If you are an aspiring MBA, you’ll be happy to hear that increasingly more program options are available. However, the challenge may be figuring out which one is right for you.
Most people are familiar with the typical two-year full-time MBA. For these programs, prospective students generally apply between September and April of a given year to matriculate the following August. Some applicants start preparing their applications for these programs up to a year in advance. Therefore, you might say it can take up to three years to get a two-year MBA since the application process can take a year. A two-year full-time MBA program typically begins in August, and then students graduate 20 months later. Most students in these programs will complete an internship during the summer between their first and second years.
What some don’t know is that there are other options for MBA programs. Want to still attend classes in person but finish quicker? You might consider accelerated MBA programs, which generally last ten months to a year. Looking for flexibility and open to learning virtually? Online MBA programs might be an attractive alternative. Interested in studying abroad? Many European programs are generally shorter than their US counterparts.
Many applicants ask us which MBA program is the right fit for them. Although some options may seem obvious, identifying the programs that truly align with your goals and profile requires thoughtful introspection, thorough research, and meaningful dialogue. Check out “Full Time, Part Time, or EMBA: Four Steps to Choosing Your B-School Journey” for more information on selecting the right type of program for you.
Let’s break down the differences among the various MBA program options, including their time commitments.
Accelerated Full-Time MBA Programs
Some MBA programs offer both a two-year full-time and an accelerated one-year MBA. The application process for an accelerated program will be similar to that of two-year full-time programs, so you can plan on a year of prep and a year of classes. You might consider these programs if you have a targeted goal and don’t need an internship to gain experience or make a career pivot.
- Kellogg’s One-Year MBA Program requires students to have taken classes in business fundamentals such as operations, marketing, economics, and statistics. It starts in June, when students will take three to five courses, and then in September they’ll join the second-year full-time program class and complete their electives. Students will then graduate in June, just one year after they started. In this program, students can still choose from the same variety of majors and pathways as two-year students.
- Columbia’s January-entry MBA option is a 16-month accelerated program in which students begin their studies in January, continue classes through the summer, and then join the second-year class in the fall. Applications generally open in July to start in January. HEC also offers a newly launched 12-month MBA program with a January start. These programs offer students the opportunity to begin an MBA program within a year of starting the application process.
- Other one-year MBA programs are more specialized, such as the Cornell Tech MBA and NYU Stern’s Andre Koo Tech MBA and Luxury & Retail MBA. These specialized MBA programs were designed to help place students in specific industries.
- IE Business School offers an International MBA with 11-, 15-, and 19-month durations, starting in both January and September.
European One-Year Full-Time MBA Programs
Most European programs are accelerated compared to US programs in general and can typically be completed in 11–15 months, such as those offered by the University of Cambridge Judge (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi (Italy), and ESMT Berlin (Germany). Their admissions cycles are similar to that of typical US two-year programs.
Part-Time, Executive, and Online MBA Programs
Are you interested in getting your MBA while you are working? If so, there are three general options, each of which has slightly different timelines:
- Part-time evening and weekend programs generally take three to five years to complete. These programs offer the flexibility to increase or decrease the number of credits taken in any given semester. For more information on part-time programs, check out “Best Part-Time MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know.”
- Executive MBA (EMBA) programs typically last 20 months, meet on weekends, and include a couple of weeks throughout the year when students gather with their cohort. There is much less flexibility in these programs, as students are expected to complete the curriculum with their assigned cohort. We go into detail on EMBA programs here.
- Like part-time programs, typical online MBA programs take three to five years to complete. However, some offer a variety of accelerated lengths. For example Bentley University’s accelerated online MBA can be completed in as little as 18 months.
Depending upon your time frame, there is an MBA program that should work for you!
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