In 2022, Paul Hungler was positioned to step into an associate professor role at Queen’s University, and his resume was outstanding. He had graduated with top honours in his undergraduate studies, earned master’s and PhD degrees in engineering, and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
He realised, however, that the new role would demand a broader business perspective, one shaped by strategy, financial understanding, and leadership at scale. So, he did what he had always done when faced with a challenge: he set out to find a solution.
In his research, Hungler discovered the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s one-year Executive MBA for Strategic Leadership (EMBA-SL). The programme was designed specifically for senior leaders, with a curriculum that delivered immediate value to its students and their organisations. It was exactly what he needed.
“The Haslam EMBA is unique,” Hungler says. “We learned the human side of leadership, and how to use that information to improve our organisations, as well as society. The opportunity to hear from accomplished professionals across a variety of industries and backgrounds allowed me to really connect the educational content to the real world.”
Haslam’s EMBA-SL is a graduate programme for executives seeking to become adaptable, transformative leaders committed to lifelong learning and driving positive change. Source: University of Tennessee
Hungler’s experience underscores the programme’s commitment to excellence. Now in its 32nd year, EMBA-SL is ranked 10th among US public universities by the Financial Times and ninth by Poets & Quants. Those numbers reflect a programme that has spent years earning its reputation through meaningful, lasting outcomes.
Much of the programme’s impact comes from its structure, with cohorts intentionally capped at around 30 students to foster close faculty engagement and honest peer exchange within an intimate learning environment. By the time students graduate, they have also joined a network of more than 600 alumni, a professional community that continues to open doors long after the year ends.
The programme’s results speak for themselves. In 2025, the Financial Times ranked Haslam’s EMBA number two among US public universities in alumni satisfaction, a sign that students continue to leverage their learning far beyond graduation. The programme’s long-term influence is rooted in a simple but important idea: the curriculum is not designed around hypothetical leadership challenges. It addresses the day-to-day questions that executives face at the enterprise level.
That concept takes its most concrete form in the Organisational Action Project. At the start of the programme, each student identifies a challenge or opportunity within their own organisation. Over the course of the year, with guidance from a faculty advisor, they design and implement a real solution. The result is a meaningful return on investment that demonstrates the EMBA’s value immediately.
“Our executive students have significant influence in their organisations and communities,” says Amy Cathey, Associate Dean for Graduate and Executive Education. “And the coursework is designed to reflect that. By encouraging students to use the concepts they’re learning during the programme, they can see the return on their investment immediately and make an impact that lasts long after they’ve graduated.”
Haslam’s EMBA-SL students have an average of 20 years of professional experience. Source: University of Tennessee
Fitting that kind of rigorous work into an already demanding professional life is where the programme’s one-year format becomes just as important as its content. Four in-person residencies, held once per quarter, anchor the academic year while keeping total time away from the office manageable. Each residency lasts nine consecutive days, typically spanning five business days and two weekends. This structure offers leaders an immersive experience without pulling them away from their organisations for extended periods.
Between residencies, the work continues. Students engage with coursework built around strategic leadership, organisational alignment, and decision-making in complex environments. The programme is designed to mirror how businesses actually operate, which means students are practising the kind of holistic, high-stakes thinking their roles already demand of them.
The cohort’s breadth of work experience adds another layer to that learning. Haslam’s EMBA-SL brings together professionals from a range of industries each year, creating rich opportunities. Many graduates carry that momentum forward, moving into expanded leadership roles or applying what they have built to influence major strategic initiatives.
Whether the goal is to broaden perspective, accelerate a career trajectory, or drive meaningful change within an organisation, Haslam’s one-year EMBA-SL offers a rigorous yet practical pathway.
Learn more about UT’s Executive MBA for Strategic Leadership.
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