One-Year MBA Program Frequently Asked Questions
In working as a Goizueta Ambassador, helping prospective students with their MBA choice, and speaking to friends and colleagues about their MBA interests, I get many questions about the One-Year MBA Program here at GBS.
I always enjoy talking about the program and answering questions about it, but I thought it would be a great idea to formalize some of the frequently asked questions I get in a post to help prospective students or even anyone with a curiosity about what a One-Year MBA program looks and feels like.
I will tackle the experiential side of things, but please check Goizueta’s website for answers to some more One-Year MBA FAQ’s.
So without further ado, I present you with my responses to 8 of the most frequently asked questions I get about the Emory One-Year MBA Program.
Is the curriculum the same as the Two-Year MBA program?
For all practical purposes, yes, all of the curriculum is the same as the Two-Year program. We are required to complete four fewer electives in the One Year Program, however, we have the option to complete those if we choose to. All classes available to the Two Year and Evening students are also available to the One Year class.
What is the interaction between the MBA programs at Emory?
In the summertime, the One Year class is alone and all together on campus, which provides a great bonding experience and a great way to get to know everyone in your class (my class has 66 students). In the Fall and Spring, we are integrated with the returning Two-Year students, and also have the ability to take classes with the Evening students. There are also many networking events set up to help the One, Two, Evening, and Executive students to all get to know each other. It ends up feeling like one large class, which has been one of GBS’s biggest initiatives, and I feel like they have been successful with that.
What is unique about Emory’s One Year experience?
How long is my wordcount to answer this? This experience is so unique in that you get every possible MBA experience that a traditional Two Year program offers (more details below), but it only keeps you out of the workforce for one calendar year (literally). And while the class is small, you are really in classes with all of the Two Year and evening MBA students, making for a large class of over 400 students.
Does the One Year program give students the ability to make connections and get involved?
Absolutely. There are a number of networking events available to only one year students in the summer, which allow us to meet alumni and employers as well. During the Fall and Spring there are also networking events for all students, giving us plenty of chances to expand our network and get that full B-School experience. As far as getting involved, you can be as involved as you want. There are One Year spots in all club leadership positions, as well as the student government, and a dedicated One Year Advisory Council. Apart from that, there are essentially unlimited opportunities to get involved in other campus groups, sports, trips, and other activities. So with regard to connections and involvement, you can get as connected and involved as you would like to.
What is your favorite thing about the One Year MBA experience?
It is hard to limit it to a few things, but I think two of my favorite things are the diversity and the access to top-caliber companies. Our class is extremely diverse with regards to gender, race, country of origin, and work background. I enjoy meeting people from so many different backgrounds, and really feel like I need to bring my A-Game every day to contribute and keep up with such amazing and smart people. I have also been blown away by the number of amazing companies that recruit here. Atlanta has approximately 20 Fortune 500 companies headquartered here, and the number of other amazing and prestigious companies that recruit here really blew me away. Two weeks ago, I got to meet with and shake hands with the Global CEO of a $30B company here on campus. It’s those types of experiences that get me excited to go to school each and every day.
What has been the biggest surprise about the One Year MBA experience?
The biggest surprise for me about the One Year experience has been the experiential piece. I thought that by only coming for one year I may miss out on fun MBA experiences that I had heard about from all of my friends doing Two-Year programs (class bonding, international trips, etc.). As of a few years ago, by request of the One Year class, GBS added two international opportunities for One Year students, which is unique to our program. As I mentioned, the bonding between not only the One Year class, but the entire GBS MBA student body is amazing as well. I have made lifelong friends here, and there are tons of social and academic activities going on at all times, so if you are looking to participate, you can always find something great to do. There are even students who do an internship between the end of school and the beginning of their job after school, which is another experience that many people are concerned that they will miss out on.
Can I handle the One Year program?
YES! Absolutely. As you can imagine, there is a condensed portion of the program that requires a lot of hard work and diligence, and then if you are recruiting that entire process is condensed as well. I normally recommend this program to people staying in a similar career track, or to someone with a defined career track in mind. For those looking to try multiple career tracks and options, the One Year program is still doable, but oftentimes I think the Two-Year program may be easier. Long story short, if you are motivated and a hard worker, there is no reason you cannot successfully complete the One-Year program and have an amazing B-School experience. I couldn’t recommend it more!
Any final thoughts on the One Year MBA experience?
Other than everything I mentioned above, I’d just say that it has been a fantastic and totally worthwhile experience for me. If you feel like any of the Emory MBA programs is something you’d even be remotely interested in, I highly recommend reaching out to the school as well as Ambassadors like myself. I have never seen a group as enthusiastic and easy to talk to as the GBS students I have met here. We would be happy to chat with you, provide our experiences, and answer any questions you may have!
