Darden to offer executive MBA program

by Heather Hayes
Virginia Business
September 2005

The MBA and executive education programs at the University of Virginia’s Darden School have long had sterling reputations. Now, the school is putting the two together. Beginning next June, Darden will offer its MBA for Executives degree program. Bob Conroy, associate dean for MBA education, says the initial class will include 45 students.

The 21-month executive MBA program will cost $90,000 in tuition and fees. The program will involve five terms of core courses and two terms of specialty seminars. It will be “just as rigorous” as the daytime MBA program, Conroy says. As with the full-time program and executive education programs, the executive MBA will be taught by regular Darden faculty and rely on the case-study approach.

Because students in the executive MBA program will continue to work full time, it will have an extensive distance-learning component, Conroy says. But students will still travel to Charlottesville every three weeks for a weekend of classroom work. They also will go to Charlottesville and other locales for several weeklong leadership programs.

What can students expect in return for their investment? Conroy says executive MBA students will gain skills and understanding that will provide them with a broad view of their companies as well as a credential they can use in moving to upper-level management.