Enrolling in an executive MBA program is a big decision for most entrepreneurs. These rigorous part-time degree programs for high-level execs demand an enormous commitment of time -- up to two years of coursework. And throughout, those who entroll will have to juggle school with running a business and family responsibilities. They are a pricey proposition, too, with tuition ranging from about $34,000 to upwards of $100,000.

Still, many grads say the programs more than pay for themselves because students develop a valuable network of contacts while honing their skills in practical, hands-on classes. In BusinessWeek's 2001 survey of EMBA programs at B-schools in the U.S. and abroad, an overwhelming 72% of survey respondents from companies with 100 employees or less said that the EMBA degree was "definitely worth the money, time and effort."

That was certainly the case for Vipul Goel, CEO of NetAppl Inc., a Bay Area infotech software vendor and a 20001 grad of UCLA's EMBA program. Goel says he has used what he learned to boost his bottom line by 25%, and he has also turned some former classmates into clients

In BusinessWeek's first survey of EMBA programs in a decade, we asked 2001 grads from 82 B-schools to rate the programs they attended by various subject areas, including entrepreneurship. Below is a chart listing the top 15 schools for entrepreneurship training. To determine the best EMBA programs overall, BusinessWeek polled both program directors and grads. (Schools that earned top marks in entrepreneurship may have a lower overall score). Take a look at the complete EMBA rankings and profiles of 161 programs.

BusinessWeek's

Best Executive MBA Programs for Entrepreneurs

Rank:

Provider/Location

$U.S.

% of students from small companies:

Comments:

1

Southern

Methodist (Cox)

Dallas, Texas

$55,825

15%

Professor Jerry White's popular entrepreneurship class is required for

all EMBA students

2

Georgetown

(McDonough)

Washington, D.C.

$66,600

16%

Students consult to small companies in Latin America during a weeklong

residency

3

Pittsburgh (Katz)

Pittsburgh

$42,000

7%

Plans to provide alums with networking and faculty resources for startups

4

London Business School

London

$54,000

19%

Offers five electives, including law, finance, and venture capital

5

UCLA

(Anderson)

Los Angeles

$60,370

35%

Wide range of entrepreneurship classes offered as electives

6

Texas-Austin

(McCombs)

Austin, Texas

$53,000

20%

17 of their '00 students left big companies to create four startups

7

IMD

Lausanne, Switzerland

$66,500

11%

Students visit high-tech startups and use them for "live" case studies

8

Pennsylvania

(Wharton)

Philadelphia

$106,600

15%

Wharton West program now open in San Francisco; same courses, faculty

as Philly flagship

9

Queen's

UKingston, Ontario

$44,000

23%

All students must complete a plan for a new venture in their second

year

10

USC

(Marshall)

Los Angeles

$64,120

27%

Resources include Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies; family business

center.

11

William

and MaryWilliamsburg, Va.

$51,500

6%

Entrepreneurship elective offered in the program's last semester

12

Texas-Dallas,

Dallas, Texas

$42,500

20%

Required course in developing business ventures supplemented with electives

13

Xavier

(Williams)

Cincinnati

$33,950

7%

Students have to create a business plan for entrepreneurship class

14

Duke

(Fuqua)

Durham, N.C.

$66,000

13%

Two courses devoted to entrepreneurship: one focused on planning, the

other on growth

15

Case

Western Reserve (Weatherhead)

Cleveland, Ohio

$68,000

18%

EMBAs can tap partner Entreprise Development, Inc., a resource center

for entrepreneurial studies, for help with their own business problems

Entrepreneurship rankings were determined by a BusinessWeek

Online survey of more than 3,000 graduates of 82 B-schools. EMBA grads

were asked to rate their satisfaction with their school's efforts in entrepreneurship

from 1 (not satisfied) to 5 (very satisfied).

By Brian Hindo in New YorkEdited by Robin D. Schatz