UVA Darden Dramatically Expands Global Options for Executive MBA Students

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business is making multiple enhancements to its Executive MBA program.

Beginning with the Class of 2022 — the class for which the School is currently accepting applications — the executive formats of the Darden MBA will offer more global opportunities and increased elective choices.

Over the course of the 21-month program, students will be able to complement their core MBA curriculum with global residencies offered in as many as 12 locations, including China, India, Chile, Japan, Germany, Ghana and Israel, among others. Global residencies allow students to immerse themselves in the host location, and programming includes company visits, meetings with executives, talks with industry leaders and ample opportunity for cultural exploration.

More Choices for Both Executive Formats

Students in the Executive MBA (EMBA) format take a minimum of one weeklong global residency, while those opting for the Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) format participate in four weeklong global residencies. In addition, EMBA students may add more global residencies for additional fees. Students interested in pursuing even more global experiences may do so through Darden’s Global Consulting Projects.

“There is no better way to learn more about the world than be on the ground in foreign locations,” said Professor Jim Detert, Darden’s associate dean for executive degree programs and leadership initiatives. “These enhancements will give Executive MBA students the ability to customize their learning journeys and further maximize the transformational potential of their MBA experience.”

The Executive MBA is based at UVA Darden DC Metro, Darden’s state-of-the-art facility in the Rosslyn area of Arlington, Virginia, and less than a mile from Washington, D.C.

Through a hybrid model of in-person residencies and distance learning taught by Darden’s top-ranked faculty, the executive formats of the Darden MBA enable students to earn an MBA while continuing to work. Both formats of the Executive MBA spend 20 total weekend residencies at UVA Darden DC Metro, and the program is book-ended by two weeklong residencies on Darden Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia — one at the beginning of the program and another at the end.

During the once-a-month weekend residencies, Friday classes start at noon and Sunday classes conclude around 3:00 p.m., maximizing convenience and minimizing students’ time away from work and home. These residencies are designed to be residential in nature and weekend events include opportunities for networking, as well as guest speaker events, class outings and time to experience all that the Washington, D.C., area has to offer.

Further Customization Through Electives

In addition to the increase in global options, students will be able to further customize their Darden MBA experience through a broad slate of elective offerings. Students will take a total of 12 elective courses, primarily during the second year of the program. These courses span a number of topic areas, including finance, marketing, leadership, ethics and more.

In August, Darden welcomed 139 new students in the Class of 2021 to Grounds. Students came to the program from 13 states in the U.S. and from as far away as Indonesia and represented more than 20 industries.

The School is currently accepting applications for the Class of 2022. Students interested in applying for the program are encouraged to attend a class to experience Darden’s case-based learning and speak with current students. Executive MBA application fees are waived for prospective students who visit a class.