Université Laval EMBA

For busy professionals with crammed calendars, going back to school can seem daunting. At Université Laval, the executive MBA program is tailored to those who want to boost their careers without sacrificing commitment to their day job: throughout the 18-month program, only 45 days are spent inside the classroom.

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of the school year (typically in the last week of August), the newest cohort gathers for a five-day course on teamwork management. After that, they only meet every other Saturday; the bulk of the coursework is done online, through a distance-learning platform using a mixture of tools including videos, online forums, virtual classes, presentations and quizzes. Classroom time is used for experiential learning, like playing a simulated supply chain management game in the popular operations and logistics course, or conducting constructive peer evaluations in a leadership course.

The hybrid model opens up possibilities—and sometimes even borders: one student, based in the United States, found it was cheaper to fly to Quebec City every other weekend than enrol in an EMBA program closer to home.

In their second year, the cohort gets together again for a second five-day intensive session, this time visiting Babson College, a top-rated business school near Boston. Over the course of the week, participants attend an “entrepreneur’s boot camp,” pitching an idea for a start-up and working in teams to develop the concept into a feasible business model. The cost of the boot camp is included in Laval’s EMBA tuition fee.

Part-Time: 18 months

Work Experience: 5 years

Cost: $19,500-$27,500

Cost (International): $41,300

Total Part-Time Enrolment: 45

Female Students: 38%