Executive MBA – A Good MBA Choice for Veterans?

• July 19th, 2013
• in EMBA Program Information, Helpful Tips and Advice

UA Manderson EMBA Military Veterans and students preparing for their international immersion.

Transitioning from a military career to a civilian work environment is cause for serious reflection and careful planning.  Questions arise … will my military leadership and management skills translate? Is the EMBA the right degree for me?  Why is an EMBA Program a great choice for Veterans specifically?  Are accelerated programs, EMBA programs for instance, respected by industry? Can I find a reputable EMBA Program that is also military friendly? Can I work full time while participating in an EMBA Program?  Can I afford it with my Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits?
When considering the best path for your education, remember the following points:

• Will my skills translate?   Trends show the corporate world benefits greatly from well-seasoned military leaders who are making the decision to transition out of active military service.  After all, historically, many a great business theory or strategy was first developed in a military setting prior to trickling into commercial industry.

• Is the EMBA the right degree for me?   There actually is no E.M.B.A. degree in the US at this time.  An EMBA program offers the M.B.A. degree in a format designed for experienced professionals.  The degree curriculum is generally broad by design to prepare students for executive leadership positions. Also, an executive-style MBA program is an efficient way to reframe military leadership training with a boardroom-style business education.

• Why is an EMBA a great choice for Veterans specifically? The average EMBA student has 15 years of professional work experience.  By choosing an EMBA format for their degree, Veterans are immersed with a group of experienced, highly motivated professionals from diverse industries such as technology, telecommunications, health care, manufacturing, services and defense.  Learning from professionals active in other industries is a great fit for the warfighter who wants to transition quickly into an executive environment.

• Is an EMBA respected by industry compared to a “regular” MBA?  Yes! Industry leaders understand and value the drive needed and sacrifices made by professionals who work full time and earn a degree in an academically rigorous EMBA program. Additionally, company executives know EMBA programs value leadership skills, teamwork mindset and the world experience Veterans bring into the classroom. They know they are getting a good “product” by hiring an EMBA. EMBA programs offer a boardroom-style class setting with experienced professionals and typically in an accelerated schedule, ranging from 17 to 22 months in length.  Work and school is a challenging undertaking.  Taking on this challenge with a network of experienced professionals is a rewarding experience.  Industry understands and values the discipline required to graduate from a highly-regarded EMBA program.

• Can I find a reputable EMBA Program that is also military friendly?
  Most EMBA programs require a minimum of five years of professional work experience and count military service years equal with commercial-industry experience. Key tips for Veterans or active military who are evaluating how Post 9/11 G I Bill benefits apply to tuition costs: 1) check on whether the program is a public institution and if tuition is considered “in state”  2) ask if a program waives application fees or waives tuition prepayment requirements for active military and Veterans   3) confirm that your enrollment status will be considered “full time”.

• Can I work full time while participating in an EMBA Program?  Yes.  Take advantage of that great post-military job offer while attending school full time.  A weekend schedule is a perfect schedule for the working professional.  Plus, EMBA faculty understand your schedule and in most instances can work with you on work/life schedule conflicts.

• Can I afford an EMBA Program with my Post 9/11 GI Bill Education Benefits?  Yes! Although tuition is slightly higher for most EMBA programs, this is typically due to the “all-in-one cost” of the tuition/fees structure.  Meaning your tuition, books, supplies, meals, and international immersion are included in the cost of the program. Contact the program you are considering for more details.  In most cases you will be pleasantly surprised!

If you are looking for a perfect fit as you transition from military service to the civilian workforce; check out an Executive MBA program. It is challenging experience that will fit well with the skills developed through a career of military service.  Visit the Executive MBA Council website, embac.org, to compare programs in your region; compare up to five programs side by side on this site.

For more information on this blog, visit www.emba.ua.edu or call Cheryl to talk more about returning to Graduate School as a Veteran, 205-348-4501.

Top 10 Benefits of the Alabama EMBA Program

• July 11th, 2013
• in EMBA Program Information

Are you ready to return to graduate school?  Is the EMBA Program at The University of Alabama right for you?  UA’s EMBA program is designed for working professionals and allows students to continue working while completing their degree in four or five semesters. Students may earn an MBA degree in one of two locations, Tuscaloosa or Huntsville.

Students enter the EMBA program with specific needs and set expectations. Interviews conducted prior to starting the program show that the number one reason for enrollment is “increasing business knowledge.”
There are many takeaways from the program. A recent survey of UA EMBA graduates (2002-2012) reported that the program helped students grow their businesses, change careers, secure promotions, and think more strategically.

What are the top 10 benefits for UA EMBA students?

1. Increased business financial skills

Students are given tools to assess new financial strategies and develop a deeper understanding of annual reports and related financial data. Students report a better understanding of how their own businesses run.   

2. Building a business network

Without a doubt one of the greatest benefits is the strong network forged in the UA EMBA.  Students form lifelong friendships and make valuable business contacts.  Diversity in student backgrounds, academics, industry and culture provides a rich environment in which to learn.

3.Achieving Personal and Professional Goals

Students set goals at the beginning of the program and encourage each other to reach their personal and professional goals by the end of the program. Achieved goals run the gamut from company promotions to running a marathon; from improving business skills or starting a company, to becoming a more effective leader or even learning how to sky dive.

4. Improved Negotiating Skills

The negotiation class, in combination with other courses, helps students to understand their businesses better and teaches them to make more informed decisions. Graduates attribute the skills they learned to negotiating savings for their companies, as well as obtaining better raises and signing bonuses.

5. Thinking Strategically

A boardroom approach to learning encourages the exchange of ideas, discourse and executive level strategic thinking.  The program builds to a final semester focusing on strategic communications, management, implementation, global strategy, and includes a final project that provides valuable ROI to companies.

6. Enhancing Careers

Are you looking for a degree to get you to that next management level? Eighty percent of UA EMBA graduates have received promotions, and 32.4 percent have received three to five promotions. The remaining 20 percent reported job changes, becoming owners of their own companies, or becoming consultants after graduation. Corporations also work with us in sponsoring their employees as part of retention, promotion and succession planning.

7. Challenging Curriculum

The program is NOT MBA-lite.  UA EMBA is an academically rigorous program that challenges its students.  The faculty bring vast experience, many of which have worked outside academia, or have consulted extensively with various industries, defense and government.

8. Thinking Differently – Broadening Perspective

When you bring together a diverse group of people and expose them to cases, open debates, discussions, and in-depth presentations, they obtain a broader perspective and a new way of thinking.
The international trip in the final semester exposes the class to different cultures, global markets, worldwide corporate strategies, and shows them how to do business in another country.
The added bonus is that students forge stronger bonds. The trip offers exposure to industries and culture, but also provides time for students to further their friendships with each other.

9. Continuing a Career while Completing an MBA

We understand that it’s hard to juggle work and family, and to add graduate school to the mix is extremely tough. We often tell prospects that it’s like adding a second job.  It is tough, but it is also very rewarding. The Alabama EMBA format is lock step (all classes are taken together, from start to finish).  We offer both a four-semester and a five-semester program, taught on alternating weekends. You will never have to wait for a class to be offered; They are all set for you.

10. Becoming a More Effective Leader

Our goal at UA EMBA is to help managers advance their knowledge and their companies’ bottom lines.  Some students are moving up the corporate ladder, while others are moving from technical fields into more strategic areas, or growing their businesses.

Dr. Khursheed Nadeem Anwer, President and CSO of EGEN and 2012 EMBA graduate, noted that “Although I am a scientist by training, the UA EMBA Program helped me think more strategically, giving me tools as a business professional to impact my organization and industry more effectively.”

Are you ready to take the first step? Contact Donna Blackburn at 205.348.8748 or fill out an interest form here.