Smith EMBA Curriculum

Overview  ▪  Residencies  ▪  Electives  ▪  Schedule

Overview

The Smith School EMBA program consists of three integrated modules: foundation, project and mastery. The program begins with the Smith School's strong MBA core as the foundation, and integrates four critical mastery skills courses throughout the curriculum. The mastery skills courses focus on the areas of technology, communications, ethics and corporate citizenship, and leadership and creativity.

The program also incorporates an action-learning engagement project for the sponsoring company. This project enables the firm to tie the participant's learning to specific company needs and to benefit directly from the work the participant does during the program. The Action Learning Project accounts for approximately 10 percent of the curriculum.

Components of Executive MBA curriculum:

Foundation

Foundation courses will include a minimum of one course each in the following nine topic areas:

  • Accounting
  • Data Analysis and Decision Modeling
  • Economics and Public Policy
  • Finance
  • Information Technology/Information Systems
  • Leadership and Human Capital
  • Marketing
  • Strategy and Globalization
  • Supply Chain/Logistics

Mastery

Leading with Confidence, Influence, and Vision

Only a handful of EMBA programs in the U.S. assess, coach, and develop executive competencies. Smith is among the select few. No other EMBA program in the Baltimore-Washington metro area offers a leadership development component that is as comprehensive, individualized, or outcome-oriented.

The Smith Leadership Development and Executive Coaching Program is ongoing, holistic, and panoramic. Using a uniquely integrated approach, the program measures and builds performance across the spectrum of executive competencies critical for success, including:  personal development, workplace collaboration, strategic thinking, and communication skills. This wealth of data is synthesized to create a customized road map with actionable steps and measurable benchmarks to help you continuously evolve as a leader.

  1. Assessment Center Activities involve a variety of robust testing and assessment tools that establish a baseline for measuring your progress toward leadership success.

  2. Executive Coaching: Coaches represent thought leaders with proven track records in academia and the business world. A  personalized coach is paired with each student to provide guidance throughout the duration of the program.

  3. Multi-Source Performance Feedback: Using a 360 degree and team feedback, you'll learn to leverage your leadership strengths and identify areas for improvement.

Action Learning Project (ALP)

The EMBA curriculum also include Action Learning Projects (ALP), in which you individually or in teams of 6-8 cohort members address real-time business issues within your respective organizations.  Executive MBA participants will experience the ALP three times, and will work with a faculty advisor throughout the 18-month program.  ALPs will focus on entrepreneurship, business process reengineering/redesign, and change leadership/management.

The first ALP will focus on an Entrepreneurship Business Plan.  During Term 1, five leadership mastery sessions focused on entrepreneurship will be taught, and will provide basic knowledge required to write a business plan for a new venture.  All cohort members will then be given the opportunity to draft a proposal to nominate a new business idea for selection as one of six entrepreneurship ALPs completed in Term 2.  Proposals will be evaluated via panel.  The six cohort members nominating the winning entrepreneurship proposals will serve as team leads for their respective Entrepreneurship ALP projects, and will have the opportunity to select six to eight team members to assist in completing the ALP in Term 2.

The second ALP will focus on Business Process Reengineering (BPR).  During Term 2, five leadership mastery sessions focused on BPR will be taught.  All cohort members will then be given the opportunity to draft a proposal to nominate a consulting project on a real business issue within a sponsoring organization.  Proposals will be evaluated via panel, and six BPR projects will be selected.  The six cohort members nominating the winning proposal will serve as team leads for their respective BPR ALP projects, and will have the opportunity to select six to eight team members to assist in completing the ALP in Term 3.

The third ALP will focus on Change Leadership/Management.  During Term 3, five leadership mastery sessions focused on change leadership will be taught with an embedded ALP.  Cohort members will individually design and implement a change project within their respective organizations.

For team-based ALPs, cohort members on your team will provide feedback to your executive coach regarding your participation, performance and behavior on the team. The ALP feedback, along with feedback from other team projects and simulations, will be incorporated into your Leadership Development Plan as well.