EMBA

The overall purpose of the Executive MBA program at KFUPM is to offer a unique learning opportunity for mid-career and senior executives in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and GCC region who wish to enhance their business knowledge and effectiveness while remaining upper-level involved in their business and professional careers. Our goal is to empower these professionals to take their companies into the future – locally, nationally, and globally. The participants in our EMBA learn to be forward-thinking individuals with exposure to business processes worldwide.

The program is designed to develop the strategic thinking and leadership skills of participants, as well enhance their understanding of the global economy, and use of information technology in order to prepare them for the challenging roles as business executives in a rapidly changing and globally competitive business environment that demands new perspectives and continuous self-renewal to transform business challenges into opportunities. The program emphasizes cross-functional business knowledge, teamwork and group study, ethics, and value creation as the prime reason d’être of contemporary business enterprises.

The curriculum of the Executive MBA is designed to be relevant, global, interactive, and engaging. The curriculum offers an integrative and coordinated perspective on cutting-edge management issues. It is aimed at strengthening participants’ leadership and strategic thinking skills.

The Executive MBA program is a 43-unit curriculum that provides a complete framework for strategic management of an organization. Structured around a small-class format, this program facilitates the transfer of knowledge and skills needed to achieve the necessary attributes for success in an ever-evolving business environment.

To accommodate the busy schedule of its participants, the Executive MBA has been structured as a two-year (four semesters) program. During each semester, the participants meet every two weeks on Thursdays and Fridays. Classes are held at facilities designed for executive training both in and out of campus.

Program Mission

To provide a high-quality graduate management education to executives of private and public sectors in the region. The Executive MBA enhances the ability to strategically think, plan and act in an increasingly competitive and complex business environment.

Objective

The overall objective of the KFUPM-EMBA is to enhance the managerial skills necessary for an experienced manager and executives who wish to improve their effectiveness. Specifically, the program is designed to:

1. Emphasize leadership, ethics, and innovation
2. Develop strategic perspectives
3. Focus on the management of change
4. Provide a global perspective
5. Improve critical thinking, negotiations, communication, and team-work skills

Teaching Methodology

KFUPM offers a dynamic learning environment. We use teaching methodology that emphasizes the importance of functional interaction and interrelatedness. We deliver a balanced mix of theory and practice through appropriately sequenced individual courses of instruction. Participants in EMBA learn not just from the expertise of the faculty, but also from the experience of each other. Our EMBA offers a learning environment that is: dynamic, interactive, participative, and application-oriented. Our teaching methodology includes the use of:

1. Study Group
2. Simulations and Business Games
3. Presentations
4. Role Playing
5. Discussions
6. Case Analysis
7. Action Plans
8. Lectures by prominent scholars, business leaders, and executives on current subjects and issues

Participant profile

The participants in the EMBA program are executive and seasoned professionals. To be successful, the participants should be:

• Highly motivated and dedicated to learning and enhancing their careers
• Highly ambitious and interested in advancing their professional lives
• Highly inspired, inquisitive, and believe in making important contributions

The key to success in our EMBA is commitment. The KFUPM Executive MBA is a demanding endeavor and participants should be committed to the program and its requirements.

The participants are expected to devote substantial out-of-class time for preparation of assignments and study group meetings. All EMBA instructional sessions are held in “smart classes”. To fully benefit from the facility, the participants are required to have their laptop portable personal computers.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the EMBA program are:

A baccalaureate degree from a recognized institution of higher education, Evidence of English proficiency, A minimum of 8 years work experience including 3 years at mid or upper level managerial position. Candidates with less than 8 years of work experience could be accepted as exceptional cases based on a recommendation by the EMBA committee and the Assistant Dean of CIM.

All candidates must submit a completed admission application form supported by the following:

1. Three letters of recommendation
2. A current resume
3. A letter of endorsement from the applicant’s employer (if applicable) clearly demonstrating the employer’s understanding of the demands of the program and their willingness to support the applicant’s admission to the program by committing to releasing the applicant from normal job responsibilities during days that classes are held

All applications are evaluated and potential candidates are invited for personal interviews conducted by a team consisting of the CIM Assistant Dean for Graduate programs and members of the EMBA Standing Committee. The interview is usually aimed at evaluating the candidate’s personal attributes (ambition, motivation, commitment, communication, and interpersonal skills) deemed necessary for success and benefit from the EMBA. It also offers the interview team an opportunity to informally assess the applicant’s English language proficiency and their capacity to meet the demands of the program.

Program Structure

1. The residency period
   The residency period starts at the beginning of the program. The duration of this residency period is four to five days. Activities during this period include: orientation to the program, an overview of certain business-related disciplines (e.g. Management, Information Technology, Economics, Accounting, Marketing, Finance, and Quantitative Methods), and seminars on topical issues (e.g. Communication Skills, Time Management, Stress Management, Negotiation Skills, and Creative Thinking).
2. The curriculum
   The program is designed to include sixteen related areas. The first year of the program provides an in-depth examination of the tools and functions of organizations. Emphasis will be placed on the inter-relationship among these areas and will provide a strong foundation for deeper analysis in the second year of the program. The second-year expands participants’ ability to deal with complex management challenges by focusing on the larger contextual environment of business.

Duration and Timing

The 43 credit hour, two-year EMBA is divided into four semesters. Classes will be held bi-weekly on Thursday and Friday, every other week. Classes start at 8:00 a.m. and finish at 4:30 p.m. (Friday classes start at 7:30 a.m.) The residency days are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements (and retention policies) for the EMBA program are:

1. Satisfactory completion of all required coursework for the degree including the residency period.
2. Maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on the scale of 4.0.
3. Maintaining high standards of professional, ethical, and personal conduct as per university policy.

Tuition Fee

The Executive MBA tuition is SR 130,000 for the entire program and includes all course materials, textbooks, university fees, continental breakfast and lunch during the residential period and class days. Tuition is payable in four equal installments of SR 32,500 prior to the start of each of the four semesters.

Supporting learning Experiences

Learning from Leaders lecture sessions

“Learning from Leaders” sessions are one-hour lectures presented by highly influential leaders who are invited to speak in one of the EMBA classes. The distinguished speakers share their rich knowledge and experience in the subject area of the class.

International Academic Trips

The EMBA program conducts four-day international academic trips to Korea. The trip is jointly organized by KAIST and KFUPM.

Program Learning Goals and Objectives

Consistent with the assurance of learning standards of AACSB (the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business) International, learning goals and objectives for the EMBA program are shown below:

List of Required Courses

Degree Plan for the EMBA Program

Year 1

Year 2