Navigating the UCLA Anderson EMBA Application: A Comprehensive Guide

The UCLA Anderson School of Management's Executive MBA (EMBA) program is designed for seasoned professionals seeking to enhance their leadership skills and business acumen. This article provides a detailed overview of the application requirements, deadlines, and essay components to help you prepare a strong application.

Program Overview

The UCLA Anderson EMBA is a rigorous 22-month program tailored for experienced professionals. Classes are typically held every other weekend or once a month (Fridays and Saturdays) on campus. The program incorporates three residential components: a required opening residential, an optional one-week Elective Block in August, and a required field study residential in the second year.

The EMBA curriculum mirrors that of the full-time MBA program, with the same core courses, faculty, and graduation timeframe. The program emphasizes a collaborative spirit, innovative thinking, and the courage to make an impact. Students benefit from a diverse cohort with expertise across various industries and functional areas.

Application Deadlines and Rounds

UCLA Anderson operates on a rolling admissions basis, accepting applications from August to May for fall entrance. There are three admission rounds with specific deadlines:

Round 1: December 1
Round 2: February 1
Round 3: May 1

It's advisable to apply early in the cycle to increase your chances of admission.

For the UCLA and NUS EMBA program, there are two admission rounds with the following deadlines: October 15 and January 15. The application fee is waived for round 1.

General Application Requirements

Applicants must apply to the EMBA program online. The online application will guide you through each step.

Completed Bachelor's Degree: A four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university is mandatory. The program welcomes applicants from all majors and backgrounds.
Application Fee: A non-refundable application fee of $200 is required. The application fee is waived for Military Personnel (active duty and veterans) and UCLA Staff.
Transcripts: Official records from each academic institution attended after secondary/high school are required. All academic documents, including mark sheets/transcripts, diploma certificates, and degree certificates, must be directly sent to UCLA Anderson Executive MBA program from your educational institution.
Resume and Career History: Applicants must upload a resume and complete the career section of the application to share their employment history. Provide information with all of your post-undergraduate jobs.
Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation are required from individuals well-acquainted with your performance in a work setting. Recommendations must be submitted online. If you are unable to ask a current supervisor for a recommendation, you can ask a manager from another department or a consultant/client who knows you well enough to answer the questions insightfully. Academic contacts are not usually able to provide information on management potential.
Essays: Essays are the primary means for you to share your perspective and career plans.

Standardized Tests

The GMAT/GRE/EA score is optional. However, additional quantitative support may be required upon further review of your application after submission. If additional quantitative support is needed, the EMBA admissions team will reach out with further details and recommendations which can sometimes be completed after admission. Quantitative academic support to bolster your profile includes but is not limited to recent quantitative coursework (e.g. UC Extension or community college courses), additional education, CPA, CFA, GMAT/GRE/EA exam score. If you have any questions about your quantitative preparation, please speak with an EMBA admissions representative via a one-on-one link here.

The Executive Assessment (EA), Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and Graduate Records Exam (GRE) are universal standardized entrance exams for graduate programs, which are optional for the UCLA EMBA application.

English Proficiency

UCLA requires all graduate applicants to demonstrate English proficiency for admission consideration.

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Essay Requirements

The essays are a crucial part of your application, offering you the opportunity to showcase your personality, experiences, and goals. Here’s a breakdown of the essay prompts:

Essay 1: At UCLA Anderson, EMBA students learn not only from world-class faculty and a rigorous curriculum, but also from the diverse leadership experiences of their accomplished peers. Please share a recent professional experience in which you demonstrated leadership, whether through a success or while navigating a challenge, that could offer valuable insight to your future classmates.

Essay 1 (Alternative): Legendary UCLA basketball Coach John Wooden once said that one’s leadership is derived from one’s character. Please provide an example of a time when your own leadership was at its best.

Key Considerations: Begin by brainstorming your own definition of leadership and the qualities that you possess as a leader. Select an example that is easy to set up so that you can quickly get into the details of what happened, the choices you made, and how you led the situation. Be specific, covering the choices you made and why. Show vs. tell so the reader can clearly see your leadership style and how you excelled. If appropriate, you can conclude with something you may have learned or how this experience may have sharpened your leadership.

Essay 2: Preparing students to become transformative leaders is critical to UCLA Anderson’s mission. With this in mind, why are you interested in pursuing an MBA, and why UCLA Anderson? How will the program and curriculum help you achieve your goals?

Essay 2 (Alternative): Why are you interested in pursuing an MBA at this time? Please share any goal(s) you may have that the MBA will help you achieve.

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Key Considerations: Share your specific short-term and long-term goals. Include the UCLA programs, classes, clubs, and activities that will help you acquire the skills you need to achieve your future objective(s).

Optional Essay: Are there any additional circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? Please describe any updates since you last applied which have enhanced your candidacy.

Key Considerations: The optional UCLA EMBA essay should be addressed only by applicants with extenuating circumstances. If you are a reapplicant, describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy.

Interview Process

Interviews are conducted by a member of the admissions committee and are offered by invitation only. EMBA candidates have the choice to interview in person at the UCLA Anderson Campus or virtually via Zoom. The modality in which applicants choose to conduct the interview does not affect an admission decision. Interviews last approximately 30-45 minutes. Questions generally cover topics already addressed in the application, such as reasons for getting an MBA, short-term and long-term career goals, and how they align with UCLA Anderson. We are interested in getting to know candidates as an individual and understanding how they will fit into the next class.

Additional Information

STEM Designation: The UCLA EMBA received STEM designation in June 2020. This can extend an international student's Optional Practical Training (OPT) by 24 months - for a total of 36 months.
Financial Aid: There are numerous ways to financially support your next phase of development. You can take advantage of various financing opportunities through loans, fellowships, tax benefits, and company sponsorship.
Class Size: The entering class size is 140-150 students each year.
Class Visits: UCLA Anderson offers on-campus EMBA Class Visits by invitation only. Sign up for any admissions event to receive an invite. You can watch past recorded EMBA admissions events, as well as watch recorded classes.

Preparing for the Quantitative Aspects

All prospective students need to have some familiarity with quantitative material. Many students take refresher classes, for it is important to demonstrate competence in analytical skills in your application, either through undergraduate math courses or your exam score.

Recommended Resources:

GMAC Business Fundamentals: Includes courses in Accounting, Finance, and Statistics.
Khan Academy: Offers free instructional videos, particularly in the Algebra section.
Corporate Finance Institute (CFI): Focus on the Spreadsheet Modeling and Mathematics for Management sections.

Understanding the EMBA Curriculum

The EMBA core curriculum is designed to provide a firm foundation of knowledge across the primary subject areas to enable students to explore more specialized topics through advanced courses and elective offerings. Recognizing that some students may have already mastered most of the information taught in a particular core course because of their academic backgrounds and professional experience, it is possible to waive certain core courses by taking a comprehensive waiver exam.

Key Program Components

A total of 68 units of course work toward the degree must be completed in residence in the Executive M.B.A. program at UCLA. Completion of the intensive 22-month course of study leads to the M.B.A. degree. Required courses include MGMTEX 402, 403, 405, 408, 409, 410, 411, 416, 420, 421, 414A, 414B, 414C, 414D, 414E, and a Management Field Study capstone either Strategic Management Research (MGMTEX 445 A, B) or the Business Creation Program (MGMTEX 428 A, B). In addition, 16 units of graduate level management electives are required.

Program Structure

Core classes are held at the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management on Fridays and Saturdays. Three sections on different schedules are available. Section 1 meets on campus every other week. Section 2 blends online asynchronous content and in-person instruction, and meets on campus monthly. Section 3 blends online synchronous content with in-person instruction and meets on campus monthly. All sections complete the same courses in the same sequence and earn the same M.B.A. degree.

All sections begin with a five-day residential session. In addition, the first weekend of each quarter begins with a two-day residential (Friday and Saturday).

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