Poets&Quants | HEC Paris

The HEC Paris MBA: What You Need To Know

What is the best business school in Europe? HEC, located just southwest of Paris in the town of Jouy-en-Josas, has a good claim: It is the top European business school for producing future Fortune 500 CEOs, just a whisker behind Stanford.

At 16 months, the HEC MBA is longer than the 12-month European standard, which allows students to mull their future more than some short courses that seem to catapult them from one job to another, via an intensive boot-camp of job interviews and CV coaching. Indeed, HEC likes to focus on the transformational potential, saying that two-thirds of its MBAs change either geography, sector, or focus, while a remarkable 74% change two or more.

For the first half of the course, students undertake the Fundamental Phase, consisting of the usual MBA courses covering the core elements of business and management. After eight months, students move on to the more exploratory Customized Phase in which they become “experts in their field of interest,” says the school. This involves electives, a fieldwork project, and a choice of 40 international exchanges. Students can choose from the seven specializations: Entrepreneurship, Finance, Advanced Management, Marketing, Strategy, Digital Innovation, or Sustainable & Disruptive Innovation.

In 2018, HEC added a Digital specialization, capitalizing on its location in the Paris-Saclay Innovation Cluster (dubbed “The Silicon Valley of France”). The school is surrounded by some of France’s best research institutions, high-tech businesses, and start-ups, all of which HEC students can access. Firms and investors come and pitch ideas to MBA students, who then work on commercializing the technology. The ideas are then pitched to CEOs and VCs, and some develop into real businesses. The entrepreneurial streak in this MBA clearly rubs off: 20% of HEC MBAs go on to found their own businesses at some point.

HEC already works closely with its tech neighbors on an entrepreneurial project. Firms come and pitch ideas to MBA students, who then work on commercializing the technology. The ideas are then pitched to CEOs and VCs, and some develop into real businesses. The entrepreneurial streak in this MBA clearly rubs off: 20% of HEC MBAs go on to found their own businesses at some point.

HEC is also home to the MBA Tournament, the “MBA Olympics” — a sports competition between more than 1,500 MBA students from schools across Europe, with a smattering of competitors from U.S. schools. This is a great leadership opportunity for students who get to run the financing, marketing, logistics and operations of a large-scale event with a half a million-euro budget.

HEC also offers “dual degrees,” meaning students can take the MBA in 12 months and spend another year studying for a master’s at institutions such as Yale, National University of Singapore, or the London School of Economics.

HEC has two MBA intakes each year, in January and September, a total of 290 students, over 90% of whom are non-French. This MBA clearly works as a springboard to a job in Europe, where 60% of graduates land jobs after MBA.

Andrea Masini, Associate Dean of HEC’s MBA

HEC’s MBA is designed to maximize the chances of career transformation. Often these days people don’t just want to increase their salary, but also to have an impact on society and have a purpose in life through the way they do business. HEC’s 16-month MBA, which is longer than most European ones, gives you the chance to figure out what your purpose is.

We strongly emphasize taking decisions in uncertain and highly multicultural conditions. We think that 16 months working in a context as diverse as it can be is the best training for leading a multinational corporation or creating a company with a global market.

Margaret Hoffecker, HEC MBA class of 2018

The class is a diverse group with lots of different backgrounds and it is very friendly. People are always suggesting concerts or art exhibitions to go and see in Paris. With less than 500 people on the MBA course’s three intakes, it does feel like a real community.

For me, the most interesting thing is that I have been encouraged to think about how I can be a better leader, and gain confidence in the business world. Some classes really encourage self-reflection. I feel that this might be my last chance to really learn, so I am looking to explore courses that are outside my planned career path.