August 1, 2002
|
Unique EMBA program caters to the Chicago executive’s needs
|
|
As executives experience increased levels of responsibility, it is key that they fine-tune their management skills. To attain this knowledge, they often seek an MBA.
Traditional vs. Executive
When researching an MBA program to teach these necessary skills, executives are sometimes frustrated with the options available. Taking a 2-year hiatus for a full-time MBA is usually not an option and many evening MBA programs can take up to four years to complete. In addition, these traditional MBAs often target students who have recently received their undergraduate degrees or those who may be switching careers, not those looking to refine their enterprise management skills.
As Merle Giles, director of the University of Illinois Executive MBA program explains, Executive MBAs (EMBAs) are tailored for a very different crowd. “An executive MBA provides something completely different from a traditional MBA,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is appeal to the manager on the fast track.”
To do this, the EMBA program focuses on providing a flexible schedule, allowing those who travel to make up for classes through virtual classrooms. Courses take business basics, such as marketing, accounting and economics, and present them in terms of their relevance to a manager. When the degree is completed, students will have a solid base of skills that they can apply in any executive situation. In addition to the “beyond the book” learning is a 10-day international internship, a requirement for program completion.
The EMBA program has good reason for offering such a unique and valuable program, as it shares the scene with two of the most prestigious schools in the world, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and the University of Chicago‘s Graduate School of Business. Giles, however, points out that the EMBA from the University of Illinois is ranked 20th among 50 programs worldwide and 11th in America according to Financial Times and Business Week, respectively. “Chicagoans have one of the best opportunities in the country for upper level education. Three schools in the top 20 right out of Illinois.”
Laurel Davis, VP of Treasury Management at National City, is currently enrolled in the University of Illinois EMBA program. She enrolled in a traditional MBA program 15 years ago, but after being transferred for her job, she was unable to continue due to the program’s inflexibility. Through her colleagues at National City, Davis learned of the U of I EMBA program that offered a more flexible program with an excellent reputation.
EMBA Project
To sharpen the techniques being learned in the program, students apply their knowledge to real-life projects. Although students often study entrepreneurial or non-profit businesses, in an interesting twist, Davis and her team elected to evaluate their own EMBA program for their most recent project.
“One thing we (the Chicago students) all found was that no one in Chicago knew that Illinois has an Executive MBA program.” said Davis. She and her colleagues decided to find out why and then develop the program’s presence in the region.
The team began their investigation by surveying the field. “We went through Web sites for different EMBA programs, compared structures as far as staffing, price of the programs and the size of enrollment,” said Davis.
After reviewing the competition, Davis and team assessed their own marketing materials, and singled out areas that needed improvement. “One of the things we noticed in our program was that none of the materials were orange and blue. We also didn’t think the Web site was very effective. One of our focus points was that we needed a U of I brand.”
Upon solidifying their image with a U of I brand and refining the profile of a likely student, a more targeted marketing plan was prepared. “The target customer (student) is someone with a salary of $100K or above, who is in management. We researched geographic markets to find where the highest concentration of people exist that meet the salary requirement,” Davis said.
With a more refined vision in mind, Davis and team worked with Giles to change the marketing materials, adjust the website and fine-tune other areas of the program.
While Davis’ project directly benefits the program, it also benefits each team member. All of the experience and training in the EMBA program becomes immediately applicable, as Giles points out. “They take this back to their companies every Monday morning,” he said.
For more information, visit www.theexecutivemba.com.
University of Illinois Executive MBA Curriculum
- First Semester—1st Year
Economics of the Firm
Foundations of Behavioral Science for Administration
Managerial Perspective on Financial Accounting
Statistics for Managerial Decision Making
- Second Semester—1st Year
Quantitative Analysis for Decisions
The Economic Environment
Marketing
Financial Management
- First Semester—2nd Year
Legal Aspects of Management Decisions
Managerial Accounting
Organizational Behavior
Security Analysis and Investments
- Second Semester—2nd Year
Strategic Management
International Business
Process Management
E-Business and E-Commerce Management
|
|
| |
|
