ESSEC Business School

The historic ESSEC campus in France is home to the ESSEC Global MBA program, which teaches them how to adapt to the key challenges of our time, from sustainability to digital transformation.

The program is taught in English in Paris in Europe’s premier business district – La Défense, which is also home to the ESSEC executive education campus. ESSEC MBAs can embark on a unique experience in a city known as a world leader in healthcare research, innovation and fintech. During their third term, students have the option to study at the Singapore campus, which was awarded the Green Mark Platinum Award by the Building and Construction Authority in Singapore.

During the 12-month full-time program, students can choose one of two majors – either Luxury Brand Management or Strategy & Digital Leadership. The average age in the ESSEC MBA is 30 years old, with 6-7 years of work experience, and the curriculum is taught by more than 160 individuals representing 36 nationalities. Sustainability is integrated throughout the ESSEC MBA, through conferences and related courses, sensitizing participants to the importance of social responsibility in the face of business.

Just three days into the program, MBAs embark on a three-day field trip together with varying locations. During this time, alongside their cohort, MBAs will tackle relevant sustainability challenges through case studies that acclimate them to teaching techniques and leadership challenges. Over the course of the year, MBAs can expect to gain a solid foundation in core business concepts in a multicultural environment while sharpening their hard and soft skills.

ESSEC MBAs embark on a week-long field trip in the second term, the location of which changes year to year. Past cohorts have gone to China, South Africa, Russia, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Italy. MBAs experience a mix of cultural and professional activities designed to explore how business is conducted in different countries. What comes out of this is an industry-focused research project, visiting companies, and meeting local ESSEC alumni.

The final endeavors of the program are the capstone consulting field project, which depending on the major, could take the form of a case competition or consulting project in collaboration with sponsoring companies. The other is the ESSEC Digital Week Competition, where MBAs work on a challenge on a consulting project in mixed teams and present a solution at the end of the week in front of a panel of company representatives.

Aside from the support ESSEC MBAs receive from their peers, they can tap into resources at the Career Center, where they are informed of workshops, networking events, and can practice pitching and interviewing.