Access Weekends

A key distinction of the FlexMBA program are the Access Weekends that occur throughout the academic year at various locations in the U.S., including key Carnegie Mellon sites (Pittsburgh main campus, New York and Silicon Valley). The three-day, immersive weekends are designed to combine professional development opportunities with your ongoing academic schedule. Via an intense schedule of in-person class time, you will not only immerse yourself in a high-energy academic experience, but you will also have networking and leadership development programming during these breaks.

Throughout the three years of the FlexMBA program, there will be a total of 15 Access Weekends scheduled for students. Each Access Weekend is structured to wrap-up and complete the students' current mini-semester courses, bridge to and begin the initial coursework for the next, subsequent mini-semester, and provide students with networking opportunities with Tepper School alumni and corporate/industry partners of Carnegie Mellon University.   We firmly resist the notion that online students might end up as "out of sight, out of mind," and we have committed to ensuring that FlexMBA students have key opportunities for a student experience that involves in-person and team building sessions with professors and classmates as well as networking with industry professionals.

Close-Knit Community

The average Access Weekend class will have approximately 40 - 60 students, which allows for a more personal learning experience between you, your professors and your classmates. The Access Weekends build on the study experience by integrating professional development programming with Tepper School and Carnegie Mellon University alumni.

Each Access Weekend will be scheduled to:

• Conduct classroom sessions with your professors for final projects, presentations and work associated with the mini-semester that is concluding.


• Bridge to and begin the initial coursework for the subsequent mini-semester.


• The Access Weekend schedule will feature career development content and interaction with alumni alongside your coursework. This personal networking component will be tailored to various locations so that a range of industries and job functions are highlighted during your visits. During your 32 months of study in the program, you will have 15 Access Weekends, which is a significant portion of time committed to advancing your career alongside the academic, classroom component.
   
• Coaching and mentoring sessions with the Accelerate Leadership Center staff for review on the progress regarding your leadership implementation plan.


• In Year One and Year Two, Access Weekends will be combined with the school's on-campus orientation, and FlexMBA students will kick off their year with orientation and leadership programming aimed at accelerating their studies.