In the world of MBA’s there is a great deal meant by the names of the programs. Each school name carries with it a brand and a character which is unique unto itself. The Rady School of Management is a school which stands for intellectual capital, innovation and collaboration. Attributes that cannot be stripped away from the essence of the school, its faculty and it students.
Inside each school are typically a variety of programs. These too have their unique focus and students. With terms such as “Global MBA”, “Executive MBA”, “Flex MBA”, “Weekend MBA”, and “Part-Time MBA” (and many permutations and combinations of these words found in the MBA market), there is no wonder an applicant – even after discovering the school that is the best match for their personal goals – can wind up confused and uncertain about where to go next.
To start with, there are a few industry vocabulary terms that applicants should be familiar with.
Full-Time MBA – is exactly that. This is an MBA program which you should liken to a full-time job. You will find yourself in class typically 15 or more hours a week. For each of those hours you should estimate 3 hours of preparation and study time outside class. Thus you can estimate as much as 60 hours dedicated to school work in a given week.
These programs tend to be the most selective at any school as they are the flagship program by which the school is typically ranked. These programs tend to have the highest GMAT and undergraduate GPA average. Most programs do require previous work experience so that students can contribute to the classroom with real world experiences. Internships are common and the job search is typically one of the most significant activities of students while going through the program.
The Rady School offers a Full-Time MBA program focused on innovation with a signature Lab to Market course series – an experience not found in any other MBA program.
Flex MBA – The term ‘flex’ means one very simple concept. It is the same curriculum in every way as thefull-time program, but taken in a flexible format – i.e. during the weekend or in the evenings. Typically less credits are taken in each term; however, by the end you will have taken the same credits and courses that the full-time counterparts have taken. Courses are typically taken on campus or a satellite location. The degree you receive is the same as the Full-time program.
The Rady School offers a FLEX Evening and FLEX Weekend program on the UC San Diego campus in La Jolla.
Executive MBA – Executive programs are typically filled with individuals who are much further along in their careers. Typically you will find the average years of post-university work experience in an Executive MBA ranging from 10 to 15 years. The members of the class are truly ‘executives’ and are taking the program in off hours, typically during the weekends.
The Rady School’s version of the Executive MBA is our FLEX Weekend program which has a more ‘senior’ level of experience on average.
Here at the Rady School we work with interested applicants to find the program that best fits their profile. If you are uncertain of which program is right for you, I encourage you to contact us to arrange for an individual evaluation of your situation so that we can make sure we find the program that is right for you. You can also see a side-by-side comparison of our MBA programs.
Want to learn more about Rady’s MBA experience from current and past students? Download our eBook featuring insights on why they chose Rady, where Rady alumni work, the top benefits for Rady students and more.
Jay Bryant is the Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions at the Rady School.