Study Reveals Top 24 EMBA Programs in the US Mid-Atlantic South, Offering What Executives Value Most

New York, New York, January 12, 2017 (Newswire.com) - ​​​The Duke Executive MBA and The Rice MBA for Executives Program take the top spots on Ivy Exec’s 2017 Best Executive MBA Programs – US Mid-Atlantic South ranking. This is Ivy Exec Inc.’s second annual EMBA ranking, but the first year the company is unveiling the results regionally. These rankings are based on a quantitative survey-based perception study Ivy Exec undertook with the help of its professional community of high-achieving, high-aspiring executives.

The top five Executive MBA Programs in the US Mid-Atlantic South are:

"Our executive members are not shy about sharing their opinions, and they jumped at the chance to compare and contrast top EMBA offerings in their regions."

Alex Baranpuria, VP and General Manager of Ivy Exec

1.     The Duke Executive MBA
2.     The Rice MBA for Executives Program
3.     The Texas Executive MBA Program from UT at Austin
4.     The Executive MBA Program at Georgetown McDonough
5.     The SMU Cox Executive MBA

Overall results reflect the opinions of approximately 5,200 study participants globally. The study excluded participants with less than seven years of work experience and entry level titles, and 50% of the respondent pool had an MBA/EMBA, while 50% did not yet have an MBA/EMBA.

“Our executive members are not shy about sharing their opinions, and they jumped at the chance to compare and contrast top EMBA offerings in their regions,” explains Alex Baranpuria, VP and General Manager of Ivy Exec. “Our members shared their perceptions on how well the top EMBA programs around the world deliver against important factors executives look for in a top EMBA program – the potential for career advancement, the breadth and scope of the curriculum, the chance they can balance both studies and personal & professional commitments, the overall global experience of the offering and, importantly, the program’s prestige and reputation.”

Other top-ranked programs in the US Mid-Atlantic South include: The University of Florida Executive MBA, TCU Neeley Executive MBA, Auburn Executive MBA, Tulane Executive MBA, University of Georgia, Executive MBA, and The World Executive MBA with Cyber Security (George Washington University).

View the full list of 24 ranked programs in the US Mid-Atlantic South, plus comprehensive profiles on each program here.

“Executive MBA candidates are sophisticated, and require more than the standard information found in most rankings,” offers John Gresley, Assistant Dean and Director of the University of Florida Executive MBA Program. He explains, “The input from Ivy Exec’s community—notably regarding a program’s market reputation, institutional prestige, and ability to maintain a healthy life/program balance—is vital for these talented business professionals to make an informed decision.”

The survey also goes beyond quantitative rankings, asking participants to share their views on several important questions: What do they value most when it comes to an EMBA curriculum? How do they perceive work-life balance? What post-EMBA opportunities are most important to them?

When asked about the top influencer of work-life balance, 69% indicated that schedule flexibility took priority over time commitment.

“Making the decision to pursue an MBA degree, while balancing a full time professional and personal life, is a difficult one,” says Kim Kuerten, Executive Director, Graduate Executive Programs at Auburn University. She adds, “It’s important that you choose the program that best fits your academic and professional goals.”

Of the career advancement opportunities they would expect post-EMBA, the majority of respondents favored higher compensation (47%), followed by flexibility to change industries (32%), and more responsibility (17%).

"Pursuing an Executive MBA is a major commitment and candidates should ask themselves what they want out of a program when exploring options,” offers Argy Russell, Director of MBA Admissions, Executive MBA Programs at University of Georgia. “Finding the right fit is important as is the return on investment and how the degree is valued in the marketplace. Rankings data play an essential role when researching programs.”

Finally, when asked about the most important aspect of an EMBA curriculum, 59% said overall quality of the faculty was more important than the breadth of the curriculum.

In addition to the Best EMBA Programs – US Mid-Atlantic South ranking, survey participants from other US regions, as well as Asia/Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East/Africa, were asked to share their perceptions on EMBA programs from their respective regions. 

Global Joint EMBA Programs were also ranked in a separate list, and include EMBA-Global Americas and Europe (London Business School, Columbia University), The Executive MBA Americas (Cornell University, Queen’s University), The Alberta Haskayne Executive MBA (University of Calgary, University of Alberta), and EADA-HHL Global Executive MBA (EADA Business School Barcelona and HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management).

For more information on the rankings, please contact [email protected].

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Source: Ivy Exec