Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)

This executive-level program is ideal for experienced managers, leaders, decision-makers and those aspiring to advance their careers. We understand you’re busy, so we aim for efficiency and flexibility. We offer an accelerated study model and units are delivered in seminar-style intensives across two weekends.

The EMBA is robust by design. We aim to challenge you, to engage you in lively debate, to give you skills that enable you to think critically, differently and outside of the standard, to tackle the big questions, and create bigger results with true mutual value and benefit.

It is a refreshing interdisciplinary learning journey, drawing from the fields of psychology, sociology, humanities, business, economics, accounting, finance, education, and philosophy, and focusing on the core elements of business.

Core program themes

• Customers and stakeholders
  A holistic, value-driven and customer-centric approach.
• People, culture and governance
  Critical for building trust and underpinning competitive advantage in an era of commoditisation.
• Complex systems and digital technologies
  Wicked problems and emergent technologies represent significant challenges, but also great opportunities.
• Finance
  The laws of economic gravity apply even to disruptive business models.

The EMBA is a rigorous, practical program grounded in best practice and backed by research. The program brings you advanced adult learning methods, designed by our internationally renowned faculty who will mentor and partner with you through a collaborative learning process.

With a focus on applied learning, the intensive seminar-style approach inspires group discussion and knowledge sharing among participants who undertake work-based projects to ensure learning is integrated into the workplace.

Executive MBA studies* can access the valuable and prestigious added benefit of CEO certification.

The CEO Institute, in its role as a global certification body, recognises ACU’s Executive MBA as an approved MBA supporting the educational requirements for certification eligibility. In awarding certification to CEOs, Senior Managers and Middle Managers globally, The CEO Institute acknowledges professional qualifications assessed on business education, work experience, and a commitment to continuing professional development.

The certification designations available to you are:

• Full Certified CEO Certification for CEOs or equivalent position with 5+ years' CEO experience. Full Certification comes with the right to be called a Certified CEO and use the post nominal CCEO.
• Provisional Certified CEO Certification for Senior Managers with 3+ years' senior management experience. Provisional Certification comes with the right to use the post nominal CCEO(prov).
• Full Certified Manager Certification for Middle Managers with 3 years' management experience. This comes with the right to be called a Certified Manager and to use the post nominal CertM. 

The privileges and advantages of Certification include:

• Global recognition
• A point of difference setting your Executive MBA studies apart
• Increased potential for global employment opportunities and career development
• Professional credential (see above) recognising business education, work experience and commitment to continuous professional development
• Associate membership of The CEO Institute and the right to use the post nominal AMCEOI.

The Certification fee is currently fully sponsored*. For more information about The CEO Institute Certification please contact executiveeducation@acu.edu.au.

To take advantage of this special arrangement and to add an impressive professional credential to your name, click here

*Available to new and current students completing their Executive Master of Business Administration with ACU's Executive Education during the term of the Agreement.

The EMBA comprises 12 units of study:

• Eight essential units
  The must-haves of your business learning.
• Four elective units
  Choose subjects most relevant to you from a selected schedule of units.

You can choose to study your EMBA with a generalist focus or emphasise expertise in a specific area by completing a four-unit  graduate certificate level qualification first. Successful completion of the graduate certificate is a pathway straight into the EMBA. Use your graduate certificate qualification to generate up to four credits and progress with the rest of your EMBA by completing another eight units. If you choose the generalist focus or the pathway option, you must still complete 12 units of study in total to qualify for your EMBA.

To qualify for the Executive Master of Business Administration, students must complete 120 credit points comprising of:

• 80 cp essential units, and
• 40 cp elective units.

With a focus on flexibility and options to accelerate, you can start your study at one of eight different entry points throughout the year.

Our recommended essential units of study include subjects such as:

MGMT641 Organisational Dynamics and Behaviour

BUSN602 Money management

ECON600 Managerial economics in a global environment

BAFN602 Corporate finance

MGMT638 Ethical leadership

MGMT605 Strategic management for sustainability

MGMT647Foundations of Management Thought

BUSN603 Corporate governance and risk management OR MGMT646 Governance in Not for Profit Organisations

*To be approved

Download course map (PDF File, 628.5 KB)

Each unit will be delivered over two weekends in seminar-style intensives – one includes a Friday evening. You’ll enjoy a focused and collegial environment with a supportive and highly collaborative team.

You can start your study at multiple entry points throughout the year and complete your EMBA in as little as two years, depending on the units you choose. Some units may require pre-requisite study.

Essential unit dates

2021 Dates

	INTENSIVE ONE	INTENSIVE TWO
Corporate Finance	15 - 17 January 2021	6 - 7 February 2021
Strategic Management for Sustainability	19 - 21 March 2021	10 - 11 April 2021
Corporate Governance and Risk Management	7 - 9 May 2021	29 - 30 May 2021
Money Management	2 - 4 July 2021	24 - 25 July 2021
Organisational Dynamics and Behaviour	27 - 29 August 2021	18 - 19 September 2021
Managerial Economics in a Global Environment	22 - 24 October 2021	13 - 14 November 2021

Elective Units

Elective units can be taken at other times through the year, as they are offered. Please talk to us about these dates.

	INTENSIVE ONE	INTENSIVE TWO
Systemic and Complexity Thinking & Practices	19 - 21 March 2021	10 - 11 April 2021
Entrepreneurship	2 - 4 July 2021	24 - 25 July 2021
Emerging Technology	22 - 24 October 2021	13 - 14 November 2021

If you are considering a four-unit graduate certificate level pathway, check the dates units will be offered or please contact us or register your interest.

• Psychology of risk
• Governance and management
• Catholic leadership

Intensive seminars will take place in a professional face-to-face learning environment at one of four campus locations: Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne or North Sydney.

Full online conferencing facilities will be available at our other campus locations, which means you can attend seminars no matter which city you happen to be in at the time.

To be eligible for admission to the EMBA, you need to meet the following requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in any discipline and 5 years post-graduation full time (or FTE) work experience of which at least 3 years is in a management/leadership role; OR
• Graduate certificate in any discipline and a minimum of 5 years full time work experience of which at least 3 years is in a management/leadership role; OR
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a management/leadership role outlined in a portfolio demonstrating knowledge, experience, and skills suitable to the level required for participation in the program.

For more information about entry requirements and pathways, or for pathway options if you do not meet the above criteria, please contact us.

Contact ACU Executive Education

When you apply via our online portal you’ll need to supply:

• past academic transcripts
• a curriculum vitae (CV).

We're about accessible, quality education. The EMBA offers you an inspired education and an exceptional learning journey - all with unit fees within reach. Because of our flexibility, unit fees may vary in accordance with:

• your choice of specialisation, and
• elective units selected.

2021 essential unit fees: $3,500 per unit

Talk to us about your preferred study approach and we can provide advice about total tuition fees.

A student services fee of $45 per term, capped at $270 annually, is also payable.  Textbooks may need to be purchased for each unit.

Enjoy the advantage of a community of thought-leaders, grounded in evidence-based scholarly practice, each with deep industry and proven professional experience. A team dedicated to meeting client needs, they are globally renowned authors, business owners, consultants, academics and experts in their disciplines. Critically, they understand and have proven experience in developing and delivering adult learning methods that produce results.

You will benefit from their extensive theoretical knowledge, academic rigor, impressive practical skill sets and their absolute dedication to their discipline.