Graduating from an executive master’s degree enables business leaders to emerge inspired – and in demand  

The COVID-19 pandemic has given us a new perspective, prompting many people to pause and take stock of their careers and goals.

Whether it’s accelerating in your current organisation, transitioning to a new industry, or launching an entrepreneurial venture, a business master’s degree can equip you to take that next step. But not all programmes are created equal. In a crowded marketplace, ambitious professionals are increasingly looking beyond the conventional MBA for maximum return on their investment.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, LSE’s Executive Global Masters in Management (EGMiM) has firmly established its credentials as ‘the intelligent alternative to an MBA’. Multi-disciplinary, academically rigorous, and truly global in scope, it takes a fresh approach to the standard MBA curriculum to keep pace with today’s fast-changing world.

Here are five ways EGMiM’s unique approach can help you differentiate yourself and transform your career:

1. Combine work and study for immediate impact. Unlike a traditional full-time MBA, the EGMiM programme is designed to fit around full-time work, so students don’t have to take a career break or relocate to study. Teaching is conducted in seven one-to-two-week modules over the 17-month programme duration. This format allows students to start advancing their goals from day one. Farah Emara completed her EGMiM degree whilst working for a non-profit organisation in her native Egypt. She explains: “The flexibility of the modules enabled me to study while I continued working, which allowed me to implement my new learnings on the spot, as well as ensure that my career continued to progress… Once I graduated from the programme, I felt confident enough that I had built the necessary skills to venture into starting my own business”. Farah is now Co-Founder and CEO of FreshSource, the first B2B agri-supply chain platform in the MENA region.

2. Learn to question the status quo. “People who are attracted to EGMiM are intellectually curious,” says Programme Director Professor Connson Locke. “They don’t just want to be told how to apply the latest management frameworks – they want to understand the theories behind them and develop their own innovative approaches. To paraphrase the proverb: an executive MBA gives you a fish, but EGMiM teaches you how to fish.” This broad, analytical approach sets LSE apart from traditional business schools. Students develop their critical thinking skills and gain a deep understanding of organisations and markets in a global context – enabling them to excel as innovative leaders over a life-long career.

3. Deepen your knowledge. In keeping with LSE’s rich heritage of theoretically informed, applied research, the EGMiM programme culminates with either an academic dissertation or ‘capstone project’, where students generate a new business model. For alumna Susan Allen Augustin, this independent project was an opportunity to develop specialised knowledge linked to her career goals. “I was able to use the research from my dissertation to propose a strategy to my organisation, that ultimately led to my designing and implementing its global diversity, equity and inclusion strategy… I can honestly say that EGMiM allowed me the space to identify and accelerate my career advancement in a way I couldn’t have achieved without it.”

4. Broaden your horizons. EGMiM’s modules are taught in London and two overseas locations, allowing students to gain first-hand experience of different business cultures; previous cohorts have travelled to Beijing, Bangalore, Istanbul and Singapore. For Isabell Faad, an entrepreneur in the medical education industry, the marketing module in Bangalore left a lasting impression. “We gained insights into India’s fast-growing digital and AI economy, but also the socio-economic challenges faced by the world’s largest democracy, especially in healthcare and education,” she says. Inspired by the potential of inclusive innovations to benefit the poorest in society, Isabell gave up her day job after graduation and started working full time as CEO of Winglet, an online platform for healthcare professionals to access high-quality medical education, which has launched in 76 countries with plans to expand further globally.

5.Build a world-class network. The EGMiM programme attracts high-calibre students from all over the world – the current cohort of students hail from 26 different countries – and a wide range of professional backgrounds. This creates a rich cross-cultural learning environment and fosters unparalleled global connections. For alumnus Trevor Wills, now Chief Operating Officer at Pulse Clean Energy, EGMiM’s unique community was an invaluable part of his professional and personal development: “My classmates were truly exceptional people who helped to shape my direction at a key point in my life… The collection of experiences that you’ll find in a room full of a few dozen people from all over the world who are seeking to expand themselves is a special thing that doesn’t exist in very many places.”

 

Combining LSE’s outstanding academic reputation with practical experience and networking opportunities on a global scale, the EGMiM programme provides a powerful springboard to career success.

 

Inspired to take the next step in your career? Visit lse.ac.uk/EGMiM to find out more or to book a personal consultation.

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