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Executive MBA

Final Autumn 2024 application deadline is April 1. Learn more.

The Executive MBA (EMBA) program is the Foster School’s mid-career-MBA option. Designed for full-time working professionals, the confidence-building experience combines business knowledge and skills, informed by experience. EMBA students transition from being participants in organizational initiatives to strategic leaders in decisions which meaningfully impact the future of their organization. Students build deep friendships and enduring connections with other accomplished professionals. And lastly, students and graduates find their executive voice, fueling career acceleration.

While the degree you earn will be the same—a Master of Business Administration—there are several key differences between a traditional MBA and an EMBA program experience.

  • Classmates with greater work experience, enhancing discussions and team projects
  • Flexible schedule options (weekly or monthly schedule)
  • Full-service experience: meals, parking, and textbooks, etc. are provided by staff
  • Streamlined curriculum with a focus on real-time application
  • International Immersion included

Return on investment

In a 2020 student exit survey, the Executive MBA Council found that EMBA graduates received a 14.1% increase in compensation, on average. Moreover, the same exit survey revealed that 53% of surveyed students received new responsibilities, continuing to show the value of an EMBA program. In a 10/28/2021 Wall Street Journal article analyzing federal student loan data, they found that at 98% of universities offering MBA programs, including the University of Washington, graduates typically made more money two years out of school than they borrowed.

Lifelong benefits

Beyond compensation, an Executive MBA provides intangible benefits, improving your confidence, competence, and connections. The curriculum can be tested at work, which often results in valuable new ways of doing business. Students quickly become better managers, leaders, and decision makers. And the team experience builds a tight-knit network of new friends and confidants from a wide range of backgrounds and industries.

Watch videos

Healthcare is changing! Hear from Jeff Roh, EMBA 2016, how an Executive MBA can make you more successful.

Liza Ray, EMBA 2022, talks about unlocking your full potential as a nonprofit leader with an Executive MBA.

Nwando Anyaoku, MD, EMBA 2019, on the importance of leaders engaging their teams.

Alumna Shanelle Pierce, EMBA 2021, explains how the elevated classroom conversations immediately translated and accelerated her career path.

Hear from Kauser Hussain, Ph.D., EMBA class of 2023, how an MBA can broaden your perspectives.

Scott Coughlan, EMBA 2019, talks about the richness of his diverse cohort and lifelong friends.

Complete the form below to learn about our Executive MBA Program and how it has impacted the lives of our students.

Foster EMBA 2018

Featured Executive MBA stories

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