. Canvas also allows for threaded discussions and study group chat rooms.

Completing an AACSB accredited MBA program in 20 months while working full time is an aggressive schedule. Many students take three or four years to complete evening MBA programs. On average students will spend between ten and twenty hours per week on course work. Of course, this will vary based on test schedules, a person’s educational and work background, and his/her expectations.

We allow students to take longer than 20 months to complete the program if their work and family responsibilities prohibit them from dedicating the time required to complete the program on schedule. Students work individually with an academic advisor to design a completion plan that fits their needs. Some students choose to spread the program over a longer period to maximize tuition assistance from their employer.

Breakfast is available at 7:30 a.m. Morning class meets from 8:00 a.m. to noon. We serve lunch from noon- 1 p.m. and students have some time to relax or study. Afternoon class meets from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Often students will stay and study in small groups for an hour or two after class or get together for some social time. On most weekends this is the schedule on Saturday, and Sunday.

No. Most of our students go home in the evenings after class. Arrangements can be made at a hotel adjacent to campus for students needing local accommodations at a reduced rate.

No, typically less than half the students in our program have had a significant amount of undergraduate coursework in business administration.

No. The program consists of 10 courses. We use self-paced learning packets for two courses in the program, accounting and finance. Students without prior exposure to these academic disciplines and those needing a refresher complete pre-session assignments that are designed to give the student a fundamental understanding of these subjects.

No. BGSU requires all applicants to have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. If you hold a degree from a non-U.S. school, please contact Graduate and Executive Programs in Business for an evaluation

We’re proud to say that nearly 90% of the students entering our EMBA program graduate within 3 years of starting. This extraordinary graduation rate speaks to the motivation level of students selecting BGSU and our ability to be very selective in the admissions process.

EMBA Fees

Yes. Qualifying student’s bills are deferred until 30 days after the end of each term enabling students to submit their grades to the employer for payment of tuition. There will be a $75.00 administrative fee to provide this service.

Most EMBA students qualify for the federal government’s subsidized student loan program. There are also a variety of unsubsidized loans available for EMBA students. Please contact our office or the office of Student Financial Aid for more information.

Yes, BGSU has a Career Center available for students who may be interested in assistance with their job search.

Yes, it is necessary that the student provide their own laptop with a Windows based operating system.

No. However, EMBA students can take additional courses in our evening program if they are interested in taking more courses after they complete the EMBA.

Yes. We assign students to a group of five or six at the beginning of the program. The study groups afford participants the opportunity to work in small groups and build relationships with their classmates until they get the opportunity to know more students in the class. Your study group members become an important asset and support group.

For many of our EMBA students the anxiety of returning to school after many years is one of the biggest obstacles to starting the program. Students soon find out that their classmates and study group members are in the same situation and the support they get from their colleagues is invaluable. Our faculty also realizes what the students are experiencing and work with them as much as possible to ease their concerns.

Our program starts once each year with an orientation session in August with classes beginning in September. We do allow a limited number of students to start the program off-cycle in January on a space-available basis. Please contact our office for more information on the next opportunity to start.

We require the GMAT exam as part of the application process for the EMBA program. However, applicants with ten or more years of professional work experience, at least five years of full-time experience in a significant management capacity, and an undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale may be eligible for an exemption from the GMAT. Applicants with a master’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. university may also be eligible for an exemption from the GMAT. Please contact Graduate and Executive Programs in Business for more information on the GMAT waiver.

** The GMAT is waived through Fall of 2021