The Executive M.B.A. program at the Terry College of Business received its highest ranking to date in a global survey published in the Financial Times, one of the world’s leading business news organizations.
The Terry Executive M.B.A. is ranked 22nd in the U.S. and 59th in the world, according to the Financial Times’ annual rankings. The Terry E.M.B.A. made the most significant improvement of any program ranked the past two years, rising 18 spots in this year’s ranking. Emory’s Goizueta Business School is the only other ranked executive M.B.A. program in Georgia (18th in the U.S., 53rd in the world).
Terry’s “Career Progress” rank was third highest nationally and 13th in the world. This measurement calculates the change in the level of seniority and the size of the company graduates work for now versus the period before they entered the E.M.B.A. program.
The average salary reported by graduates three years after completing the program was $153,750, which ranked 19th among U.S. business schools. Similarly, Terry ranked 20th in average salary growth when 2005 graduates were asked to compare their current salaries with their pre-E.M.B.A. salaries.
Terry’s Executive M.B.A. program was established in 2001. The program moved to its current location at the Terry Executive Education Center in Buckhead in 2005.
“As a relatively new program in Atlanta, the Terry E.M.B.A. is already well known for quality,” said Robert T. Sumichrast, dean of Terry College. “Most gratifying in the Financial Times survey were the high scores reported by our E.M.B.A. graduates who were asked how their careers had advanced since completing the program and how well they had fulfilled their goals when they set out to get an M.B.A.”
For the measure “Aims Achieved,” the Terry E.M.B.A. ranked 22nd in the world and seventh best in the U.S. The “aims achieved” measurement quantifies the extent to which E.M.B.A. graduates reported fulfilling their most important goals for pursuing an M.B.A.
“The Terry E.M.B.A. emphasizes personal leadership development and the practical application of management concepts and skills to real business settings,” said Richard Daniels, director of the Executive M.B.A. program. “The rankings illustrate that such an approach creates value for employers and has a real impact on the career trajectory of our participants.”
Now in its eighth year, the Financial Times ranking is compiled using data from two sets of surveys. One is completed by alumni who graduated three years ago from the E.M.B.A. programs the Financial Times considered for the ranking. The other survey is completed by the business schools.
The Terry College’s Executive M.B.A. degree is an 18-month program based in Buckhead, geared toward mid-level professionals to senior managers. The format combines weekend class sessions with asynchronous interaction using distance-learning technologies. The program offers personalized service, individual leadership coaching and a 12-day international residency.