St. Gallen: New part-time program

Because an MBA program is too long and expensive for many students, the PLD (cost: 28,000 euros) is meant to offer an alternative. The 38 days of instruction are dispersed over ten months. The participants attend a three- to five-day module in Barcelona, St. Gallen, Munich and Berlin once a month. At the end, they receive a “Diploma in Further Education” from St. Gallen. In order to receive one of the 30 to 50 places, applicants must have at least three to five years working experience and be able to prove career advancements.

Even before the start of the first program, the university has now decided to enable the PLD participants to expand the program into an part-time MBA program. The entire program lasts 20 months and instruction takes place once a month. The participants attend elective courses together with the students of the full-time MBA program. Tuition fees are 41,700 euros (67,000 Swiss francs). At the end students will receive a proper MBA degree from St. Gallen.

Those interested in an MBA must however meet the same requirements as for the full-time MBA. Among these requirements are a GMAT score of at least 650 points.

The part-time program fills a gap in the university’s portfolio, explains Executive Director Wolfgang Amann. Indeed, up until now an offer for junior executives has been missing. The option is said to be interesting for two groups in particular: Firstly, for those who, in economically turbulent times, do not want to give up their jobs and secondly for “high potentials,” who are already on the fast track in their company and wish to accelerate their career development even further with an MBA.

www.es.unisg.ch/pld