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University College Dublin

Executive - MBA

Overview
Experiential. Transformational. International. The globally-ranked Smurfit MBA provides an unequalled opportunity to unlock and develop your leadership potential, accelerate your career and build your global network.

One of the world's most vibrant capital cities, Dublin is a hub of business, finance and innovation, and provides a culturally diverse home for our MBA.

Benefit from an outstanding and challenging academic curriculum, delivered by an international faculty within an intimate classroom setting. Immerse yourself in case studies, action learning, international study trips, integrated projects and global virtual teamwork.

Expand your horizons with a dedicated careers service and an active network of 3,800 MBA Alumni worldwide. Engage in Smurfit's MBA Leadership Development programme, and focus on the skills necessary to communicate effectively, understand yourself better, and lead diverse teams and organisations anywhere in the world.

Curriculum & Learning
As an EMBA participant, you will build on your previous experience and gain practical skills in Finance, Strategy, Marketing, Accounting, Economics, Human Resources and Leadership among other disciplines. The programme is structured over 2 years during which time you will complete 12 core modules, 4 option modules, a major project and the opportunity to take modules in locations across the globe.

Most optional modules are usually taken in year 2 semester 2 and the summer term. In recent years we have also added an option that may be taken at the end of year 1 as well to allow participants to spread their learning. The list of options evolves over time based on student feedback and the identification of new areas of interest.

Entry requirements

•A university degree or equivalent professional qualification.*
•A minimum of three years' professional experience (excluding summer placements, part-time or temporary work experience).
•
A valid score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)

Full-Time MBA: preferred minimum score of 600. Please note that we look at applications on a holistic basis, and a high GMAT score does not guarantee admission. The average GMAT for our current MBA class is 640. If you have any questions in regards to your application we recommend that you contact the MBA Admissions team.

Executive MBA: GMAT score of 520 or above required.

GMAC Executive Assessment (EA): EA score of 149 and above required. More information on the EA available here.

For both the MBA full-time and EMBA, apart from meeting the minimum overall GMAT score, candidates must also do reasonably well in the quantitative component of this test.

Alternatively to the above, candidates for both the full-time and EMBA can submit a valid GRE Test Score. Indicative equivalencies are available through GRE

NB: Please note that scholarship competitions may require earlier submission of a GMAT score, which may vary from those noted above. View our Scholarships page for more details.

•All applicants are required to demonstrate a high level of competence in English language. If English is not your first language you must present with the minimum standard in a recognised English language test, as outlined below. The exception to this rule is if you have completed your primary degree or an entire third level qualification through English, in a majority English speaking country.**
An average IELTS score of 7.0 over all components and a minimum of 6.5 in each band on the Academic Version.
OR
A minimum score of 100 is required in the Internet based TOEFL (iTB) with minimum score 24 in Writing, and minimum score 20 in Reading, Listening and Speaking components.
For all proficiency tests the results must normally have been issued within two years prior to the start of your programme.

Through our rigorous selection process we endeavour to manage expectations so that the candidate's aspirations for the programme and career objectives are aligned with what the programme can deliver.

UCD MEM graduates can apply to our EMBA or the full-time MBA. If offered a place, they must take the programme in full (two years in the case of the EMBA) so all credits in the EMBA / MBA full-time from entry 2018/19 onwards and must meet our GMAT requirements.

*If you do not hold a university degree equivalent to NFQ Level 8 please contact Admissions for further advice on the non-standard admissions process.

**List of majority English speaking countries:
Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Guyana.

Duration

2 years part-time.

Midweek: Monday & Thursday evenings 5.30pm - 9.45pm.

Weekend: Friday afternoon & Saturday morning 2pm - 6.30pm, 9am - 1.30pm.

Careers or further progression

Career Opportunities
The Executive MBA gives you the flexibility to maintain your career momentum and earning power while you study. Working while you study also means you have the opportunity to make swift gains in the workplace by applying what you learn on an ongoing basis. Many participants on the Executive MBA change roles within their organisation either during the programme or shortly after. Some graduates choose to use their MBA to pursue opportunities with new employers on completion of the programme.

In 2019, the Financial Times ranked The Smurfit Executive MBA in 66th position in the prestigious global FT rankings, and calculated that our EMBA graduates' earnings grew by 62% in the 3 years after graduation.

Over the past few years, our MBA graduates have secured new roles in a large number of organisations, including: McKinsey, Google, Novartis, Avolon, Accenture, Microsoft, Pfizer, AIB, EY, Grant Thornton, Hilti, PwC, Glanbia, Verizon and Bank of Ireland.

Subjects taught

Year 1
Foundation Week
•Preparing the Ground
•Introduction to Finance, Marketing and Strategy
•Case Studies
•Business Simulation
•Communication Skills
•Team work

Autumn Trimester
•Financial Reporting
•Perfomance-driven Marketing
•Competitive Strategy
•Leadership and Organisation Behaviour

Spring Trimester
•Operations and Supply Chain Management
•Management Accounting
•Corporate Finance
•Strategies for HR

Summer Trimester
•Global Business Environment

Year 2
Autumn Semester
•Leading the Innovative Enterprise
•Investment Management
•Global and Corporate Strategy
•Business and Society

Spring Semester
•Options (including study tour)
•EMBA participants take 4 options during programme

Summer Term
•Capstone Project
•EMBA Global Immersion week option
•Possible block option in early summer

MBA Leadership Development Programme - planned series of seminars, workshops, 360 feedback and executive business coaching

MBA Careers Development – planned series of seminars, workshops, employer events, speaker events and career mentoring

Extracurricular Activities - International Case Study Competitions, MBA Clubs, MBA Blog, Networking Events

** Please note that the content is subject to change yearly.

Comment

Curriculum Overview
Please note that the table below is for indicative purposes only as modules are sometimes moved or replaced for academic reasons.

Application date

How To Apply
Candidates are required to Apply Online via the UCD applications system. The application fee is €50.

Applications for the MBA Programmes commencing in August 2019 are open on 01 October 2018.

We encourage all interested candidates to submit their applications as early as possible in order to be best placed for any scholarship offers and to avoid disappointment. We receive a high volume of applications and competition for places on the MBA programme is intense.

International candidates are also advised to apply as early as possible to ensure sufficient time for processing visa applications.