Berkeley (Haas) vs. Columbia: An EMBA Comparison

The US is the home of both the MBA and the Executive MBA, and as such has some of the best EMBA degrees in the world, with seven of the top programs located in the US according to the QS Global EMBA Rankings 2018. Two of these programs, located on opposite sides of the country, are the MBA for Executives program at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business (ranked =4^th in the US), located in the San Francisco Bay area, and Columbia Business School’s EMBA program in New York City (ranked 6^th).

There’s no doubt both programs offer an exceptional standard of EMBA tuition on the West and East coasts, but how do they compare for a potential student? Read on to find out…

Inside the EMBA Classroom 

Both courses follow the trajectory of core classes in the first few terms, followed by electives and a mandatory international field trip. However, there are some key differences between the two, such as Columbia’s larger class size (the biggest EMBA course in the US), and Berkeley’s sprawling campus institution rather than being in a concentrated metropolis like New York City.

The core courses on the Berkeley EMBA are taken in the first three terms, including Marketing Management, Global Economic Environment, and Financial Accounting. In terms four and five, you’ll select three electives as well as field immersions. Elective choices include Opportunity Recognition and Mergers & Acquisitions.

Five field immersions take you to four locations across America (Monterey Coast, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Washington DC) as well as one international field trip, with previous destinations including Singapore, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

On campus, you can connect with students on other MBA programs as well as across other disciplines. There’s a culture of collaboration rather than competition at Berkeley, with Haas defining leadership through qualities such as ‘Question the Status Quo’ and ‘Confidence Without Attitude’.

At the start of your EMBA at Columbia, you’ll be in a cluster of fellow students, where you’ll be put into a team of five to six students, bringing unique and diverse perspectives to your coursework (you will stay in these teams for the duration of your core courses).

The core curriculum includes Business Analytics, Global Economic Environment and Leadership & Organizational Change. Electives at Columbia start in either your third or fourth term, depending on which EMBA option you choose (EMBA-NY Saturday students start in their fourth term). The electives available include Business Law, Leadership Through Fiction, FinTech and High-Tech Entrepreneurship.

There is a required international seminar where you’ll learn cross-cultural business practices and apply global business concepts first-hand. Previous destinations have included Myanmar, Cape Town, Munich and Tel Aviv.

Outside the EMBA Classroom

The different locations lead to very different EMBA experiences, but they are united by excellent career services, networking opportunities and student experience.

Students at Columbia receive considerable support both during and after the EMBA program. During your studies, you’ll have access to tutoring on quantitative core subjects, as well as full tech support. You’ll also get a free textbook delivery service to either your home or your office. EMBA students have access to the Career Management Center with a dedicated team who offer one on one coaching, resume critiques, mock interviews, mentoring, and extensive online resources.

After you graduate, you have access to on-campus lectures with lifelong auditing privileges where you can refresh your skills by sitting in on classes. Columbia’s alumni network is also extensive, with 200 alumni clubs in 133+ countries, with 44,000+ alumni.

Columbia is located in the global financial and business capital of New York City, and has attracted extremely high-profile speakers to events at the business school, including Bill Gates, Henry Kissinger, Martha Stewart and Warren Buffet.

EMBA students can get involved in a range of student clubs at Columbia (mainly led by full-time students). There are also some student leadership organizations specifically for EMBA students. Each cluster elects representatives to work with administrators on topics like academics, career development, and ethics.

Berkeley (Haas) is in the San Francisco Bay area, a hub for innovation, located close to the Silicon Valley technology scene. It’s also a fantastic area for quality of life, with beaches, hiking trails and great culture.

Because of the block format, and by taking classes on campus, you’re fully integrated into the Berkeley community and can participate in student activities such as case competitions and the annual alumni gala. Students on the EMBA program can get involved in student clubs at Berkeley like the Berkeley Entrepreneurs Association and the Digital Media and Entertainment Club.

You’ll receive unlimited career advisory sessions including resume writing, interview prep and executive coaching sessions. There are also numerous networking opportunities: Berkeley also has a strong alumni network of 41,000 Haas graduates and nearly half a million UC Berkeley alums. Previous EMBA cohorts at Berkeley have included students from a diverse range of companies, including PayPal, Netflix, Google and Southwest Airlines.