Return to: Darden Graduate School of Business Administration: Programs/Courses
Darden’s Executive MBA Program is designed for experienced professionals who want to continue working full time while earning their MBA degree. The 21-month program prepares practicing managers for high-performance leadership. Through a curriculum that includes core courses, electives and intensive leadership residencies, students develop an enterprise perspective on business. Students study business the way business gets done by making connections across functions within the firm, across companies in the value chain, and around the globe.
Executive MBA students take class in Charlottesville and Rosslyn, Virginia and, depending on their format choice, in locations outside the United States.
Student Body
Each section consists of 60-65 practicing managers with a track record of leadership with both the potential and the drive to reach even greater heights. They have on average 13 years of work experience (seven years preferred minimum). Together, they represent a cross section of industries, functions, backgrounds and most importantly, perspectives.
Curriculum
The MBA for Executive curriculum consists of five elements that work together to deliver an enterprise perspective:
- Two Leadership Residencies: week-long, multi-disciplinary immersion experiences, concentrating on a leadership challenge (i.e., developing an enterprise perspective; creating the future)
- Core Curriculum: consists of the same ten courses as our residential-time MBA program;
- Action Learning course: students apply academic material to their professional context;
- Professional Advancement course: students develop the components that all business leaders need to manage their own career and the careers of others;
- Electives: build on and extend the knowledge gained in the core curriculum. Elective offerings reflect the interests of the students as well as faculty resources.
Program Design and Delivery
The MBA for Executives delivers a concentrated educational experience while preserving the ability to be fully employed and support family and community service. The schedule blends face-to-face sessions and distance learning, allowing students to earn the Darden MBA in just 21 months. Our blended model allows students to study on their own between On-Grounds sessions, yet have sufficient time at Darden to establish a strong learning community and lifelong professional and personal network.
- Leadership Residencies. Over the course of the program, students participate in two week-long, experiential residencies which focus on personal and professional leadership challenges.
- On-Grounds Residencies. Approximately once a month, students come to Darden on the Grounds of the University of Virginia or to Rosslyn, Virginia. Residencies are three days, meeting in Charlottesville Thursday-Saturday and Rosslyn Friday-Sunday. During Global Residences students study either in Rosslyn or outside the United States. These face-to-face meetings strengthen our learning community and cement the relationships among students, faculty and staff that are so important to the Darden experience.
- Distance Learning. A range of distance learning technologies is utilized to maintain the intense pace of interaction and stay in touch with the Darden community. Through scheduled online sessions with faculty, and virtual team meetings students stay connected to Darden. (Online sessions are recorded for students unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.) This component of the program allows for fewer trips away from home and office to attend classes in Charlottesville. Students study online anywhere, anytime.
