FAQs
The Executive MBA
Why should I choose an Executive MBA?
Many people wish to complete an MBA but do not want to interrupt their careers. Executive MBA participants remain in full-time work while they study, simultaneously advancing their careers and their professional and personal development.
Executive MBA students are able to immediately apply knowledge gained in the classroom and through their peers back to their workplaces, which fast-tracks the learning process. While the London Business School Executive MBA is an intensive and challenging programme, it is also a highly stimulating and enriching experience.
What's the difference between the Executive MBA and the full-time MBA?
While both the MBA and the Executive MBA cover similar material, and both award the same MBA degree, there are some fundamental differences.
The Executive MBA is designed for managers and executives who already have substantial professional experience behind them. They want to continue their careers while studying for their degree and remain in full-time employment, studying part-time over 20 months. Full-time MBA students take part in a number of practical exercises, such as work shadowing and placements, making it more suitable for those at an earlier stage in their career.
What is the difference between the London and Dubai streams of the Executive MBA?
Executive MBA (London) conducts its core courses on consecutive Fridays and Saturdays of alternate weeks in London. Executive MBA (Dubai) conducts the majority of its core courses in four or five-day modules each month in Dubai, with some visits to London.
All Executive MBA students have access to London Business School's extensive elective portfolio and international elective options, but only Executive MBA (Dubai) students take core courses in both Dubai and London. For Executive MBA (London) students, core course teaching is conducted in London only.
With a fully aligned curriculum and admission requirements across both streams, your choice of primary study location is dependent upon your personal preference and circumstances.
Is it possible to do the Executive MBA if I don't live either in London or Dubai?
There are no admissions restrictions in terms of geographic location. However, as the majority of the Executive MBA programme is delivered in London or Dubai, you must think carefully about how you can combine the travel requirements with your full-time employment. Approximately 25% of Executive MBA students live outside the UK and the UAE, and commute to London and/or Dubai for classes. While students often find commuting demanding, the benefits from the programme far outweigh the inconvenience of the travel.
Watch our video: Commuting to London Business School
Can I swap between the London and Dubai streams of the Executive MBA programme?
You must apply and commit to only one stream of the programme. This decision will determine the primary location(s) of your core coursework. After you have completed the core, you are free to take electives from the Schools elective portfolios, thereby customising your experience on the programme.
What is the typical Executive MBA student like?
Executive MBA students represent a wide range of nationalities and work backgrounds. What they share is that they are exceptional, experienced people who can both contribute to and benefit from the programme.
Download the class directory
Here is the profile of a typical Executive MBA class*:
| Executive MBA (London) | Executive MBA (Dubai) | |
| Typical class size | 75 | 60 |
| Average work experience | 10 years | 10 years |
| Range of work experience | 5-21 years | 5-24 years |
| Women | 23% | 12% |
| Nationalities represented | 30 | 27 |
*These figures are a three year average and represent a typical EMBA class. Please note that admission decisions are taken in accordance with best equal opportunities.
Programme details
How is the curriculum structured for the Executive MBA?
The Executive MBA is a five-term, 20-month programme. Students on both the London and Dubai streams will come together in London to start the Executive MBA experience. You will join together to undertake a total of three modules in London - at the start and end of the programme. All three shared modules are residential and provide the ideal environment in which to build valuable networks with an extended group of diverse peers.
The Executive MBA programme begins with Orientation, a London-based residential week dedicated to understanding the principles of general management and leadership. Following Orientation week, the two Executive MBA streams continue the core course curriculum in either London or Dubai. You study the majority of the core courses in your primary study location. In London, core courses are taught on consecutive Fridays and Saturdays of alternate weeks. In Dubai, core courses are taught in a four or five-day block each month.
During the second academic year, you take between six and eight elective courses. Schedules differ for each student depending on which electives they choose. Students embark on a compulsory week-long International Assignment and may choose a second as an elective option. You can also elect to undertake an in-company project as part of your elective credits.
The Executive MBA concludes with the London and Dubai streams coming together for two residential modules. Theses core modules are designed to consolidate your learning through multi-disciplinary group simulation and feedback to help you prepare for your career transitions ahead.
There are also optional workshops offered throughout the programme, designed to develop your interpersonal skills, and cover topics such as presentating, negotiating, handling conflict and business writing.
What are the study groups? How are they put together?
Study groups consist of about five or six people who work together for core course work during the first three terms. When putting the study groups together, we look for a balance of educational background, work background, gender and nationality. We also consider a number of personality profiling tools, to create diverse groups and challenging and collaborative learning environments.
Can I waive core courses if I have already studied a particular subject?
If you hold professional accounting qualifications, or if you have a Masters degree in economics, you may request to opt out of the Accounting or Economics core courses. However, the experience that each student brings to the classroom is a vital part of the learning achieved on the programme, and therefore attendance through every core course is encouraged. Waivers are judged on a case-by-case basis.
How do the electives fit in the programme structure?
Elective courses offer you the opportunity to concentrate on areas of special interest and to explore new subjects. Studied in the last two terms, Executive MBA students complete between six and eight elective courses, each taught over 30 classroom hours.
Where do I take my electives?
The broadest choice of electives is available in London, with a selection of the most popular courses offered in Dubai. A limited number of elective opportunities are also available in New York and Hong Kong through our partnership agreement with Columbia and HKU business schools.
What format are the electives offered in?
London Business School electives may be offered in the following formats:
| Modular format | Block week format | Term class format |
| Over a single 10-week term | Typically Monday to Friday | Three-hour class |
| Alternating weeks | Blocks of five working days | Morning, afternoon, evening |
| Fridays or Saturdays | Taught outside term dates | Once a week over 10 weeks |
Please note that not all electives are offered in all formats.
How much time do I need to allocate to each elective?
Time spent in preparation outside of class will vary according to the course chosen and your background in the subject matter. On average, you can expect to spend approximately 4-5 hours in preparation outside of class for each course undertaken.
What is the purpose of the International Assignment and where do they take place?
International assignments offer the opportunity to test and apply skills in a country and culture outside of your immediate experience, and enhance your cross-cultural experience and understanding. Students must complete one international assignment as part of the Executive MBA and may choose a second as an elective course.
Assignments are currently offered in Argentina, China, India, the Russian Federation and South Africa.
What is the in-company project?
You may elect to undertake an in-company project as part of your elective credits. The project focuses on a business issue of particular relevance to you and/or your organisation. Supervised by a faculty member, you integrate theory and practice, and apply the knowledge and tools introduced on the programme to real business challenges. It is your opportunity to provide a substantial and tangible benefit to your organisation as you apply the latest trends and research in management thinking.
When does the programme start?
To offer you as much flexibility as possible, the programme has two start dates; January and September. Students follow the same curriculum and have the same choice of International Assignment destinations.
London stream: class timetable
Dubai stream: class timetable
How many days will I need to take out of the office to complete the Executive MBA?
Your choice of study location and elective options will dictate your schedule and therefore the number of days you are required to take out of the office. However, in the first three terms, when studying the core courses and the international assignment, your schedule is set. Executive MBA (London) students will need to attend London Business School for approximately 51 days, 28 days of which are weekdays. Executive MBA (Dubai) students will be required to attend classes in Dubai and London for approximately 58 days, 35 days of which are weekdays. Please note that this does not include any travel time you may need to attend the programme.
In the last two terms, you undertake electives and your schedule will vary depending upon which courses you choose and in which format these courses are offered.
How much time will I need to spend studying outside the classroom?
The time spent studying outside the classroom varies from student to student. However, most students estimate they spend an average of 20 hours studying each week in addition to time spent in class. You will get more out of the programme the more you put in, so the more time committed outside classroom hours leads to greater gains in learning outcomes.
How is the programme assessed?
Each core course and elective is assessed using appropriate assessment instruments, which can include individual and group assignments, exercises, projects, class participation and examinations.
Where do I stay when I'm attending classes?
You will be provided with accommodation facilities for the three compulsary residential modules in London, and for the International Assignment. For the residential modules, both streams will join together to facilitate group discussions. You are required to arrange your own accommodation during elective blocks in the last two terms.
Is it possible to do the Executive MBA while living outside the UK?
Yes. Approximately 25% of Executive MBA students live outside the UK and commute to London for classes. While they often find commuting demanding, they realise the benefits from the programme far outweigh the inconvenience of the travel.
Employer support
How can I convince my employer to support me through an Executive MBA?
The Executive MBA provides immediate benefits to sponsoring organisations. Students can immediately apply the theory learned in the classroom to their job and are able to tailor elective aspects of the programme to the specific knowledge requirements of their business.
Sponsoring organisations also become part of the wide and diverse London Business School network and can attend an annual Employers' Event.
Do I need to be financially sponsored by my employer to undertake the programme?
You must be sponsored by your organisation in terms of time, but you are not required to secure financial support. However, many organisations recognise sponsorship as an important investment in their human capital, and so many Executive MBA students are also financially sponsored - fully or partially. Students who are funded often sign an agreement to stay with their company for a stated length of time after completion of the programme.
Admissions
What level of work experience do I need to have?
You need to be able to demonstrate experience in the management of projects, budgets, processes or people over a sustained period. Students typically have between five and 22 years of managerial experience.
Does my work experience need to be as a manager?
Generally, EMBA students have managerial experience in at least one of four areas - people management, project management, process management or budget management. Not everyone leads large teams of people, but they usually manage in one of these key areas. You are required to be in this kind of role so that you can directly apply your classroom learning to your job. This is one of the key benefits of the programme.
Find out more about the admission requirements
Should I hold an undergraduate degree?
Executive MBA students normally have an undergraduate degree from a recognised university. However, we do accept one or two exceptional non-graduates each year. We would expect such candidates to have alternative professional qualifications and/or outstanding work experience. We would also look at the GMAT more closely as an indicator of academic ability.
Is GMAT essential?
Yes. All applicants are required to sit the GMAT. The GMAT is one of the many criteria we use when assessing an applicant's suitability, since it provides useful information about quantitative and verbal reasoning abilities. It also gives us a useful benchmark to judge applicants across degree subject, academic institution and nationality.
Find out more on the GMAT website
What is the minimum GMAT score required?
There is no minimum score requirement. The GMAT is just one of several pieces of information used by the School to assess a candidate's suitability, and just as a high score does not guarantee admission, a lower score does not eliminate a candidate. In making an admissions decision, we consider all aspects of a candidate's background, knowledge and experience as demonstrated throughout the application process.
If you are concerned about your test score, please contact a member of the admissions team at emba@london.edu or telephone +44 (0)20 7000 7514 (UK) or +971 440 193 01 (Dubai).
What is the school's code to submit a GMAT score?
Our GMAT reporting codes are Z11-J7-23 for London and Z11-J7-36 for Dubai.
Do I need to take TOEFL/IELTS?
All applicants whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL or IELTS, unless they have received a degree from an institution where English was the language of instruction, or have lived or worked in an English-speaking environment for a minimum of two years.
Can I apply for more than one programme at the School?
You cannot apply to more than one Masters programme at London Business School or our partner Schools at the same time, or in the same academic year. You cannot re-apply to the same programme within the same academic year.
Application process
When should I apply?
We operate a rolling admissions process, which means the sooner you apply, the sooner you receive a decision. In most cases, you will receive a final decision within eight weeks of submitting your completed application.
How much is the application fee?
The application fee is £160. You can pay the fee online as part of the online application or by downloading the Application Fee Payment Form.
Can I waive the application fee?
For graduates of the University of London colleges, Columbia Business School and Hong Kong University, the application fee will be waivered. This must be requested when you apply, and you must provide a copy of your college transcript.
Candidates recommended by London Business School alumni may also be exempt from the application fee. Alumni wishing to recommend a candidate should email emba@london.edu stating their relationship with the candidate and their reasons for the recommendation. Recommendations must be received before the application is submitted.
Who should my references be from?
One should be from your immediate line manager. The other should come from someone who can comment directly on your academic or managerial abilities.
Academic transcripts
Candidates are required to submit academic transcripts from their undergraduate or graduate educational institutions. If the original transcripts are not in English, you must also provide certified translated copies.
How do I apply?
Our preferred format for receiving applications is via our online system at http://interact.london.edu/. If you need to make a paper application, please call +44 (0)20 7000 7514 or email emba@london.edu
Once an application is submitted, what happens?
We operate a rolling admissions process, so the earlier you apply the earlier you receive a decision. We review applications within two weeks of receiving them. If you are successful, you will be invited to interview. Interviews are conducted by Executive MBA alumni and/or senior Admissions staff. You will receive a final decision within six to eight weeks of submitting a complete application.
What happens if my application is not successful?
If your application is not successful, please review the admissions criteria against your application and ensure that your experience and objectives are aligned with the admissions criteria. Remember that competition for places is high, and consequently we are not able to offer places to a number of entirely suitable candidates.
Fees and financing
What are the tuition fees for the programme?
Executive MBA tuition fees for the programmes commencing September 2012 will differ depending on the choice of primary study location.
The programme fee for the Executive MBA (London) class is £58,990.
The programme fee for the Executive MBA (Dubai) class is $91,800.
Find out more in the fees and financing section.
What do the fees include?
Fees include tuition, course materials, essential core course textbooks, and hotel accommodation for the compulsory international assignment and the three core modules studied in London.
Does London Business School offer a loan for undertaking the programme?
There is a selection of loan schemes available to successful applicants to the Executive MBA in London and Dubai, including:
Does London Business School offer any scholarships for the Executive MBA?
Each year we offer a number of scholarship for self-sponsored applicants. The scholarships cover varying proportions of the total tuition fees and include:
- Executive MBA Scholarships for Women
- The Executive MBA Middle East Scholarship
- The London Business School Dubai Scholarship
- MBA26 Term Scholarship
- London Business School EMBA (London) Scholarship
- Celia Atkin Avent Award for British Women
- MBA26 Term Scholarship
Candidates must apply for the programme first and, if offered a place, apply for the scholarships.
Find out more on scholarships available in the fees and financing section
Are there other recommended sources of funding?
Other funding options include:
- the Association of MBAs loan scheme, administered by NatWest Bank (UK residents)
- Career Development Loans (available to all EU Nationals)
Find out more on funding options
Finding out more
How do I find out more about the programme?
Once you have explored the website and reviewed the brochure, one of the best ways to learn more about the Executive MBA is to attend one of our information sessions. London Business School holds regular information sessions on campus and around the globe.
To give you a real taste of the learning experience, we can arrange for you to sit in on an Executive MBA core course lecture either in London or Dubai.
Any other questions? Email us at emba@london.edu
How can I find out more about the Executive MBA if I'm not based in the UK?
If you are not able to attend an on-campus event in London, or one of our information sessions held in Dubai and around the region, there are several alternatives that allow you to meet and speak with London Business School representatives.
- You can attend one of our overseas information events. For a listing of the cities we visit, and to reserve a place at an event, see the information events page.
- We can have a telephone conversation with you. Depending on your location, you can either call our London campus on +44 (0)20 7000 7514, or our Dubai centre on +971 440 193 01. Either call us at a convenient time, or email us at emba@london.edu with the number you would like us to call you on. We will be in touch to answer your questions about the programme and London Business School.
- If you would like to speak directly with students or alumni, send your CV to emba@london.edu so that we can match you with a suitable contact.
- You can email us at emba@london.edu with any questions about the Executive MBA programme or London Business School.
Next steps
Events for prospective students
Discover more about London Business School Executive MBA programme.