Program Format
Program Format - Global Executive MBA
It’s a marathon, run in sprints
Here’s how to earn the Duke MBA without uprooting your entire life: our Global Executive format combines short in-person residencies with distance learning periods. Each term starts with a reading period to prep you for residency—a 24/7 immersion with teammates and faculty—and finishes with time spent working together remotely.
Traveling campus
Class convenes first in Durham, North Carolina, over a 2-week orientation session in late July. Then your classroom starts to move—through the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Europe, where you’ll gather for 10-day residencies in October, January, April, and July, with each residency preceded and followed by distance learning periods. Your final term, you'll return to Duke for 2 - one week residencies for electives. The intense format ensures you’ll experience the total immersion of a traditional MBA program while continuing to work and live wherever you call home.
A special way of working
Fuqua’s difference comes from the way we structure our MBA programs: as learning teams. You’ll be assigned to a team of 5-6 peers who all think differently. The experience mimics the diversity of a real-world global team, where you work across time zones and different perspectives. You’ll need to learn to trust and rely on each other’s strengths, gaining practice in skills that will help you move any team forward.
Our Faculty
All Fuqua degree programs are taught by the same world-renowned faculty, who are recognized for excellence in both teaching and research. While our faculty are known for their accessibility across degree programs, the Global Executive format fosters an even closer relationship. Traveling and living together for international residencies, you’ll interact with your professors both in and out of the classroom. And since your distance learning platform is always on, your faculty are monitoring class bulletin board discussions and responding to emails continuously.
Classroom Dynamics
Your classmates will bring real-time expertise to class discussions. While extensive reading assignments get you ready, debate and analysis—both in the classroom and on your learning platform—is how you’ll learn. The case-based curriculum is academically rigorous, and faculty keep you on your toes with random "cold calls" as you work through the material.
Experiential Learning
You’ll go out into the field to gather real-world data points. The Global Executive MBA curriculum includes a range of non-traditional assignments—like interacting with locals—that get you out of your comfort zone. You’ll observe operations and meet with managers in company visits, developing insights on different industries. Senior leaders engage with your class in each country, providing perspective on that region’s political economy. These experiences enrich classroom discussion while giving you a real-world sense of the concepts you learn.
Over seven terms you’ll cover 17 courses: 10 in the core curriculum, three multi-term courses on dynamics in global business, and four electives. Although locations and timing may shift between calendar years, the typical Global Executive structure looks like this:
Term 1 (Durham)
- Distance Period (15 days)
- Orientation & Residency (15 days)
- Distance Period (6 weeks)
Term 2 (Asia)
- Distance Period (15 days)
- Residency (10 days)
- Distance Period (6 weeks)
Term 3 (Latin America)
- Distance Period (15 days)
- Residency (10 days)
- Distance Period (6 weeks)
Term 4 (Asia)
- Distance Period (15 days)
- Residency (10 days)
- Distance Period (6 weeks)
Term 5 (Europe)
- Distance Period (15 days)
- Residency (10 days)
- Distance Period (6 weeks)
Elective Terms 6 - 7 (Durham)
- Distance Period (15 days)
- Residency (2 - 1 week sessions)
- Distance Period (6 weeks following each 1 week residency)
- Optional Concentration or Certification (12 weeks)
Residencies
In the Global Executive format, you travel to meet classmates and professors in cities that become your campus for the week. Four of your residencies will be in cities selected to provide wide exposure to the global economy, while three residencies take place on Fuqua’s campus in Durham, North Carolina. Locations may vary based on travel restrictions, but the typical pattern looks like this:
- Durham, NC
- Latin America
- South Asia/Middle East
- Asia
- Europe
- Durham, NC
- Durham, NC
Condensed into a short window, residency is the time you immerse fully in your program:
- Attending classes
- Visiting companies
- Engaging in cultural activities
- Participating in career development workshops
- Interacting with alumni
- Working on assignments
- Socializing with classmates
- Meeting face-to-face with your team
Distance Learning
Between residencies, you’ll be in a distance learning period. During this part of the term, you attend weekly virtual classes with your faculty and continue working on team assignments remotely. Distance learning periods provide more flexibility to balance program requirements around the needs of your job and family. While you should expect to spend at least 20 hours a week on schoolwork during this time, you can schedule these tasks around work and personal commitments.
Throughout the program you’ll use your distance learning platform to:
- Submit assignments
- Download course materials
- Chat with classmates
- Read class and team bulletin boards
- Take exams
- Contribute to course discussion boards
- Share documents
- Call your teammates
2023-2025 Global Executive MBA Academic Calendar
* Arrival day — lodging covered by program.
** Departure day from residency — no programming scheduled.
Residency locations are subject to change based on local circumstances.
TERM 1 - DURHAM (2023) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | July 1 - 22, 2023 |
Residency | July 23* - August 6**, 2023 |
Distance | August 7 - 14, 2023 |
Break | August 15 - 21, 2023 |
Distance | August 22 - October 2, 2023 |
Break | October 3 - 5, 2023 |
TERM 2 - BANGKOK (2023) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | October 6 - 25, 2023 |
Residency | October 26* - November 5**, 2023 |
Break | November 6, 2023 |
Distance | November 7 - December 18, 2023 |
Break | December 19, 2023 - January 2, 2024 |
TERM 3 - SANTIAGO (2024) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | January 3 - 24, 2024 |
Residency | January 25* - February 4**, 2024 |
Break | February 5 - 12, 2024 |
Distance | February 13 - March 25, 2024 |
Break | March 26 - 28, 2024 |
TERM 4 - NEW DELHI (2024) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | March 29 - April 17, 2024 |
Residency (includes team changeover) | April 18* - 28**, 2024 |
Break | April 29, 2024 |
Distance | April 30 - June 10, 2024 |
Break | June 11 - 13, 2024 |
TERM 5 - PRAGUE (2024) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | June 14 - July 3, 2024 |
Residency | July 4* - July 14**, 2024 |
Break | July 15 - July 22, 2024 |
Distance | July 23 - September 2, 2024 |
Break | September 3 - 12, 2024 |
ELECTIVE TERM 1 - DURHAM (2024) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | September 13 - 26, 2024 |
Residency | September 27* - October 5**, 2024 |
Break | October 6 - 14, 2024 |
Distance | October 15 - November 18, 2024 |
Break | November 19 - December 31, 2024 |
ELECTIVE TERM 2 - DURHAM (2025) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | January 1 - 10, 2025 |
Residency | January 11* - 18**, 2025 |
Break | January 19 - 27, 2025 |
Distance | January 28 - March 3, 2025 |
OPTIONAL CONCENTRATION (2025) | |
Optional Concentration | December 1, 2024 - April 1, 2025 |
GRADUATION | |
Degree Conferral | May 11, 2025 |
Graduation Ceremony | May 10, 2025 - May 11, 2025 |
2024-2026 Global Executive MBA Academic Calendar
* Arrival day — lodging covered by program.
** Departure day from residency — no programming scheduled.
Residency locations are subject to change based on local circumstances.
TERM 1 - DURHAM (2024) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | July 1 - 20, 2024 |
Residency | July 21* - August 4**, 2024 |
Distance | August 5 - 12, 2024 |
Break | August 13 - 19, 2024 |
Distance | August 20 - September 30, 2024 |
Break | October 1 - 3, 2023 |
TERM 2 - BANGKOK, THAILAND (2024) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | October 4 - 23, 2024 |
Residency | October 24* - November 3**, 2024 |
Break | November 4, 2024 |
Distance | November 5 - December 16, 2024 |
Break | December 17 - 31, 2024 |
TERM 3 - LIMA, PERU (2025) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | January 1 - 22, 2025 |
Residency (includes team changeover) | January 23* - February 2**, 2025 |
Break | February 3, 2025 |
Distance | February 4 - March 17, 2025 |
Break | March 18 - 20, 2025 |
TERM 4 - NEW DELHI, INDIA (2025) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | March 21 - April 9, 2025 |
Residency | April 10* - 20**, 2025 |
Break | April 21, 2025 |
Distance | April 22 - June 2, 2025 |
Break | June 3 - 12, 2025 |
TERM 5 - BERLIN, GERMANY (2025) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | June 13 - July 2, 2025 |
Residency | July 3* - July 13**, 2025 |
Break | July 14 - July 21, 2025 |
Distance | July 22 - September 1, 2025 |
Break | September 2 - 11, 2025 |
ELECTIVE TERM 1 - DURHAM (2025) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | September 12 - 25, 2025 |
Residency | September 26* - October 4**, 2025 |
Break | October 5 - 13, 2025 |
Distance | October 14 - November 17, 2025 |
Break | November 18 - December 31, 2025 |
ELECTIVE TERM 2 - DURHAM (2026) | |
Reading Period/Classes Begin | January 1 - 9, 2026 |
Residency | January 10* - 17**, 2026 |
Break | January 18 - 26, 2026 |
Distance | January 27 - March 2, 2026 |
OPTIONAL CONCENTRATION (2026) | |
Optional Concentration | TBD |
GRADUATION | |
Degree Conferral | May 9, 2026 |
Graduation Ceremony | May 9, 2026 - May 10, 2026 |
Global Executive MBA
Fuqua is innovating our global program offerings to meet evolving business needs and is therefore pausing recruitment for the Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) program. We are not accepting applications at this time. Please email admissions-info@fuqua.duke.edu to discuss our Weekend Executive MBA or other programs that may align with your goals.
Sample Residency Day 1
Breakfast and review accounting notes
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Class: Managerial Accounting
8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Guest speaker: China Business Council
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Lunch with speaker
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Class: Operations Management
1:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Class: Global Markets & Institutions
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Dinner with friends in Shanghai
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM
Team meeting for operations assignment
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Connect with family and prep tomorrow's cases
10:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Sample Residency Day 2
City walk and breakfast
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM
Class: Global Markets & Institutions
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Class: Operations Management
8:45 AM - 10:45 PM
Class: Managerial Accounting
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Box lunch and visit to auto factory
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Team meeting for accounting assignment
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Working dinner with team at hotel
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Optional Chinese acrobat show
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Socialize with classmates
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Explore This Program
Program Format
Team up in intensive residencies.
Curriculum
Globalize your business knowledge.
Concentrations + Certificates
Tailor your MBA in a focus area.
Career Development
Expand your horizons with our support.
Program Locations
Make the world your classroom.