Executive MBA program recruits women

Since 2006, Wharton vice president of corporate diversity Mori Taheripour has encouraged women and minorities to apply for an Executive MBA in an effort to increase diversity in the program.

In the last two years - since Taheripour began her effort - the enrollment of women in Wharton's EMBA program has increased to 25 percent, an increase of more than 10 percent, according to The Wall Street Journal.

By comparison, Emory University's EMBA program has about 33 percent female enrollment, IE Business School in Madrid has about 32 percent, Cornell University's Johnson School of Business has about 32 percent, London Business School has about 16 percent and the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business has about 19 percent.

Taheripour said Wharton uses big events to attract women and minorities to the school.

According to the WSJ, women typically comprise less than 20 percent of EMBA classes, although many top full-time MBA programs are nearly 30 percent female and many part-time programs are more than 40 percent female.

Likewise, the WSJ reported that although almost 50.6 percent of women in business in the United States hold management positions, only about 15.7 percent of Fortune 500 corporate officers are female.

"Wharton has one of the largest female representations in a business program - 36 percent because of Wharton Women," said associate director of Wharton MBA Admissions Kathryn Bezella.

Although Wharton Women President Grace McGregor said the group has not collaborated with Taheripour in the effort to increase diversity, she said, "Wharton women supports any program that transitions women into the business world."

Increasing diversity enriches students' experiences, said Taheripour, by exposing them to new perspectives.

Also, an EMBA program "is a great opportunity for women to network with each other," Taheripour said.

The EMBA program is similar to the traditional MBA program - students in the program still earn an MBA.

Both programs require the same quantity of hours, class work and homework and even share professors. The only difference is that EMBA classes are taught on Fridays and Saturdays in an effort to accommodate people with families and careers.

To some extent, this program is more difficult because information is compressed into smaller sessions, said Bezella.

The application process is the same, requiring two letters of recommendation, an essay, resume, transcript, GMAT score and interview.

"Wharton did a creative job by not watering down the program," said Taheripour. "It has the same professors and curriculum."

The EMBA program is also offered at Wharton West in San Francisco.

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