Executive MBA

Executive MBA (EMBA) is a focused 1 - 3 year MBA course better known as MBA for working professionals. Executive MBA is also abbreviated as EMBA. The course of Executive MBA is specifically for working professionals who are mid-to-senior-level managers or executives. It develops their business acumen and improves their leadership abilities, taking them up to higher managerial ranks without interruption and making a noticeable impact in their organisation.

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Executive MBA enables working professionals to apply their learning directly to work or organisation. Executive MBA employs the experimental learning method in which all these three aspects are given a major role in real-life situations, team projects and simulations. Executive MBA in India for working professionals offers a flexible schedule such as part-time, evening or weekend classes and a full-time program. The program is structured in a manner that accommodates the busy lifestyles and schedules of working professionals. 

The applicants who seek to undertake the Executive Management Program should possess a graduation degree in combination with work experience of three to five years. (Depending on the college or institution, job experience can differ for admitting candidates into the EMBA program.) The operations, marketing and sales and human resources and finance are among the top executive MBA programs. These programs not only provide an advantage in this competitive era but also improve their careers by imparting higher knowledge, leadership skills and analytical abilities to the candidates. 

The candidates who desire admission to the EMBA program can appear for the national, state or university-level entrance examinations. Some of the common entrance exams are GMAT, GRE, CAT, CMAT, SANP, XAT and NMAT. The Executive MBA Program is offered by the prestigious IIMs along with other top B-schools such as FMS Delhi, XLRI Jamshedpur, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Pune, Jamia Millia Islamia etc. Depending on the institution the fees for the EMBA courses are higher than the regular MBA program and range from  ₹5.00 Lakhs to ₹ 42.00 Lakhs. The organisation in most cases fully funds their employee's EMBA. The average Executive MBA salary ranges from ₹10.00 to ₹55.00 Lakhs per annum. Once a person completes an Executive MBA, then he can take senior leadership roles such as communication manager, HR director, brand manager, vice president or quality control manager.

Executive MBA Key Highlights 

The best course for professionals is the Executive MBA which enables them to continue to work while enhancing their ability to advance their careers in the workplace. The greatest emphasis of the program, therefore will be training students on the art of leadership, strategic management and skills in solving real-life problems The length of the course is 1-3 years. Various modes are available and the students can choose whether they want to join a regular, part-time/weekend or online mode. Some of the important highlights of the executive MBA program are :

Particulars

Details

The Executive MBA course is for  

Working Professionals

Executive MBA Duration 

1-3 Years

Program Level

Postgraduate

Eligibility for admission

Graduation + 3-5 Years of Job experience

Mode of the exam 

Based on Entrance Test

Entrance Exam Accepted

GMAT, GRE, CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, CMAT 

Some of the top Executive MBA Colleges in India 

IIMs, FMS Delhi, XLRI Jamshedpur, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Pune, Jamia Millia Islamia etc. 

Executive MBA Fees 

From ₹2.32 Lakhs  to ₹42.00 Lakhs

Average Salary Offered

₹10.00 to ₹55.00 Lakhs per annum

Leadership Roles like 

BD Managers, Vice-Presidents, Senior HR Managers, HR Directors etc.

YOE full form

Years of Experience 

Why Should Working Professionals Study Executive MBA Program?

Working class individuals who take the EMBA course progress higher in their careers than the rest. The students taking EMBA classes are able to facilitate progression to leadership as it provides the student with strategic reasoning, business expertise and skills required for the position. Reasons for choosing the Executive MBA course include:

  • Career Advancement and Leadership

  • Professional Network Building

  • Enhancing Skills and Strategic Mind

  • Adaptive Learning for Busy Schedules

  • Greater Earning Power

  • International Business Perspective

Eligibility for the Executive MBA Program

The aspirants who go for the executive MBA study program progress in their careers comparatively at a faster pace than people who are not doing it. And while selecting the executive MBA program the most important requirement is the work experience the candidate has.

The minimum executive MBA eligibility criterion includes 50% marks in graduation from a reputed university. Some of the colleges do not set the above-mentioned requirement as their eligibility for admission. The additional academic qualifications that the candidate needs is to pass the entrance exam as well as appear for group discussion and the personal interview rounds.

Another requirement for admission is that the candidate must have two years of managerial or executive-level work experience. Some of the colleges may also ask for 5 years of full-time work experience. For admission part-time or internship experience will not be considered. The candidates are advised to check the work experience required in their desired college before applying for the Executive MBA course as the selection criteria may vary from one college to another.

The eligibility criteria for Executive MBA from IIM are also similar, though the individuals are advised to check their eligibility for the respective IIM so that none miss admission due to eligibility criteria.

Career Opportunities After Executive MBA: Roles, Salaries and Leading Recruiters

The Executive Master of Business Administration course gives its students both theoretical and practical knowledge in various fields like IT, operations, accounting, strategy, marketing and human resources management. It lays a strong foundation that encourages Executive MBA graduates to select roles in different sectors including finance, healthcare, education and IT across both public and private sector industries.

Job Profiles after an Executive MBA

Although Executive MBA students are mostly working professionals this degree can significantly expand their career options. It helps the students to move into higher leadership roles or switch industries. Many top companies recruit Executive MBA program students through campus placements for the top job profiles such as Operations Director, CEO, CFO, General Manager Marketing Director etc. 

Given below are some of the top job profiles Executive MBA graduates often pursue:

Top Job Profiles

Its Description

Operations Director

Taking care of business processes boosts efficiency in operation and takes care of production or service provision.

CEO

The head of the organisation determines the strategic objectives and makes key decisions for expansion and success.

CFO

The main function of the CFO is to oversee financial operations, such as planning, risk management & financial reporting.

General Manager

The General Manager sees daily business activities, oversees resources and also ensures that the department's objectives are met.

Marketing Director

The Marketing Director prepares marketing plans, directs the brand image and makes plans to acquire and retain customers.

Top 10 Executive MBA Programs and Colleges in India: Their Average Salary and Leading Recruiters

Many top B-schools in India offer this course like the ISB executive MBA and the executive MBA from IIM, along with strong industry connections, good salary packages for graduates and opportunities to be hired by leading global and national companies. Given below are the top 10 Executive MBA courses in India including average salary packages and prominent recruiters related to each institution:

Name of the College & Course

Course Name 

Leading Recruiters

Average Salary

IIM Bangalore Executive MBA 

EPGP/EMBA

Aditya Birla Group, American Express, Microsoft etc. 

₹33.07 Lakhs per annum

ISB Hyderabad

PGPMAX

Mckinsey & Company, BCG, Deloitte etc. 

-

IIM Calcutta 

MBAEx

Goldman Sachs, Accenture Strategy, KPMG etc. 

₹30.90 Lakhs per annum

IIM Lucknow 

IPMX

Zee, Cipla, EXL etc.

₹34.00 Lakhs per annum

Xavier School of Management 

EDHRM

Boston Consulting Group, Reliance, HCL etc.

-

IIM Ahmedabad Executive MBA 

PGPX

Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase & co., Morgan Stanley etc. 

₹54.8 Lakhs per annum

IIM Indore 

EPGP

Abbott, Aitel, AIG, etc.

₹25.68 Lakhs per annum

IIM Kozhikode

MBA for Working Executives

Everest, EY, Tata Communications, etc.

₹22.00 Lakhs per annum

IIM Shillong 

PGPex

Ford, Essar, Gartner etc. 

₹26.10 Lakhs per annum

FMS Delhi

Executive MBA 

Bain & Company, PwC, KPMG etc.

-

Key Industries Hiring Executive MBA Graduates

Many companies hire Executive MBA graduates, as this degree gives a solid understanding and training in business management. An executive MBA also provides the candidates with the necessary skills required to start their own business. Key industries hiring the Executive MBA course graduates are as follows: 

  1. Human Resources: In this course valuable management information that is the key for HR professionals is taught to the students. The main focus of the HR department is managing the organisation, hiring, employee training and shaping the culture of the company etc.

  2. Sales: The most important department in any company is that of sales as it is the main source of revenue for the company. EMBA in sales leads the candidate to exciting career options.

  3. Finance: Those who want to make their career in the financial sector choose this field of  EMBA in Finance. An Executive MBA in Finance makes the students learn critical skills such as financial analysis, investment banking and risk management. All these skills are important to the financial stability of the company.

  4. E-commerce: This industry involves buying and selling goods and also providing online services. The roles that the candidates can get after EMBA in E-commerce are Business Analyst, Supply Chain Manager, Customer Relations Manager etc. 

  5. Marketing: Marketing is important for any business and an Executive MBA in Marketing helps students develop skills related to brand awareness, customer engagement and strategies that influence the decisions of the buyers. 

Each of these fields offers promising career prospects for Executive MBA graduates who bring advanced business knowledge and specialised skills. It thereby opens the new horizons of success for the Executive MBA graduates. 

FAQ for Executive MBA

An Executive MBA has several key advantages which are it can result in fast career progress, interactions and networking of critical value, the immediacy to function in real-life environments following completion and work-friendly, flexible class scheduling. The good thing about it is that it is much more suited to highly experienced professionals looking at promotion while still carrying out their work responsibilities.

Classes of FMS Delhi take place on all weekdays in the evening from Monday to Friday. Classes are taken on Saturdays too with additional hours. Students are allocated either to North or to South Campus; campus assignment is being carried out according to the FMS policy.

Selection of the right institution is very important. Some of the top institutes in India are ISB Hyderabad, IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Kozhikode etc), XLRI, SP Jain and NMIMS. Admission into any of the above institutions, however, normally offers a decent payback. Other colleges are also available but they have lesser chances of getting students recruited into good-paying jobs compared to these big-time schools.

An Executive MBA is for professionals who want to take the next step in their career while still being employed. This course is normally offered in a more flexible, part-time format with classes in the evenings or on weekends, which lets students get a better balance between their work and class.

Executive MBA (EMBA) programs typically do not provide as much placement support as full-time MBAs. The aim of the program is to lead the already-working professionals to higher roles in their company.

To study an Executive MBA from an IIM the aspirant needs a bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of work experience along with the GMAT, GRE, CAT or specific IIM tests like EMAT. Then they have to complete the application form, academic transcript, test scores, employment history and referees. The final selection process involves interviews, sometimes written tests and sometimes group discussions.

Should be a working professional with 4 years of experience with a bachelor's degree.