| Graduate Degree Program | Ottawa University

Executive Master of Business Administration

As one of Ottawa University’s newest and fastest-growing graduate programs, the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree is specifically designed with professional students in mind. This program is structured with a weekly workplace-practicum component coupled with a requirement that students attend classes on campus either in Kansas City, Arizona or Milwaukee one weekend every sixteen weeks.

Providing students an avenue to help them excel further in their field, the innovative Executive MBA is integrated with the Blackboard Learning Management System and requires students to be on campus one weekend every sixteen weeks. As part of the workplace practicum, all assignments, discussions, activities, projects and homework in the EMBA are focused around the student’s current employment. This allows them to apply what they are learning in the classroom to real-world, professional training.

The central focus of OU’s EMBA is unlike other MBA programs in that its uniquely designed curriculum provides students with opportunities to network, learning from multiple employment environments and perspectives, and to internalize learning through practical application, combining current real-time experiences with classroom theory, creative testing, analysis, modeling and research. Students are expected to compare and contrast personal and current work experiences with those of other students in the courses, while applying new concepts to the workplace to improve practice and extend knowledge.

EMBA Concentrations

The 42-hour (36 coursework + 6 practicum), two-year program includes three contact weekends per year. Students choose one of the following concentrations:

Second Concentration Opportunities

Students who have successfully met all program requirements for the EMBA may enroll in an additional concentration to further enhance their degree. The Leadership, Innovation and Change Concentration allows students to gain advanced leadership skills while learning how to think more strategically on an executive level.

Further information on required criteria, as well as the enrollment form are below.

Leadership, Innovation and Change Criteria

Leadership Enrollment Form

Curriculum for Ottawa’s EMBA consists of five core courses, six concentration courses, a capstone course plus the workplace practicum component. Designed for mid-career and senior level executives, who seek global, practical and relevant experience that focuses on leadership, teamwork and cross-cultural collaboration.

Why Earn an Executive Master of Business Administration Degree?

“The EMBA can further impact your career through the leadership skills it builds. Managers are leaders, but executives are responsible for leading much larger teams, and the differences between the two are pronounced. EMBA programs present huge value for executives looking for executives. An EMBA can show superiors that you’re one of them, and of course connections and perceptions have an invaluable influence on career prospects.” - Michael Desiderio, Executive Director, Executive MBA Council

For curriculum and course descriptions, download a program overview.

Enroll in Ottawa University’s Executive MBA program to learn from our faculty with extensive global marketplace experience. To learn more about OU’s EMBA degree program, contact us today.

Business Administration (EMBA w/ CPT) is offered at the following locations.

Kansas City (Overland Park, Kansas)
Phoenix, Arizona
Brookfield, Wisconsin

Education and Qualifications for Business Managers

Persons interested in becoming administrative services managers should have good leadership and communication skills and be able to establish effective working relationships with many different people, ranging from managers, supervisors and professionals, to clerks and blue collar workers. They must be able to coordinate several activities at once, quickly analyze and resolve specific problems, and cope with deadlines.

Career Outlook for the EMBA

Students who enter Executive MBA programs often do so after working in their business career for a decade or more, with five or more years of managerial experience. A small percentage of EMBA graduates may choose to switch careers or start new ventures, however the majority leverage the degree as an effective way to jump to the next level in their current careers.

In considering some of the roles EMBA holders often fill, and the median incomes of each role, PayScale reported in September 2020 that the average salary and bonus package for EMBA graduates rose from a start of $155,848 to $181,965. Common roles and median salaries for EMBA graduates include Chief Executive Officer ($228,379), Chief Financial Officer ($162,817), Director of Operations ($121,522), Marketing Director ($129,571), Chief Operating Officer ($168,071), Vice President of Operations ($153,192), and Operations Manager ($82,293).

Executive Master in Business Administration Classes

For complete curriculum and course descriptions, Download a program overview.

Click Here for Full Course Catalog

EMBA Prerequisites

A prospective EMBA student who has not satisfied the preparatory course requirements should take at least one undergraduate accounting course and one economics course with a minimum letter grade of “C” for each, or complete the MBA Math course. The prerequisite course(s) must be completed prior to enrolling in BUS 7500 Managerial Economics and BUS 7800 Management Accounting. Note that BUS 7500 and BUS 7800 are also prerequisite courses for the BUS 7600 Managerial Finance course. Your Student Services Advisor will advise you about how to enroll in the MBA Math course should you require it.

Core Courses

BUS 7000 | Organizational Behavior and Theory (3 Credits)
Examines human behavior as it impacts the work organization. Includes theoretical foundations of motivation, group dynamics,leadership, decision-making, satisfaction and performance. Cross-listed with HRC 7611 and BUS 5700.

BUS 7200 | Value Systems & Professional Ethics (3 Credits)
Studying personal and corporate value systems and decision making. Investigation of personal beliefs, purposes and attitudes, and their effects on self and others. Examines the ethical dimensions of organizational structures and practices. Cross-listed with HRF 7001 and BUS 5720.

BUS 7500 | Managerial Economics (3 Credits)
Applying economic theory to managerial decision making. Emphasis on both quantitative and qualitative application of microeconomic principles to business analysis. Prerequisite: Students are expected to have completed undergraduate coursework in the fundamentals of economics.

BUS 7600 | Managerial Finance (3 Credits)
Applying the theories and tools used in financial decision making. Topics include present value and capital budgeting, financial analysis and forecasting, market efficiency, and capital structure. Prerequisite: Students are expected to have completed undergraduate coursework in the fundamentals of accounting and economics.

BUS 7800 | Management Accounting (3 Credits)
Explores the use and application of accounting information for planning, control and decision making. Topics include cost analysis and allocation, budgeting, and behavioral aspects of accounting systems. Prerequisite: Students are expected to have completed undergraduate coursework in accounting fundamentals.

BUS 8500 | Graduate Seminar: Business Policy and Strategy (3 Credits)
Capstone course in which participants develop a major case study of business administration issues, programs and policies in a current organization. Draws from and utilizes concepts, theories, and skills developed in previous courses. Prerequisite: Completion of all core courses in the MBA program or approval of advisor.

BUS/IT 8701/8702 | Executive Practicum(s) (0.5 Credits)
Students participate in a seminar led by a faculty member. Students are required to work a minimum of 5 hours per week in a training position related directly to their concentration. Coursework in the seminar is directly tied to the performance of activities of a regularly scheduled employee in the field of their concentration. NOTE: 12 terms of Executive Praticum courses are equivalent to 6 hours (required).