The Best One-Year MBA Programs

Emory's Goizueta School of Business is ranked 20th among the best U.S. business schools by Poets&Quants.

Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business

Emory’s three-semester, 12-month curriculum begins in May with a mandatory week-long orientation and team-building exercise and then an intensive summer review of core business concepts. In August, students join second-year MBA students for elective courses. Students have full access to second-year electives, the MBA Career Management Center, the Goizueta Advanced Leadership Academy, as well as clubs and organizations.

One-year MBA students here get the same degree and are taught by the same faculty as students in the two-year program. The big difference: you cannot study abroad for a semester and you cannot participate in a summer internship.

The school wants applicants to have an undergraduate degree in business or economics or a strong quantitative background in majors such as engineering or mathematics. Emory wants students to have already taken such courses as Statistics, Financial Accounting, Corporate Finance and Microeconomics. As is typical in one-year programs, Emory also makes clear that the program is best suited for those who want to continue in the same industry or function because there is no opportunity for an internship that can help a career switcher.

One-year students begin their job search strategy over the summer. During the summer they attend workshops through the Career Management Center, work on a resume, practice interview skills, and develop a job search plan if they’re not returning to their pre-MBA employer.

As with all top MBA programs, this doesn’t come cheap. The total cost of the one-year option can set you back $182,967 once you include lost income and ten years worth of interest payments on financing your entire education. These numbers could well be conservative because Emory’s recommended budget does not include such things as a travel allowance, personal expenses, or loan origination fees–all items that are included in Kellogg’s budget.

Class of 2013 Two-Year and One-Year MBA Student Profiles

      Two-Year One-Year
Class size 140 48
Middle 80% GMAT Score Range 610-730 570-710
Average Undergraduate GPA 3.3 3.4
Average Years Work Experience 5 6

 

The graduating Class of 2013 is very diverse with 32% women, 11% U.S. minority and 31% international.

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