The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the first Ivy League school founded in the 19th century, was the first Ivy League school to launch a hybrid (25% in-person and 75% online) executive MBA program. “For us, the timing is right, many of our faculty are engaged in and energized by online teaching. They see the promise for the future” – Peggy Bishop Lane, vice dean of Wharton MBA for Executives Program. This program will launch in May 2023 and aims to have a worldwide cohort of business professionals from Asia, North America, Latin America, and Europe. The training lasts for 22 months, includes a blended schedule and synchronous virtual classroom. The price is $214 800, the same as Wharton’s in-person MBA degree.

Hybrid students and full-time MBA students will participate in a one-week orientation with accommodation in Philadelphia. There will also be five other residency weeks for online students in Philadelphia, San Francisco, or other places worldwide. “The evolution of the Wharton Executive MBA is a reflection of our entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to innovation in educational pedagogy,” Erika James, Wharton’s dean, said in a statement announcing the program. The application must include two recommendation letters, responses to essay questions, GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment points, unofficial transcripts, and TOEFL scores. Wharton also requires a sponsorship letter from a “person who has the authority to sign off on the time commitment involved with the program”. If you’re receiving financial support for the program, this information should also be included in the letter. Candidates must have at least eight years of experience. Attracting candidates from outside the United States is considered a priority.