Zwei Alumni des Executive MBA (EMBA) von Rochester Bern
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EMBA (Executive MBA)

Executive Master of Business Administration – the International Dual Degree Program

Take the next step in your management career with the Rochester-Bern Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA). Benefit from two degrees taught in English: an MBA from the University of Rochester (U.S.) and an EMBA from the University of Bern. Connect all aspects of general management and build a solid foundation in economics, finance, and analytics to become a more effective leader.

Overview of the EMBA Program

Icon of a Mortarboard – Degree
Dual Degree
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Simon Business School, University of Rochester
Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)
University of Bern
Icon of a Clock – Course Start
Course Start
February 13, 2025
Icon of a Location Pin – Venue
Venues
Bern/Thun, Switzerland
International Trips
Rochester (United States) and Asia
Icon of a Calendar - Events
Format
Biweekly
Friday and Saturday
International Trips
Rochester Residency: 4 weeks
Asia Experience: 1 week
Icon of a Stopwatch – Duration
Duration
16 months
Icon of a Clock in front of a Schedule – Application Deadline
Application Deadline
December 15, 2024
Icon von drei Sternen – ECTS Punkte
ECTS
45 U.S. Credits
(75 ECTS Points)
Icon of a Speech Bubble – Language
Program Language
English
Icon of a Wallet – Program Fees
Program Fees
CHF 75,000

Why Choose the Rochester-Bern EMBA?

We asked our students what their experience was during their EMBA studies and why they would recommend it to others.

Your Benefits on the EMBA Program

Icon demonstrating Networking – RoBe Connect
Grow Your Personal Community

From the day you set foot on campus, you become part of a community. You will interact with peers from industries such as finance, transportation, hospitality, manufacturing, insurance, and healthcare who have functions ranging from project management to general management in the C-suite.

Icon of a Trophy on Top of a Book – Course Curriculum
Well-Aligned Course Curriculum

The first six months of your EMBA experience include foundational courses in managerial finance, economics, and analytics. After your residency in Rochester (U.S.), you will make the connection between all aspects of general management. A trip to Asia exploring management in transition economies will round off your international experience.

International Excellence

#8
In the World for Finance

Financial Times 2020

#2
In the World for Economics

Financial Times 2020

Your EMBA Journey

Our campus in the main building of the University of Bern as well as the Hotel Seepark in Thun provide an idyllic setting for working in groups and networking with peers. Broaden your international outlook by participating in classes held by leading scholars from top business schools. Embrace the digital transformation during a four-week residency in Rochester (U.S.) and dive into the vitality of Asian markets during a one-week stay in Asia.

Venues

Rochester, United States
Universität Rochester
Bern, Switzerland
Hauptgebäude Universität Bern
Asia Experience
Gyeonbokgung Palast, Südkorea
Graphik Unterrichtsorte Executive MBA

Study Modules

Module 1 Financial Accounting

In the Financial Accounting course, we discuss the different types of financial information that stock market companies prepare. Financial Accounting creates transparency in financial markets and helps capital providers make good decisions when allocating funds. After the course, you will understand the different financial statements (balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements) that a company publishes externally. You will also understand how estimates impact the financial information that companies publish externally.

Module 2 Valuation

This course provides the conceptual framework necessary to help managers decide what investment decisions make best sense. We start with investment projects, such as replacing machines, launching new products, or building new factories, and end with the exciting topic of computing the value of companies and negotiating agreements about the acquisition and sale of companies.

The perspectives presented here cover both theoretical and practical issues. While the course’s focus is on investments, the principles we develop apply to management decisions in general with a view to helping you make better choices.

Module 3 Managerial Accounting

The Managerial Accounting course uses case studies to show how managers can apply internal information within companies to make better decisions and create value. One of the key contributions of the finance function in companies is strategic decision-making and strategic performance measurement. After the course, you will understand how reports prepared by financial managers can help other managers make better decisions and how financial managers can measure the strategic process of a company.

Module 4 Managerial Economics

This course applies the fundamental tools and concepts of microeconomics – economic behavior, marginal analysis, opportunity cost, supply and demand analysis, and alternative market structures – to managerial decision-making. The course also uses economic analysis and tools to provide insights into internal organizational policies, including decision-right assignment, performance evaluation, and compensation plans. The course aims to help you develop your economic intuition about a broad range of problems related to business and everyday life, so that a business approach becomes second nature.

Module 5 Global Economic Environment

This course aims to provide the main tools for understanding the macroeconomic environment in which a company operates. It covers the key concepts for addressing a wide range of macroeconomic questions. We emphasize intuition and application of the concepts. Furthermore, we try to give an overview that covers the most important macroeconomic areas and topics such as growth, business cycles, monetary policy, exchange rates, and financial crises.

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Module 6 Managerial Decision Analysis

In the era of data science, managers need to have a good understanding of the foundations of uncertainty modelling and business analytics. In this course, you will first learn about the underlying concepts of uncertainty management. Subsequently, you will study both the opportunities and the limitations of data analysis in business. Finally, you will tackle some challenging business problems using regression analysis, perhaps the most important tool of modern data science.

Module 7 Corporate Financial Policy

In this course, you learn how firms interact with capital markets and why that is relevant. At the core of our considerations are three financial policies:

  • Financing policy: How should firms finance their business activities?
  • Investment policy: Which factors should guide a firm’s investment activities?
  • Payout policy: How much and how should firms return capital to their investors?

You learn how financing instruments can be used to bridge disagreements, make deals more valuable, set the right incentives, and even serve as a truth serum. You discover the power of these tools in financing decisions throughout the lifecycle of a firm, including seed financing, venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, and initial public offerings. Finally, we extend this logic to financial risk management and learn how different financial instruments can be used to mitigate risk.

Module 8 Information Systems for Management

Information technology is transforming firms, markets, products, and processes with remarkable speed. Recent developments in AI have the potential to further accelerate the transformation. This presents managers with new challenges and valuable opportunities. This course dives into the strategic use of IT within a business context, focusing on how IT can enable competitive advantage, enhance business processes, and drive innovation. The course interweaves theory and practice, with students acquiring useful frameworks for analyzing the use of IT in organizations.

Module 9 Marketing Strategy

This course will focus on contemporary areas to improve marketing strategy decisions. During the course, students will: learn how to use Marketing Analytics; understand the various elements in Marketing Mix; learn Return of Investment analysis for each communication channel, particularly digital advertising; integrate Market Research into marketing strategic decision making, and learn contemporary branding evaluation techniques.

Module 10 Pricing Policies

Pricing is one of the most difficult decisions managers make and the one with the most direct and immediate im-pact on the firm’s financial position. Many firms do it poorly, primarily by using inappropriate rules of thumb. Doing it well requires knowledge, analysis, discipline, and creativity. This course will explore the fundamentals of pricing strategy, drawing on business-to-business and business-to-consumer examples and discussions. This course aims to equip participants with proven concepts, techniques, and frameworks for assessing and formulating pricing strate-gies. The course complements strategy, marketing, finance, and consulting disciplines and is one of Simon’s com-parative advantages. The goal of the course is to enhance students’ economic intuition related to pricing strategy.

Module 11 Operations & Supply Chain Management

Operations & Supply Chain Management is at the core of any organization when it comes to designing, producing and delivering products and services that satisfy external and internal customer needs. Throughout the course, you will develop an understanding of the complex and crucial interactions between operations and other functions, particularly marketing and finance. You will identify effective measures to improve operational performance and show how this in turn improves the organization’s financial results.

Module 12 Business Analytics

Data has become an essential asset for companies to be able to operate and compete effectively. In fact, four of the six top companies in market valuation – Amazon, Alphabet, Facebook, and Alibaba – base their business models exclusively on the use of data to optimize advertising. Moreover, SMEs are starting to benefit substantially from analyzing data about their operations, finances, clients, and employees. It is therefore essential that business managers understand data as a production factor and know how to extract the value it contains. This course introduces data as a production factor, explaining its unique attributes (what makes this factor of production different from others), and examines how data can transform existing organizations and give rise to new business models. Once students understand data as a production factor, this course shows them how to generate insights and gain value from it by means of various analytical and graphic tools.

Module 13 Leadership & Organization

This course will help you to understand yourself better through your own assessments and reflections and will encourage you to engage with your peers to self-reflect and exchange feedback. The ultimate aim of the course is for you to build on strengths and compensate for weaknesses so that you can lead your peers, teams, and organizations to your full potential. We will focus on the following:

  • Self-awareness
  • Personality and leadership skills
  • Managing the dynamics of power
  • Using power for leadership
  • Interpersonal influence
  • Difficult conversations
  • Feedback giving
  • Leading cross culturally
  • Leading virtually
  • Leading digital transformation
Module 14 TIDE (Technology, Innovation, Disruption & Entrepreneurship)

More than ever before, technological innovation and disruption affect the way business is conducted and new wealth is created. How to master technological change and profit from innovation are therefore key questions for business leaders. They are essential for developing a competitive advantage and boosting performance in all company types – new and old, large and small – across all industries. In this course, you will not only be exposed to the latest thinking about entrepreneurship, technological change and innovation but also apply new business tools that allow you to master technological disruption. Furthermore, you will develop an individual strategic innovation project for your company.

Module 15 Sales & Distribution Management

This course is designed with the objective of understanding distribution channels and how organizations can leverage them to create value, differentiate themselves in their markets, and gain a competitive advantage. Product proliferation, media fragmentation, intermediary power, e-commerce, omnichannel strategy, among other things, have converged to place a premium on effective channel design and management. The success of Apple, Alibaba, Amazon, Coupang, Mercado Libre, Rakuten, Reliance, Walmart, BlaBlaCar, Uber, Grab, Airbnb, Expedia, etc., indicates that careful attention to distribution can be tremendously rewarding. The course covers channel issues that are internal (salesforce management, account management, sales-marketing-organization interface) and external (retailing, wholesaling, trade relationships, channel conflict, channel coordination) to a firm. The contexts used to explore these issues are a mix of B2B and B2C settings. At the end of the course, you will be able to appreciate the complexity and central role of the sales and distribution functions and the vital part they play in implementing the marketing strategy.

Module 16 Corporate Strategy

Strategic management takes the perspective of the general manager involved with managing a business unit in its totality. The course focuses on the underlying conditions that permit a firm to develop, sustain, and capture the value of a superior strategic position. At the end of the course, you will have gained an actionable understanding of the strategy concept, enabling you to participate confidently in the strategic dialogue within your organization.

Module 17 Management in Transition Economies

Most industries are currently exposed to the galvanizing forces of globalization. Global operations are no longer confined to mining, petroleum, or manufacturing firms but include also a growing number of small firms, even start-ups including born globals, that are looking for global opportunities. This course is designed to provide theoretical and practical frameworks that enable managers to formulate and implement an effective global strategy, specifically in the context of emerging Asian economies.

We will examine how multinational corporations can create and manage competitive advantages in response to the opportunities and challenges they encounter in global competition. The major objectives of this course can be categorized as follows:

  • Understand the fundamental issues in globalization and multinational enterprises
  • Understand and analyze recent trends in the international business environment
  • Review the main theories and best practices of international business
  • Acquire analytical and strategic skills for competing in the global marketplace

EMBA Program Details

Goals & Benefits

As our student, you benefit from:

  • A personal community of inspiring classmates, professors, and guest speakers
  • Thoroughly designed curricula guided by economic principles and executive needs
  • New perspectives on management for immediate transfer into your
    organization
  • Carefully selected professors from top business schools worldwide
  • A four-week residency in Rochester (United States) and a one-week
    study trip to Asia
  • A dual degree from both the United States and Switzerland
  • Lifelong learning in attractive alumni/ae associations
Modules, Dates & Professors
Financial Accounting
14.02. – 29.03.2025
Filip Roodhooft
Professor Filip Roodhooft
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Vlerick Business School, Belgium
Valuation
14.02. – 12.04.2025
Claudio Loderer
Professor Claudio Loderer
University of Bern, Switzerland
Managerial Accounting
01.03. – 29.03.2025
Filip Roodhooft
Professor Filip Roodhooft
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Vlerick Business School, Belgium
Managerial Economics
18.04. – 17.05.2025
Professor David Myatt
Professor David Myatt
London Business School, England
Global Economic Environment
02.05. – 31.05.2025
Aymo Brunetti
Professor Aymo Brunetti
University of Bern, Switzerland
Managerial Decision Analysis
30.05. – 12.07.2025
Corporate Financial Policy
13.06. – 12.07.2025
Urs Wälchli
Professor Urs Wälchli
Simon Business School, University of Rochester, U.S.
Information Systems for Management
23.08. – 19.09.2025
Ravi N Mantena
Professor Ravi Mantena
Simon Business School, University of Rochester, U.S.
Modern Marketing
23.08. – 19.09.2025
Professor Ronald Goettler
Professor Ronald Goettler
Simon Business School, University of Rochester, U.S.
Pricing Policies
23.08. – 19.09.2025
Professor Greg Shaffer
Professor Greg Shaffer
Simon Business School, University of Rochester, U.S.
Business Analytics
10.10. – 25.10.2025
Operations & Supply Chain Management
24.10. – 08.11.2025
Aymo Brunetti
Professor Robert Boute
Vlerick Management School, Belgium
Leadership & Organization
21.11.2025 – 10.01.2026
Prof. Dr. Claudia Peus
Professor Claudia Peus
Technical University of Munich, Germany
TIDE (Technology, Innovation, Disruption & Entrepreneurship)
22.11.2025 – 06.02.2026
Marc Gruber
Professor Marc Gruber
École polytechnique de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
Sales & Distribution Management
09.01. – 24.01.2026
Corporate Strategy
07.02. – 21.02.2026
Filip Caeldries
Professor Filip Caeldries
TIAS Business School, Tilburg University, the Netherlands
Management in Transition Economies (Asia Experience)
20.04. – 24.04.2026
Professors and guest speakers in Asia

Please note that courses and dates can be subjects to change.

Applied Assignments

You will receive a grade for each of the 17 courses in our program. Your professors will evaluate your performance through individual online exams, group homework and case studies, individually written papers, presentations, and class participation. To culminate what you learned throughout the program, you will develop and present an innovative project for your own company. Your final step is submitting the related project paper. After successfully completing all assignments, you will earn an MBA from the University of Rochester and an EMBA from the University of Bern (dual degree).

Target Audience/Requirements

Classes are made up of executives and managers whose backgrounds include finance, manufacturing, business administration, IT, engineering, law, medicine, and other fields.

To qualify for the program, we require:

  • A university degree (or equivalent) plus at least 5 years of management experience (as a project or line manager)
    or
    Over 10 years of high-level managerial and leadership experience in lieu of academic qualifications
  • Middle or senior level management experience with the potential for taking on increased responsibilities within the organization
  • A convincing character and the ability to work in a team
  • The ability to set priorities to successfully balance your job, studies, and personal life
  • Fluency in English
Program Fees

Fees for the EMBA program amount to CHF 75,000.

You may pay in three installments spread over three fiscal years to benefit from a tax reduction*. In detail:

  • First year
    Deposit (after admission): CHF 7,000
    1st installment by November 30: CHF 25,000
  • Second year
    2nd installment by June 30: CHF 25,000
  • Third year
    3rd installment by January 31: CHF 18,000

 

The cost includes tuition, materials, lunches and refreshments on regular class days, accommodation abroad, university registration and exam fees, and the graduation ceremony.

The fees do not include accommodation in Switzerland or any airfare.

*Since 2016, EMBA students can deduct up to CHF 12,000 annually from their federal taxes for further education (exact amount determined by individual cantons).

Scholarships & Financial Assistance

The Rochester-Bern Fund (for EMBA only)

Since investing in further education requires a substantial financial commitment, Rochester-Bern offers a limited number of early enrollment incentives, scholarships, reductions, and additional sources of financial support for EMBA students. We evaluate candidates’ eligibility for awards and discounts based on the time of enrollment, financial need and qualifications, as well as the select memberships below. These are not cumulative. Should a candidate qualify for more than one reduction, the larger amount applies.

Early Enrollment Incentives

Early applications benefit from a reduction.

  • Incentive I, CHF 5,000
    Application received by May 31
  • Incentive II, CHF 3,000
    Application received by September 15

Scholarships

Based on our cooperation with companies, Alumni/-ae and the Forté Foundation, we offer scholarships for exceptionally qualified individuals who receive no financial support from their employer.

To apply for a scholarship, please speak with one of our recruiters for further details and include the following in your online application:

  • A statement highlighting your top achievements, how you believe you can contribute to the class, and why you are applying for a scholarship (included in your letter of motivation)
  • A copy of the further education agreement with your employer, which confirms that you are not receiving funding from your company for the EMBA

Partners

Members of our partners can benefit from a discount for our EMBA Program. Our partners are listed here.

 

Application/Registration
Icon of an Application Form with a pencil next to it
Step 1
Online Application

Please complete the online application form for your respective program choice and upload it into the application tool. We require you to submit the following and tick all confirmation boxes in the tool:

  • Two recommendation forms
  • Statement of company approval
  • CV/resume
  • Official diploma and transcripts
  • Letter of motivation
  • Portrait photo
  • Copy of passport or ID card
Icon of two Speech Bubbles – Initial Meeting
Step 2
Personal Interviews

If you meet the admission requirements, we will invite you to participate in two personal interviews, one with an alumnus/a of the program and one with the Academic Director.

Icon of an Application Form with a Check Mark – Admission Decision
Step 3
Admission Decision

We will let you know of our decision within one week after the second interview.

Icon of a Rocket Taking off – Program Start
Step 4
Deposit & Preparation

Upon acceptance into the program, we will send you an acceptance letter and ask you to pay a CHF 7,000 deposit to complete the process. We will apply the deposit towards your first tuition payment. Once we receive the deposit, we will send you further information to help you prepare for the program.

Class Statistics

In our classes, we seek to combine a diversity of profiles to provide you with the most beneficial classroom experience and professional network possible. Here you can find the statistics of a typical class.

Origin

Functional Background

Industry Background

Gender
(female students)
Average
Age
Average
Work Experience
Average
Management Experience
23% 39 16 9

Next Information Sessions and Open Days

What Our Clients Say

Portrait von Tobias Kaiser, EMBA Alumnus
Tobias Kaiser
Head of Grid Connection Management & Metering Point Operation, BKW AG

“The Rochester-Bern EMBA has helped me plant the seeds which will continue to grow during future business challenges. Being able to put into practice what I just learned from outstanding professors and smart, ambitious fellow students is game-changing in VUCA times.”

Portrait von Claudia Escher, EMBA Alumna
Claudia Escher
COO, TOLREMO therapeutics AG

“The Rochester-Bern EMBA has provided me with a comprehensive package of knowledge and application to master all aspects of a business. The excellent international faculty and the inspiring class of peers from different industries made the program truly deliver on its promise to change the way I think.”

Portrait von Christian Graf, Alumnus EMBA
Christian Graf
CEO, Boa Lingua

“I really like the focus on business and finance, the outstanding faculty, as well as the customer care I received from the Rochester-Bern team! With each new course, you build on the knowledge you gained in the previous one, and the learning curve is steep. The dual degree is, of course, a plus too.”

Modular EMBA

To provide you with additional flexibility, we offer a modular version of our EMBA. You have the option of beginning with a Certificate or Diploma of Advanced Studies (CAS or DAS) and pursuing the rest of the EMBA within five years. It is also possible to complete a certificate or diploma without continuing further EMBA studies.
Asia Experience
1 week
DAS in General
Management
8 months

DAS in General Management

After successfully completing the general management portion of the program (CAS Business Transformation, CAS Big Data & Supply Chain and Asia Experience), you will be awarded a DAS in General Management with focus Business Agility.

Executive MBA
16 months

Executive MBA

The Rochester-Bern EMBA begins in February and runs for a period of 16 months. For additional flexibility, you may split your studies into three parts over five years: two Diplomas of Advanced Studies (DAS in Finance or DAS in General Management) and a subsequent residency at the University of Rochester.

DAS in Finance
6 months

DAS in Finance

Once you successfully complete the foundational courses in finance and economics (CAS Finance Boost and CAS Economics & Statistics), you will receive a DAS in Finance with focus Business Analysis.

CAS Business
Transformation
CAS Big Data
& Supply Chain
Rochester U.S.
Residency
4 weeks
CAS Economics
& Statistics
CAS Finance
Boost

Get in touch with us!

Do you have questions about the program? Our team is happy to answer them.

Book a personal online consultation.

Best Student Award

Omega awards the best Rochester-Bern EMBA student with a luxurious timepiece.

Übergabe der Omega-Uhr bei der Abschlussfeier

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