IE Brown Executive MBA

Program Structure

Your lives are hybrid — your learning should be too. As one of the few accelerated, 15-month Executive MBAs, our program structure is designed for working professionals from all over the world who want to make a real impact in real-time.

We combine the best of technology, methodology and pedagogy, to deliver a multi-layered, experiential learning journey. Through online coursework and immersive residencies, you’ll strengthen your business fundamentals while developing the strategic foresight and leadership skills needed to navigate complex, dynamic environments.

Your global learning journey.

photo of Madrid, Spain skyline at sunset

IE Business School
Madrid, Spain

IE Business School, located in Madrid, Spain, is consistently ranked as one of the best business schools in the world. Since its founding in 1973 as an independent, post-graduate institution, it has earned a reputation as an innovative, entrepreneurial hub that has transformed management education with practice-oriented programs, the incorporation of the humanities into business training, and the use of learning methodologies combining online and face-to-face interactions.

You’ll begin your EMBA journey at IE Business School in March where you’ll immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of Madrid and the magic of the medieval town, Segovia. Experience the cultural diversity of the two campuses and get behind-the-scenes tours of museums to learn about the history of the city. You’ll return to Madrid again in October for your third in-person session.

Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island USA

Brown University, founded in 1764 and a member of the Ivy League is located in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is a leading research university home to world-renowned faculty where academic excellence is rooted in curiosity, creativity, and the intellectual joy of students. Brown graduates hold leadership positions across the globe in industry, politics and society.

You’ll continue your EMBA journey in Providence for your second residency in June and again the following May for the last in-person session before crossing the stage at Commencement. You’ll have the opportunity to experience the tradition of walking through Brown University’s iconic Van Wickle Gates, explore the rich history of Providence’s College Hill, and learn about “The Creative Capital’s” growing downtown innovation district and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Cape Town, South Africa
Immersion Experience

As part of your journey, you’ll spend one week in January in South Africa for the Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Developing Regions course. Working in teams, you will be charged with ideating new potential business solutions for entrepreneurs in Cape Town's townships, to better serve the community and lives of the residents.

Townships are often worlds away from your standard operating environment. Venturing beyond your professional comfort zone, you and your cohort will discover that innovation comes from the creative process of rigorously applying different lenses to complex problem-solving.

Practicing Entrepreneurship in a New Environment

Along with solving problems for township residents, you’ll leave with a greater perspective of how historical, economic, cultural, social, and political contexts affect the business landscape.

The Adventure of a Lifetime

Schedule

collage photo of Cape Town, South Africa, Providence, RI and Madrid, Spain The program has five in-person sessions for a total of approximately 7.5 weeks in-residence over 15 months. The in-person sessions take place at the campuses of IE Business School in Madrid, Spain, Brown University in Providence, USA and on location in Cape Town, South Africa, allowing valuable networking with your cohort and faculty.

Interactive, online learning takes place between the face-to-face periods, ensuring continuous learning and interaction between classmates for the duration of the program.

Program Structure	Dates	Location
Madrid	March 1 - March 13, 2026	The first residential period will take place at IE Business School in Spain.
Online	3 Months
Providence	June 15 - June 26, 2026*	The second residential period will take place at Brown University's campus in the United States.
Online	3 Months
Madrid	October 19 - October 30, 2026	In October, the cohort will return to the IE Business School in Spain for the next residential period.
Online	2.5 Months
Cape Town	January 9 - January 15, 2027	A beyond business immersion experience in a real-world setting.
Online	3 Months
Providence	May 19 - May 30, 2027	The final residential period will take place at Brown University's campus in the United States, ending with commencement.
Providence	May 22 - May 24, 2027	Commencement

*No class June 19, 2026

Format

When you’re not in-residence, the online learning experience consists of approximately three sessions per week that include video conference lectures and/or forum discussions.

In totality, the work balances forum discussions, teamwork and reading, all of which can be completed when you have availability. The time commitment during regular work hours is relatively minimal, amounting to typically one or two video conferences per week for a total of three hours.

Video conference lectures are live, synchronous classes lasting around 90 minutes. You'll actively participate real-time in the session via Zoom. The timing of video conference lectures vary depending on the faculty member but usually take place at either 6 - 8 a.m. ET or 11 - 12 p.m. ET.

Forum discussions are online conversations where you respond to prompts and comments by faculty and other students. They usually open on a Tuesday and remain available for response until Friday afternoon. You can choose the best times to respond based on your schedule.

Please note that courses, faculty or other program elements may change throughout the program as part of our effort to improve the experience for students continuously. These changes will be communicated to students promptly.