Frequently Asked Questions

• The GEMBA Program
• The Selection Criteria
• The GEMBA Class
• The GEMBA Program Cost and Payment

The GEMBA Program Overall

Q. Why should I choose the USC Marshall program?

A. Only the Marshall Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) has these six features:

• The Degree Many programs available in Asia confer a degree from the foreign partner. But only GEMBA graduates earn a USC Marshall degree. Marshall's Southern California-based Executive MBA program (EMBA), on which GEMBA is based, is consistently ranked top ten in the United States. GEMBA graduates receive exactly the same MBA degree that Marshall awards to its graduates from the Southern California-based programs.


• The Partnership. GEMBA is a collaboration between two top business schools: USC's Marshall School of Business and Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Antai College of Economics & Management, a top-five business school in the PRC. Each partner contributes exceptional strength to the program.


• The Curriculum. Our team-taught, integrated, theme-based curriculum is unique. No other program integrates academic business subjects such as accounting, finance and marketing so well into the complex decision-making process required of senior executives today. This curriculum, coupled with our outstanding top faculty, is a key reason why the EMBA in L.A. is consistently ranked in the top ten in the United States.


• The Faculty Team. Only the GEMBA program provides you with a minimum of two faculty members in each theme. Exceptional, integrated interaction with exceptional academics who are leaders in their fields, in an integrated environment. About 90% of the curriculum is led by Marshall's top faculty, who come to China to lead their respective components of the program, while the Antai College supports an exceptionally powerful local perspective.


• The Cohort. Among mainland-based EMBA programs, only GEMBA draws students from throughout China, Asia and beyond. About 40% of the GEMBA class flies to Shanghai to attend the program from outside mainland China, most of them coming from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, plus a number from other parts of Asia and North America. Our student body is as global as our curriculum, and they are leaders in business experience as well. Our students are on average 37 old when they begin the program, and they therefore average about 15 years of full-time working experience.


• The Location and Facilities. In addition to providing a robust local perspective to the program, the Antai College offers what we believe is the best combination of facilities and location among all mainland-based programs.


• Unmatched Alumni Network. . Join the USC Trojan Family and gain a "lifelong and worldwide" network of business leaders throughout Asia and beyond. USC has hundreds of thousands of alumni worldwide, and in Asia alone we have offices in Hong Kong, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei, and thousands of active alumni throughout the region. Plus, Shanghai Jiao Tong, as one of China's top universities, with its own 100-year-plus tradition, has an extensive alumni network in the mainland and overseas.

Q. Who are the students?

A. Our international student body is uniquely experienced and highly diverse:

• Average age 37, the large majority with East Asian heritage.


• About 30% are PRC citizens.


• About 60% live and work in the Shanghai metropolitan region.


• About 40% reside outside of Shanghai, in other cities in East Asia, predominantly in other cities in mainland China as well as Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei and Tokyo. We typically have a few students flying in from other Asian cities such as Bangkok, Manila and Singapore, as well as a few from the west coast of North America.


• They have highly diverse professional backgrounds, working in everything from major multinationals to family-owned businesses and entrepreneurial initiatives, from the manufacturing sector to professional services, from marketing to statistical applications.

Please visit the GEMBA site for more details on our students.

Q: What is the curriculum and calendar?

• Classes are held about every six weeks, in five-day intensive modules spanning weekends. Most of our sessions start on Thursday mornings and continue through Monday afternoons.


• GEMBA classes start in Shanghai in first week of May every year, where we offer ten of our thirteen modules. We feature two modules in Los Angeles (one early in the program, and then graduation) and one trip to another Asian country.


• Our schedule minimizes the burden on our students, especially those who live outside of Shanghai, as the relative infrequency of our sessions minimizes the number of trips they must make.

Q. When does the program start?

A. GEMBA Class 2013 will start on 9 May, 2013.

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Selection Criteria and Admissions Process

Q. Who is eligible to be accepted to the GEMBA program?

A. Our key requirements are:

• Ten years' full-time working experience, at least six of which in a managerial role;
• Employed full-time in a management capacity
• Ability to participate dynamically in a 100% English-language learning environment;
• A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution;
• The understanding and support of your employer and family, because of the substantial time commitment required to complete the program successfully.

Q. Is GMAT or TOEFL required?

A. We have offered our top-ten ranked executive MBA in Southern California for nearly 30 years, and the GEBMA program in Shanghai for eight years, and we've consistently avoided requiring these tests. We have found that our in-depth admissions process, which features a formal interview and other substantial interactions, produces a cohort that is more dynamic and focused than any test-based admissions system can produce. Rather than seeking candidates who are qualified based on standardized tests, we seek candidates who are well suited to our program in all ways.

However, candidates who have scores from these standardized tests are welcome to submit them, as additional proof of capability.

Q: Is an associate (two year) degree acceptable?

A. No. All candidates must have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

Q What is the admissions process?

1. We ask that all candidates send us a resume at the first stage. Please e-mail to the GEMBA Shanghai Office.

2. We require candidates to complete the online application. Candidates may apply at any time, using USC Marshall's on-line applications system. A complete application includes:

a) Official transcripts from each educational institution attended;
b) Two letters of recommendations;
c) Two essay(s) of 500 words each;
d) A US $150 application fee, payable by credit card.

3. We conduct an admissions interview with every qualified candidate who submits the online application. Interviewers include our academic and administrative leadership, as well as one of our alumni. The interview takes about 45 minutes in English. In the interview, we seek to learn more about the candidate's career accomplishments and goals, as well as his or her reasons for seeking an EMBA education. We offer provisional admission (contingent on successful completion of USC's admissions process) to candidates who pass the interview stage.

4. We require all applicants to submit official transcripts from each post high school academic institution attended (certified English translation required for non-English transcripts). For example, if you attended ABC University for one semester and transferred to XYZ University for the remainder of your undergraduate studies, you would need to submit transcripts from both ABC and XYZ Universities.

5. Candidates who completed their undergraduate or higher degrees in the United States should send their transcripts to:
USC-SJTU Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) in Shanghai
Rm. 102, South Building
Shanghai Jiao Tong University- Antai Campus
535 Fahuazhen Road, Shanghai 200052, PRC
+86-21-6293-2707

6. Candidates who completed their undergraduate or higher degrees outside the USA should have their transcripts sent to World Education Service (WES). GEMBA pays the fee for the WES degree validation service. Requirements for WES degree validation vary by country; contact the GEMBA Shanghai Office for details on how to work with WES.

Q. May I apply on-line?

A. We accept only on-line applications, though the transcripts must be sent on paper to USC.

Q. How do I obtain my transcripts, and where do I send them?

(Those who did their undergraduate studies at USC): Contact the Office of Records and Registrar. Information can be found here.

(Others) Have your undergraduate or higher institutions send official transcripts (no copies) in sealed envelopes to the address below. (Note: getting transcripts delivered to us often takes the most time in the admissions process.)

Ms. Christine Wang, GEMBA, Room 206, Antai Building,
Antai School of Economics and Management,
535 Fahuazhen Road, Shanghai 200052, PRC
+86-21-6293-2707

Q. What should I do when I'm accepted?

A. To secure your seat in the GEMBA program, you must pay a US$5,000 non-refundable deposit. See Program Cost and Payment below for more information on how to pay.

The GEMBA Class

Q. Do all students take the same classes? Do you offer any specialization or electives?

A. All students do take the same classes, at the same time. We do not offer elective or specialization; because we seek to train cross-functional generalists who can lead an entire organization, we use the theme-based approach to cover a broad spectrum of business issues and opportunities.

Q. Do you have any assignments or exams? How do you grade?

A. A. We have a variety of requirements for our students, including case studies, individual papers, exams and others. In addition, students are evaluated on their participation in class.

Each student receives one grade per theme, which is a composite of the various faculty members' evaluation of the student's performance in that theme. Students must maintain a B average (3.0) to remain in the program.

Q. How long are the overseas trips? What are the destinations?

A. The second and final sessions of the program are week-long intensive sessions on the USC campus in Los Angeles. During the second year of the program we will visit one ex China Asian economy (Japan and Korea being the most common) for five days of company visits and conversation with local business leaders.

Q.. How may I learn more about the program?

A. Continue to read our material, whether on the website or our printed matter.

A. Join our GEMBA seminars and information sessions.

A. We invite all qualified candidates to attend a GEMBA class session, or to visit our campus when class is not in session, to meet our students and faculty, and to spend time in discussion with our academic and administrative leadership, all with the goal of helping candidates understand more about the program. Deciding to join an EMBA program is a major decision; the combined requirement of time and tuition is a huge resource commitment. Therefore, we seek to do all we can to give candidates the information and perspective they deserve for quality decision-making.

The GEMBA Program Cost and Payment

Q. How much does the program cost, and what does the cost cover?

The tuition for GEMBA class 2013 is US$90,000 (RMB570,000), which covers:

• Program tuition, plus course materials;
• Most meals during the class sessions;
• Lodging and ground transportation for our three overseas trips;
• Lodging and all meals for the Theme 1 kick-off theme at a five-star hotel in the suburbs of Shanghai.

Air transportation is not covered, nor is lodging in Shanghai for those who require it.

Q. How should I pay the tuition?

A. You may pay in four equal installments, in either US$ or RMB (the deposit of US$5,000 should be paid before your first payment). Tuition payments are due in late April and late August of each year of the program. The first tuition installment is due by 30 April 2013.

Notes:

• Payments received after deadlines are subject to late fees.
• Deposits (certifications of intent to register) will be deducted from the first installment.

Q: Are student loans or scholarship available?

A. GEMBA does not provide scholarships, but we know of a few loan options:

• U.S. federal Stafford loans, which offer favorable interest rates and origination fees but are available only for U.S. citizens. Visit Federal Student Aid for complete information.
• Private student loans are available from numerous lending institutions in many countries.

Q. May I pay tuition in RMB?

A. We accept RMB tuition payments from up to 20% of each class. The RMB tuition for the GEMBA IX class: RMB570,000.

Q. If I must withdraw can I get a refund?

A. Withdrawals are unfortunate for the student and the program. However, we recognize that in some cases students must withdraw. We don't offer full refunds, but we do offer partial refunds, depending on the time of withdrawal. Please contact our GEMBA Shanghai office for specific details on our refund policy.