Your Cohort Experience

Ask any Smith Executive MBA alumnus what they value most from the program and they’ll mention the faculty and the coursework. But undoubtedly the most important aspect of the Executive MBA experience is “the cohort.”

In the Smith Executive MBA program, you’ll join a cohort of 30-40 executives on a journey of knowledge acquisition and personal growth. The 18-month program ends with a one-week residency at the University of Maryland in College Park.

The bonds you create with your classmates in the classroom, during team sessions, and at study groups will be a key part of what you take away. After you graduate, you will rely on your classmates—as well as faculty—for help in applying these concepts in your new world. The cohort experience creates a rich environment for learning—and for life.

Xu Zheng

"I had three goals in mind when I enrolled in the Leadership EMBA in China program: to earn a degree from a prestigious international university, to broaden my international experience, and to establish solid professional relationships with other executives. The Smith School's Executive MBA degree has allowed me to achieve my goals. Smith's faculty is outstanding. They have extensive international experience. Smith professors show participants how to examine many different types of business situations. This new and different perspective made me an even more valuable employee at IBM because I learned how to approach business in a systemic way. Lastly, the caliber of other program participants is excellent. I interact and engage with other senior executives in every class."