For the seventh year in a row, Kennesaw State University’s Executive Master of Business Administration has been rated as the best in Georgia and among the top in the world, according to the 2023 Global Executive MBA rankings released this week by CEO Magazine.

CEO Magazine ranked the Executive MBA in the Michael J. Coles College of Business third in the country and No. 12 in the world, placing it among the “Tier One” programs for the ninth year in a row. 

The magazine classifies programs as Tier One or Tier Two based on factors including quality of faculty, faculty-to-student ratio, international diversity and exposure, class size, accreditation, professional development, work experience, gender parity and instruction methods. 

“Anyone who has taken even the slightest look at our executive MBA program understands why it's consistently recognized as one of the best in the world,” said Robin Cheramie, dean of Coles College. “The faculty and staff have crafted a one-of-a-kind program that leverages a team-based approach, convenient scheduling, consistent mentorship, and a multidisciplinary curriculum to create leaders ready to take their organizations — and their careers — further than they ever thought possible.”

About 40 working professionals are enrolled annually in Coles College’s EMBA, which promotes collaboration, decision-making, resourcefulness, ingenuity and entrepreneurship. The program, with classes held approximately one weekend per month for 19 months, offers executive coaching and a customized curriculum for ambitious professionals, including executives, mid-level managers and entrepreneurs.

“Being ranked No. 1 in Georgia is a true testament to the value this program provides our students,” said Thomas Devaney, executive director of the EMBA program. “Our goal is to provide students with the tools they need to advance their careers. Maintaining our top ranking in Georgia is validation that we have created a unique program that is internationally recognized.”

The Executive MBA program is not the only KSU program featured in the CEO Magazine rankings. CEO Magazine ranked KSU’s MBA program a Tier One program and named the online MBA among the best in the world. The magazine also named the Coles College a premier Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) provider in its global listings based on accreditation, quality of faculty, geography and international standing. 

Kennesaw State’s DBA program transitioned five years ago to a Ph.D. in Business Administration in which students can pursue concentrations in accounting, information systems, management or marketing.

This year, CEO Magazine included business schools across North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere, and ranked data from 121 schools offering 239 different programs in 24 countries — 76 online, 68 EMBA and 95 full-time and part-time MBA programs.

The Michael J. Coles College of Business is one of the largest business schools in Georgia, with more than 8,000 students and 160 faculty members. The Coles College offers bachelor’s degrees in 10 majors with 16 minors, seven graduate degree programs, dual-degree options and executive education programs.