Smith EMBA Program Gains Ground As Top Program Across Major Rankings

Though it’s been in existence less than a decade, the Smith School’s executive MBA program has quickly gained ground as a top-ranked program in the U.S. With the recent U.S. News & World ranking placing the program at No. 23 in the nation, the Smith EMBA now has secured a top-25 recognition by all the major outlets that rank executive programs – the only program in the Washington region with that achievement.

The U.S. News report was released March 13, ranking the Smith School’s young EMBA program for the first time. This is part of the publication’s specialty rankings, which are determined by nominations submitted in a survey of deans and program directors at U.S. business schools. The schools receiving the most nominations for EMBA programs are listed in the ranking. The new ranking indicates the growing reputation of the Smith School’s program.

The Smith EMBA is currently ranked No. 14 in the United States by the Financial Times, published in October. The annual ranking is based on data collected in surveys of alumni three years after graduation and school data, such as demographics of the students and faculty and a measure of faculty research activity.

Smith’s EMBA is ranked No. 17 by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, which published in October a biannual ranking of executive MBAs, based on a survey of graduates and a survey of deans and program directors and peer institutions.

The Smith EMBA ranks No. 22 in the world, according to the most recent Wall Street Journal report of executive programs. Smith’s program ranked No. 15 for how well it imparts management skills to students and No. 16 according to alumni rating. The Wall Street Journal rankings, last release in September 2010, are based on information provided by the eligible schools and on surveys of recent EMBA graduates and corporate executives at companies familiar with EMBA programs. Survey questions were designed to measure how well a school is doing to help shape and build strong managers and leaders.

First launched in January 2003, Smith’s 19-month EMBA program incorporates a strong foundation in the critical business disciplines covered in traditional MBA programs. It also includes mastery sessions to understand how to integrate core business principles into organizations; personalized leadership development and one-on-one executive coaching; and action-learning projects that have students building new ventures, consulting for businesses, and leading change for organizations. Find out more about the EMBA curriculum and action-learning projects, including one completed by Daniel Nichols, MBA ’06, now featured in the school’s Smith Effect advertising campaign. Listen to the radio spot here.

The Smith School also offers its EMBA program in Beijing, China, with a new cohort of the program launching in April 2012. The program delivers the same leadership development and personalized coaching that has propelled the U.S. program up in the rankings.