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Executive Master’s in Business Administration (EMBA)
Next start:
October 2026
Format:
Mixed Mode
Total Courses:
13 (45 credit hours)
Program Cost: $53,460
Why Get Your Executive Master’s in Business Administration?
City University of Seattle’s Executive MBA (EMBA) is designed for accomplished leaders ready to expand their impact at the enterprise level. Built for directors, VPs, and senior professionals, the 21-month program goes beyond traditional management education to focus on leading entire organizational systems.
As the only Executive MBA built on the Baldrige Excellence Framework, CityU equips leaders with the systems thinking, strategic leadership, and performance excellence skills used by high-performing organizations. Students learn to understand how decisions ripple across the enterprise, identify key organizational levers, and create sustainable value in a rapidly changing business landscape.
The program’s flexible mixed-mode format combines online learning with immersive events, allowing executives to immediately apply new frameworks to real business challenges while remaining fully engaged in their careers. Along the way, participants gain valuable insights from a carefully selected cohort of experienced peers, immersive learning experiences, dedicated mentorship, and personalized advising.
CityU’s EMBA also emphasizes leadership transformation through its Identity Reboot process, helping professionals evolve from tactical managers into visionary executives while leveraging AI-enabled decision-making to drive competitive advantage.
Skills You’ll Gain
This program builds advanced executive capabilities through 45 credits of study to sharpen your edge as an executive:
- Strategic foresight: See a market shift coming before your competitors do.
- Resilience: Develop the mental framework to lead through crisis.
- Organizational systems analysis: Apply the Baldrige criteria to find where your organization creates value.
- Risk navigation: Manage enterprise-level risk in dynamic environments.
- Ethical leadership: Lead with integrity in complex global environments.
- Culture shaping: Build organizational cultures that drive performance.
- Data-informed decision-making: Use emerging tech and analytics to support human strategic insight.
- Cross-functional leadership: Align the entire enterprise for maximum efficiency across departments.
Program Highlights
Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework
Master the methodology used by award-winning organizations to drive results.
Executive mentoring
Pair with an experienced leader for one-on-one coaching for the full 21-month duration.
Immersive events
Attend domestic and international events where theory meets the boardroom.
Systems thinking and AI-enabled decision-making
Use a curriculum that puts AI tools into every strategic course.
Leadership development tailored for senior roles
Move beyond management basics to master enterprise-level influence.
Course Requirements
We built the curriculum around executive-level skills rather than academic checkboxes. You will move through core courses tailored for leaders who need to apply new ideas on Monday morning. Your learning creates value immediately, so you don’t have to wait until after graduation to see a return on your time. Highlighted courses below, for full course requirements please refer to the current catalogue.
Core Executive Courses
Strategic management and high-level financial choices are at the core of your studies. You’ll also look at how organizations behave at scale and explore global business strategy.
Our faculty will guide you through operations management using a systems lens. We link every course back to the Baldrige Framework, so rather than learning isolated concepts with no context, you get an interconnected, deep grasp on how the world’s best organizations actually run.
Leadership Labs
Go beyond reading case studies with leadership labs. Learn from real scenarios where you’re diagnosing problems, proposing solutions, and defending strategic decisions before peers who will challenge your thinking. You’ll work through enterprise planning, cross-functional team dynamics, culture transformation initiatives, and change management at the executive level.
Immersive Events
During this program, you will leave the screen behind for immersive experiences that stretch your strategic view. These events put you in the same room as industry giants.
Dig into organizational best practices and see exactly how elite companies function. You get to sit with executives and analyze real performance data to witness what true excellence looks like in the field.
Capstone: System-Level Strategy Project
For your final project, you’ll grab a real challenge from your current workplace and apply the Baldrige Framework to it. This allows you to spot performance gaps and build a legitimate strategic roadmap.
The work you produce creates immediate value for your firm. You could optimize messy operations or build a plan to enter a new market. Some students even choose to lead a total cultural shift.
The entire program is built around systems thinking and AI-enabled decision-making. You’ll learn to see organizations as interconnected systems where every decision influences multiple functions. Discover how to use data and emerging technology to make smarter, faster strategic choices without losing sight of the human element.
*Note this will be an international visit.
Career Opportunities
An EMBA degree works as a career accelerator. For the senior leader, the return on investment includes the chance to sit in rooms where the most important decisions happen. You can move beyond managing people to start shaping entire industries. If you want to grow your own business, the Baldrige Framework gives you a clear roadmap for scaling up.
The current business world needs leaders who can handle messy complexity with confidence. Whether you work at a Seattle tech giant or a global nonprofit, the EMBA prepares for executive-level growth in industries seeking strategic leaders. Higher earning potential and leadership credibility follow those who master these enterprise-level capabilities. Your legacy as a leader begins with the frameworks you apply today.
Promoted
40%
According to EMBAC (2025)
Salary Growth
17.5%
EMBAC (2025) graduates saw an increase from $192,644 to $226,428 upon graduation.
Increased Responsibilities
55%
According to EMBAC (2025)
Career Support & Networking
Join a global network of 63,000+ CityU alumni, with graduates at leading companies worldwide. Through CityU Connect, you’ll have access to mentorship, career services, and a community dedicated to helping you advance.
Our graduates put their skills to work at leading employers across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Apply Today. Graduate Sooner.
10-week quarters for most programs allow you to complete your degree faster. Apply today for FREE.
Next start date:
October 2026Tuition & Financial Aid
The CityU EMBA provides elite executive education at a total program cost of $53,460. This price includes all teaching resources and materials. We believe high-impact leadership should stay attainable for the dedicated professional. You receive a world-class education without the excessive fees associated with many private institutions. This transparency allows you to plan your investment with confidence.
Our executive students use a mix of funding strategies for tuition and fees:
- Employer sponsorship: Many organizations fund the EMBA because the program brings immediate value.
- Reimbursement: We work with your HR department to help you maximize your employer-provided benefits.
- Financial aid eligibility: Our team helps you find federal and private financial aid opportunities easily.
Advisors work with you to navigate financial options efficiently so you can focus on your studies. We ensure that you understand all available funding strategies before you begin.
Tuition Estimator
Our tuition calculator can help estimate your tuition for this program, including scholarships and financial aid.
Ways to Save on Tuition
You may reduce the cost of your program with these options.
Corporate Sponsorship
Many employers offer sponsorship opportunities for EMBA students. We encourage you to check with your organization and learn what educational support or funding options might be available.
Military Tuition Benefits
CityU supports veterans and active-duty service members pursuing degrees. We accept military tuition benefits, VA benefits, and military partnership programs to help reduce costs for those who have served.
Alumni DIscounts
If you are a former CityU student, you are eligible for a 15% discount.
Scholarship Opportunities
CityU offers a variety of scholarships to help make education more accessible.
Your Next Steps
We made the path to your EMBA simple:
Connect with an Advisor
Confirm your eligibility and discuss your goals for the October 2026 start.
Submit Your Application
Our application process works for busy professionals.
Plan Your Start Date
Confirm your spot
Begin Your EMBA Journey
Begin your journey by learning your purpose through the Purpose Mindset.
Personalized Support From Enrollment to Graduation
Time is a non-renewable asset. CityU gets that. Our staff handles the bureaucratic noise and administrative friction so you can stay locked in on your growth as a leader.
From enrollment to graduation, you receive white-glove advising. This includes simplified registration and proactive outreach. Expect our advisors to get in touch with you directly, and we prioritize keeping you synced with the university community.
Our advising team understands the high pressure of a senior-level career. Whether you are returning to school after a long pause or balancing a global travel schedule, we’re here to be your ally to help you cross the finish line and secure your legacy.
Our faculty work as practitioners who understand the Purpose Mindset and what you want to build. Weekend sessions include guest lecturers sharing insights from their executive roles. Sessions are structured to respect your time, and every minute in the classroom provides a return on your investment.
