Difference Between Executive MBA and MBA Programs (2024)

What is an EMBA program?

An executive MBA program, also known as an EMBA program, is designed for students who are further along in their careers and want to continue working full-time while in school. Schedules vary among programs, but most offer part-time formats like weekend classes. At Wharton, EMBA students earn the same MBA degree as full-time MBA students.

Comparatively, full-time Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) programs are full-time academic programs for students with fewer years of work experience. Instead of completing a degree in addition to working full-time like EMBA students, MBA students leave their jobs to attend school, have the summer off between the first and second year of the program to participate in internships, and usually have access to on-campus recruiting services for permanent post-graduate positions.

Same Degree, Different Logistics

Wharton offers the same MBA degree in two formats: the traditional, full-time MBA in Philadelphia, or the Executive MBA in either San Francisco, Philadelphia, or via our Global format. Both programs require the same high admissions standards, follow the same rigorous curriculum, and confer the same Wharton MBA degree. The delivery and structure of the programs differ to meet the needs of different student types.

The comparison tables below detail how the two programs are delivered.

Differences in Curriculum

Students in both the full-time MBA and EMBA programs earn a total of 19 credit units, however, EMBA students are not required to select a major. Executive MBA students vote to determine the electives that will be offered in their second year and they can choose to take electives on the opposite coast for a course or for an entire term. With the largest electives offerings of any EMBA program, Wharton executive MBA students can customize their education to meet their professional interests and goals. To enhance their learning, EMBA students are required to participate in one of four Global Business Week experiences; a required one-week international trip.

Differences in Requirements

Wharton’s full-time MBA and EMBA programs share the same high standards for admission. Both programs require applicants to submit results of a Graduate Management Test (GMAT) or a Graduate Record Examination (GRE), however the EMBA program also accepts results of the Executive Assessment (EA). Accepted students in the full-time program bring an average of five years of work experience, while students in the EMBA program have an average of 13 years of work experience.

Differences in Program Format

The 20-month full-time MBA Program runs Monday through Thursday, with the summer off between the first and second year for internships. The Executive MBA Program is designed for working professionals with options in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and via a Global format. For students in the San Francisco and Philadelphia cohort, the program runs in San Francisco and Philadelphia on alternate Friday/Saturday weekends over 22 months, plus an orientation and starting class session in Philadelphia. For students in the Global cohort, the program runs over 22 months, plus an orientation and starting class session in Philadelphia, through virtual class sessions on alternate Thursday/Friday/Saturday. This schedule is supplemented by several extended in-person sessions including Global Business Week and two required Modular Courses.

Differences in Cost

The cost of the two-year Wharton EMBA Program is $230,100 (for the class entering in 2024). This includes tuition, student fees, housing and meals on class weekends, a case study room, and housing and ground transportation for Global Business Week and the required Modular Courses. As this program is designed for working professionals, the program handles most of the logistics, such as hotel reservations and the provision of meals and course materials. Room and board for all required class days is provided at the Steinberg Conference Center or the Inn at Penn in Philadelphia, the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco, and comparable facilities in other locations around the globe. For the EMBA Program’s residential components, students are required to stay at the hotel and fully immerse themselves in the experience, regardless of where they live.

Tuition and Fees for the full-time Wharton MBA Program is currently set at $178,000 for two years. The estimated total budget is $237,136, including room and board, books and supplies, and other expenses. Students are responsible for their own housing, meals, and course materials.