Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Graduate Studies Bulletin 
    
2020-2021 Graduate Studies Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Executive Master of Business Administration, EMBA


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Dr. Dominique Outlaw, Director of the Executive MBA Program, 516-463-5083

The Frank G. Zarb School of Business  offers a 41 s.h. Executive MBA program (EMBA) for those individuals who hold middle- to senior-level management positions in private industry, government, and the not-for-profit sector. It is organized to allow working managers the opportunity to continue their professional commitments while simultaneously participating fully in a lockstep MBA program that is 20 months in length. The program is designed to be delivered in a hybrid format with alternate Saturdays on campus and online. Classes meet every other Saturday between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm. Students participate in the EMBA degree program with the consent of their company or organization because of the program’s two-day initial residency and its international management practicum.

Transfer between the regular Master of Business Administration, MBA , and the EMBA program is not permitted because they are separate and distinct programs. 

Possession of a notebook or desktop computer and appropriate hardware and software is a required part of the EMBA program, and students are provided with specific information about these requirements upon admission to the program.

Students are admitted into the program in the fall semester only.

Objectives of the Executive MBA Program


The EMBA program is specifically designed for professionals who seek higher-level responsibilities at a wide variety of organizations.  With a broad-based management curriculum that is application driven and an exposure to the full scope of various business functions, the EMBA program focuses on skills that can be readily applied.

Admission Criteria


Applicants for admission to the Executive MBA program (EMBA) must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. No particular course of undergraduate study is required for admission to the EMBA program nor are other prerequisites required prior to admission. Applicants should provide documentation of a minimum of seven years of full-time professional work experience, at least half of which should be in a managerial capacity. Criteria that are evaluated in the context of the EMBA admission process include undergraduate and/or previous graduate course work, essays, two letters of recommendation, a professional resume and/or summary of accomplishments, and a required personal evaluative interview.

The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) will not normally be required for the EMBA program unless the Admissions Committee desires additional input.

Statute of Limitation


The EMBA program is structured as a lockstep program wherein students begin in early September and graduate 20 months from the date of their enrollment. Under extenuating circumstances, students may be granted a leave of absence from the program and be permitted to resume study at a later date. This may be done only upon documentation of the extenuating circumstances leading to the request for a leave and then only with the written approval of the Graduate Programs Office. In no case will an EMBA student be permitted to complete the degree in excess of five years.

Program Requirements – Semester Hours: 41


The course of study in the EMBA program includes representation from all of the functional areas of business, as well as specific residencies geared toward working executives and professionals. This structure is as follows: 

  • Component I:   The EMBA Residency, 1 s.h.
  • Component II:  The EMBA Core, 23 s.h.
  • Component III: The EMBA Practicum, 3 s.h.
  • Component IV: The Executive Cluster, 14 s.h.

NOTE: All 400-level courses are open only to matriculated Zarb School of Business EMBA students.

Component I: The EMBA Residency – Semester Hours: 1 (On Campus)


Component II: The EMBA Core – Semester Hours: 23 (Alternate Saturdays on campus and rest online)


The core of the EMBA program provides managers with a strong foundation in the major functional areas of business and an overview of the importance of the integration of these functions across organizational structures.

Component III: The EMBA Practicum – Semester Hours: 3 (Alternate Saturdays on campus and rest online)


Component IV: The Executive Cluster – Semester Hours: 14 (Alternate Saturdays on campus and rest online)


This cluster represents an applied executive focus stressing the importance of communications, ethics, leadership and decision-making skills in managing contemporary global organizations. The knowledge base developed in the EMBA core and real-world experiences of resident managers and executives are fully integrated into the discussions within the Executive Cluster. The case study method is employed extensively.

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