Frequently Asked Questions

In both programs, you can take advantage of Berkeley-Haas' vast resources, and you will earn the same Berkeley MBA degree. The key differences are in the experience level of the students in the executive MBA program (12 years on average vs. 7 for Evening & Weekend), the program structure (every three weeks over 19 months vs. weekly for 3 years), the residency aspect, the class size, and some of the programmatic elements, such as five field immersions that make up 25 percent of the curriculum. With classes meeting about every three weeks, the program also attracts more students from outside the San Francisco Bay Area. Hear how two students made their decisions in this podcast on EMBA vs. Evening & Weekend.

EMBA classes meet about every three weeks in three-day blocks from Thursday through Saturday, though some elective courses may include Sunday sessions. The program starts in May, lasts 19 months, and is divided into 5 terms. In addition, there are five immersions, one at the end of each block, of 5-7 days each. Except for immersion weeks, most sessions will be taught on the Berkeley-Haas campus.

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The Berkeley MBA for Executives Program is designed for seasoned executives with a median of 13 years' professional work experience (with the middle 80% range being 9-19 years), who represent a wide range of industries and functions and who span the western United States and beyond. Some already have graduate degrees, and some may travel from abroad to attend the program.

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We expect to enroll 60 to 70 students for the next incoming EMBA class.

There is no strategic advantage in applying in Round 1 vs. Round 2 or Round 3. Round 1 is designed for those candidates who are eager to apply and would like to receive an admission decision earlier in the season. This is specifically directed for those who are applying to multiple schools and would like to gather their admission decisions at one time to make the most informed decision.

The Berkeley MBA for Executives Program curriculum engenders the same general management perspective and focus on innovative leadership as the school's acclaimed Full-Time and Evening & Weekend MBA programs.

The EMBA program consists of 19 units of core courses and 22 combined units of elective coursework and immersion modules, including leadership communication, an applied innovation course on problem framing and design thinking, one on Silicon Valley innovation, an international trek, and a final immersion that is industry-specific, for example, a deep dive into public policy and learning how business works in Washington, DC.

Other elective offerings will allow students to further develop their executive skill set and to shape the program according to their interests.

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While it varies depending on the specific courses taken, you can expect to spend an average of 20 hours per week on program work outside the classroom.

At Berkeley-Haas, students in the executive and full-time programs earn the same Berkeley MBA degree. Both the Berkeley Full-time and MBA for Executives programs teach a general management curriculum, with an emphasis on building innovation skills.

However, the Berkeley MBA for Executives Program is tailored to students with extensive work experience who will be attending class once every three weeks and taking their learning experiences straight back to their jobs.

While elective offerings are more targeted in the EMBA program, Berkeley MBA for Executive students may also choose to partner with a faculty member for an independent study project; they also have access to electives in other Berkeley MBA programs, and, pending any scheduling or space constraints, to electives in other UC Berkeley graduate programs.

Five times during your EMBA studies, at the end of each term, you will engage in immersive learning.

Immersions are 5-7 days long, take place off campus, and include opportunities to develop your authentic leadership style on a leadership communications immersion in the Napa Valley; explore the startup culture of and get a real feel for entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley; learn and apply design thinking and other innovation skills to a large-scale challenge in San Francisco; delve into the intersection of business and public policy in Washington, DC; and explore the culture and key factors influencing global business success during a week in an international hub, such as Shanghai, Singapore, or Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

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The Berkeley-Haas Career Management Group provides a wide variety of services for EMBA students including, but not limited to: executive coaching, advising, job listings and job search services, resume posting, career fairs and networking events, and career management workshops and webinars.

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Evening & Weekend MBA Program elective courses are available to executive MBA students pending space availability and instructor approval.

It is important to note that the format and schedule for the Evening & Weekend MBA Program is significantly different from the Berkeley MBA for Executives Program, with classes on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday evenings and on Saturdays.

The Berkeley MBA for Executives Program plans off-site learning experiences to bring its students closer to a variety of today's business challenges. Off-site locations have included Washington, DC, the Napa Valley, Silicon Valley, and Shanghai, Singapore, and São Paulo.

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We draw from the same faculty pool for the Full-time Berkeley MBA Program and the Evening & Weekend Berkeley MBA Program. The faculty will be a combination of tenured and tenure-track and professional faculty, chosen specifically for their ability to effectively teach to executives.

Program fees of $174,000 include hotel accommodations and most meals while in residence and on field immersions that happen off campus, as well as books and an ebook reader. Airfare to and from Berkeley and field immersions is not included.

The Executive MBA Fellowship consists of a limited number of scholarships of $10,000 to $20,000 each. The scholarships are awarded after admission to exceptional students, based on various criteria including outstanding merit, industry or function uniqueness brought to the incoming class, and/or employment in the nonprofit or public service sectors.

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Yes, U.S. Military service members (active duty and veterans) may be eligible to waive the $200 application fee. Once your application has been submitted, do not pay the application fee. Instead, please complete the Military Application Fee Waiver Request. We will process your request and get back to you within two business days with eligibility confirmation and next steps.

Prospective executive MBA students who work in nonprofit or public service apply for free. Once your application has been submitted, do not pay the application fee. Instead, please complete the Application Fee Waiver Request. We will get back to you within two business days with eligibility confirmation and next steps.

Typically, 10% of our EMBA students are fully sponsored by their companies. In this year’s class, 23 percent reported receiving 50 percent or more in financing through employer sponsorship. The majority of students are self-sponsored.

Because the Berkeley MBA for Executives Program is a part-time program, we are unable to assist with student visas. Typically, our students work with their employer to assist with a visa. The common visa types that we see are L1 and H1B. We cannot issue an F-1 student visa.