Frequently Asked Questions
Application Questions
1. Can I apply electronically?The Baylor Executive MBA application is available to be either filled out online or downloaded, printed and mailed. If you would prefer, you can request a copy to be mailed to you by calling 800-583-3622.
More Information: https://www1.baylor.edu/graduate/GraduateApplication/
2. Is an interview mandatory?
Yes, the admissions committee highly values the opportunity to meet each prospective student individually and interact with him or her on a personal basis.
3. What is involved in the application process?
There are five components to the application process. They are:
- Application for Admission
- Three Letters of Recommendations
- Personal Essays
- Transcripts from Undergraduate Work
- Resume
When these five things have been received, we will schedule an admissions interview with the prospective student. The prospective student will be notified of his or her acceptance status within five business days of the interview.
4. How much is the application fee?
The application is $100. You can send it in with your paper application or you can pay online when you complete your online application.
5. Which of the admissions criteria are most important?
The entire application is reviewed as a whole. Work experience is a major factor in the application. Management or decision making experience of five years is a minimum requirement, and academic achievement is important for your success in our program.
6. May admitted students defer entering into the program?
Yes. Admitted students may defer entering into the program for up to one year. After one year of deferment, students will have to reapply to the program if they wish to defer for another year. After one year the $2,000.00 enrollment deposit will be forfeited, and must be paid again if the student reapplies and is admitted.
7. How much professional experience, on average, do Baylor Executive MBA applicants bring into the program?
The entering class of 2007 brought in an average of 15 years of work experience.
8. What undergraduate major is required?
A specific undergraduate degree is not required. Undergraduate degrees in the business field would be most beneficial to the student; however, this is not a requirement.
9. Must I have an undergraduate degree to enter the Baylor Executive MBA program?
Yes, all students must have a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited university. For international students, an equivalent degree is required.
10. Do I need to be currently employed in order to attend the Baylor Executive MBA program?
Your current employment status will not affect your admittance into our program; however, we do recommend that you are currently employed so that you can take full advantage of projects that apply to ongoing work.
11. How many people do you accept each year?
Class size is limited to 40 students maximum in order to preserve the focus and rapport offered by a smaller class.
12. What are the application deadlines? When will I receive a decision regarding my acceptance?
July 31st is the deadline for all materials to be submitted; however, it is a rolling admissions. Once your application is complete and the interview has taken place, you should receive an answer as to the status of your admission within five business days. Classes start each year in August. After being accepted, your $2,000 deposit will hold your place in the program.
13. What is rolling admissions?
Rolling admissions is a continued acceptance of applications and applicants throughout the year.
14. What is your GMAT requirement? Where can I get more GMAT information?
We do not require students to take the GMAT or submit their GMAT scores. Transcripts from all institutions where you received undergraduate credit is sufficient.
15. What is the average GPA for students enrolled in the Baylor Executive MBA program?
The average GPA for students currently enrolled in the Executive MBA program is 3.25.
16. Who should write my letters of recommendations?
Your current supervisor and a coworker who is familiar with the details of your position should write your letters of recommendations. These persons should be able to speak about your leadership potential, professional achievements, ability to work with others, and your work ethic. Former supervisors and former coworkers or organization you have worked with are also persons to write these letters. The final decision is up to the applicant. Letters of recommendation should be mailed to us from the person writing the letter, and should be written on letterhead from whatever company he or she represents. The online application will offer the opportunity for the authors of the letters to submit electronically .
17. Is the application process different if I received my diploma from a foreign country?
You must take the TOEFL if your degree is from a non-English speaking country. Information about this test can be found at www.toefl.org.
More Information: http://www.toefl.org
18. Do you accept transfer applicants?
Because of the lockstep format of the Executive MBA program, transfer applications cannot be accepted.
Executive MBA Program
1. Will we work in teams?Yes. Most class work and projects are performed in teams, which provides many opportunities to network and make use of the teamwork and leadership skills taught in the class. The teams usually become very close-knit, providing a beneficial support system for each student.
2. Are there online courses available for the Baylor Executive MBA program?
Although most of the program will take place in a classroom setting in Austin, there is a portion of the program comprised by online work. Online work alone, however, is not sufficient to complete the Executive MBA program.
3. Can I specialize or choose a concentration in one area, e.g., finance?
The program is designed in lock steps and therefore concentrations are not possible. The program is planned so that students will be educated in all aspects of the business world.
4. Is the Baylor Executive MBA program AACSB-accredited?
Yes, it is.
5. Can I pick and choose the courses that would best coincide with my field of work?
At this time, we organize our courses as a set of core classes that will give you a broad and well-balanced knowledge base, fully preparing you for your post-MBA career journey.
6. Are there any electives?
Due to the comprehensive nature of the courses, there are currently no electives available in the Executive MBA program.
7. Who are the instructors?
The EMBA uses senior faculty members, department chairs, deans, and industry leaders with years of real world experience as instructors.
8. What is the international component of the program?
In addition to courses, students will take an international trip which lasts approximately 8-10 days. In the past we have visited places such as Prague, Munich, and Maastricht. For future trips, we hope to visit Ireland, South America, and the Pacific Rim. The international trip provides a unique perspective on the global marketplace that only international travel and experience can give. Accommodations and limited meals are provided by the University; airfare is the responsibility of the individual student.
9. Do you have academic advisors?
We make the majority of our information available on the website and at the information sessions. Since the program. All student registration will be conducted by our staff.
10. What courses are offered in the Executive MBA?
Graduates of the Executive MBA will complete 48 credit hours spread over 5 semesters and 21 months. The curriculum concentrates on strengthening the analytical and managerial skills of participants and helping them grow into stronger, more confident leaders in their individual career settings. Areas of study include finance, economics, management, accounting, strategy, and more.
11. Are undergraduate business courses a prerequisite?
The courses will be helpful, but they are not a requirement for success.
12. What if I have to miss a week of class?
A week of class is approximately 10% of the class content, so it would not be beneficial at all to miss a week. Students will have the calendar of the program before classes start. They should be dedicated and share a commitment to attend as many class times as they can, barring unforeseeable emergencies.
13. How many hours outside of class should I expect to spend on school?
Participants in the program should expect to spend 10-15 hours a week on studies outside of class. This includes team meetings, homework, readings, etc.
14. What are the benefits to your organization?
Students almost immediately apply what they learn in the classroom to the challenges they face on the job. With broader insight and understanding of the organization and industry, they can think outside of any functional area and consider the impact of decisions at the functional level on the organization as a whole.
With improved team skills, students are better able to lead and participate in teams. They learn more about how the organization functions. They develop skills that allow them to work more effectively across the organization. With a heightened global perspective, they better know how to take advantage of international opportunity.
The transformation of students makes a difference on the operations on the bottom line of organizations.
15. What is lock step?
The Executive MBA is a lock step program. Lock step means the academic curriculum is chosen for the students in a manner that allows for comprehensive study. Participants do not choose any electives, but rather follow the broad and comprehensive course study selected by the faculty.
16. What is the time commitment?
In the classroom, students find that time flies by very quickly. Students become immersed in intense discussion and debate and in the challenges of learning new methods and means for managing the business of doing business.
The Executive MBA Program requires a commitment of some 10-15 hours per week for class time, assignments, and exercises. Students often find a synergy between their work and their class assignments, and the Executive MBA staff takes care of administrative details so students can focus their time on work and study.
Completing the EMBA degree does require commitment and a high level of motivation, but it results in an invaluable personal and career building experience. Many graduates say their time in the Executive MBA Program has been their best educational experience.
Executive MBA vs. MBA
1. When and where are your information sessions?Dates and locations of our information sessions can be found on the information session portion of this website.
More Information: http://www.baylor.edu/business/awemba/index.php?id=4054
2. Who enrolls in an Executive MBA Program?
Executive MBA programs attract a diverse group of professionals who share a sincere desire to grow professionally and a willingness to complete their MBA by meeting program time and course requirements.
Most Executive MBA students enter a program with 10 or more years of professional or managerial experience. Admission requirements vary from program to program, but most programs evaluate each applicant on professional performance, academic records, GMAT test scores, professional recommendations, and a demonstrated ability to accomplish graduate-level business course work. Programs also usually require that applicants possess an undergraduate degree, but not necessarily a degree in business.
Programs look closely at each applicant and take into account considerations beyond test scores and grade point averages, including a prospective student's background, work experience, career gorals, and desire to succeed. They also look at the unique experiences and talents of each applicant. All these factors make Executive MBA classrooms around the world special.
3. Where can I get information about the regular MBA program?
Visit the Baylor MBA site at http://gradbusiness.baylor.edu/ or call (254) 710-3718.
More Information: http://www.baylor.edu/business/grad/
4. What makes an Executive MBA Program unique?
Executive MBA Programs are designed to meet the educational and professional needs of managers, executives, and other business leaders. Participants come from profit and non-profit companies diverse in size - from large to small and in-between, from the private and public sectors, and from virtually any type of industry.
Their format makes it possible for professionals to earn their master's degree in business administration in two years or less while continuing to work full time. Executive MBA students gain a wide range of new skills and sharpen their analytical abilities by combining course work with day-to-day professional experiences. Students benefit from the extensive collective professional experience of the other students in their class.
They enter the program, complete classes, and graduate with the same group of students. The program gives them the change to meet other professionals from diverse businesses and the opportunity to learn from each other.
Students often work in teams during the program, strengthening their network and broadening their perspectives on business and problems solving. Executive MBA Programs offer students a challenging, stimulating learning experience that maximizes the return on their investment of time and resources.
5. What is the difference between the Executive MBA and the regular MBA?
The Executive MBA is designed for working professionals that want a peer learning environment. It involves taking classes two nights a week, as opposed to full-time classes in the regular MBA program. The Executive MBA program at Baylor has small class sizes to stimulate learning, has an international business trip, provides full-service by dedicated program employees, and maintains an alumni base for networking.
6. How does an Executive MBA degree impact a career?
Through the Executive MBA Program, students gain a sophisticated level of knowledge and skills concerning a wide range of contemporary management topics, including a well-developed understanding of strategic thinking and planning in a globally competitive world. They also leave with an enhanced ability to work in diverse, unstructured teams.
Organizations recognize the skills that MBA students develop as a result of their degree program, and they often reward graduates of MBA programs with greater levels of management responsibility.
For the entrepreneur, the knowledge gained in earning an MBA can make the difference between success and failure in a highly competitive environment.
7. What coursework does the Executive MBA curriculum include?
The curriculum typically covers functional areas of business and the integration of those functional areas, making it easy for students to understand the enterprise as a whole and to understand the ways in which all parts of the business fit together.
An Executive MBA Program often offers many of the same courses as those in traditional MBA programs, such as accounting, finance, statistics, management, marketing, and information systems. Indeed, after satisfactorily completing course work, students receive an MBA degree.
The Executive MBA classroom, though, differs from a traditional classroom in several ways. Most frequently, senior faculty with wide-ranging experience in teaching and consulting teach courses. Students add their perspectives to the discussions, which enrich the learning environment. And it all happens quickly, because the faculty members present the maximum amount of course material in an accelerated timetable.
Its an exhilarating and intense learning experience, the kind that leaves students ready for greater leadership responsibilities.
Program Cost
1. Is financial aid available for the executive program?Yes; for more information contact the Office of Academic Scholarship and Financial Aide. You can call 1-800-BAYLOR-U, option 8,2 or 254-710-2611 or visit www.baylor.edu/finaid/.
More Information: www.baylor.edu/finaid/
2. What does the cost include?
The cost of the program includes: in-residence periods, the tuition for the entirety of the program, fees, books, the $2,000.00 deposit, airfare, accommodations, and some meals on the Washington, D.C. trip, and accommodations and some meals on the international trip. The student is responsible for the airfare on the international trip.
3. What kind of financial investment does the program require?
As a general practice, many organizations sponsor students by paying their program cost and allowing them to attend classes. Students who are not sponsored by their organizations often qualify for loans, scholarships, and other forms of financial support.
Costs for Executive MBA Programs reflect the high level of quality that the programs deliver and the support services that reduce the hassle of attending college for busy professionals.
Why do profit and non-profit organizations make this investment? Simply put, they understand the power of leadership and the importance of ensuring high-quality leadership for their organization.
