Experience SMU Cox Immersions.

At SMU Cox, graduates of our Online MBA programs are poised to find creative solutions to business challenges from day one due to the experiential opportunities at the heart of our curriculum. No matter which Cox online program you choose, you will have an opportunity to experience global and domestic immersion trips with peers and professors. Our immersion trips are located in cities chosen for their strategic relevance to the business community. Over the course of an immersion, you’ll gain hands-on experience working in teams on a real-time project that will challenge you to overcome complex corporate obstacles in a fluid global market. You’ll explore leadership and analytics topics and hear from top corporate executives on their experiences.

In an era of business ambiguity and flux, immersions teach MBA candidates the skills to pivot and meet today’s evolving changes and challenges.

Dubai, October 2021

We challenged our Online MBA students to think outside of the boardroom. Program participants converged in Dubai, UAE for a 5-day immersion in the midst of the Middle East.

The immersion experience included:

  • Keynote speaker Dayle Rebecca Carden, Managing partner of Elliott Barrett Group, a Dallas-based strategic advisory firm
  • Team projects that integrate strategy and leadership skills with several companies in UAE
  • Opportunities to network and interact with SMU Cox program faculty
A picture of Dubai

Experience Details

Immersion highlights:

  • Welcome dinner cruise with the SMU Cox community
  • Dubai city tour and Burj Khalifa visit
  • Desert Safari tour
  • Final presentation and awards ceremony
A picture of Dubai

Past Immersions

In-Person Immersions

Colorado, June 2021

The immersion experience included:

  • Team projects that integrate strategy and nature with the executive owner of Devil’s Thumb Ranch (DTR)
  • Opportunities to network and interact with SMU Cox program faculty
  • Team adventure games featuring ten physical and intellectual challenges across the 6,500 acre ranch, designed to develop leadership
  • Voluntary activities including horseback riding and fly fishing
A group of people holding SMU flag

London, December 2019

The immersion experience included:

  • Presentations from industry giants, startups, and NGOs, including: Microsoft, Eversend mobile online bank, Monzo bank, and TACT fostering agency
  • Students using complex problem solving skills and analyzing business, economic, and financial market implications in real-time.
  • Opportunity to explore the rich history and cultural landmarks of London, Bath, Windsor, and Stonehenge
A group of people in front of Stonehenge

“We needed to bring strategic and tactical solutions in a short time, which represents the reality of every business. I love this type of work since part of my job is to help companies succeed using technology.”

Silvia Davis, Online MBA ‘21, Product and Solutions Marketing Strategist

Virtual Immersions

Virtual Immersions August

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the SMU Cox community to think creatively with an eye on transformation. Our virtual immersions brought students together to tackle current organizational challenges, reimagine business models, and hear from industry innovators on the importance of collaboration in a virtual world.

Hands working with a computer

Innovation Hackathon, August 2020

  • MBA student teams worked with 15 early stage companies from around the world to reimagine their businesses in the midst of a global pandemic
  • Students pitched innovative business solutions to judges representing leading early stage investors
  • Keynote addresses from Cox School of Business Dean Matt Myers, Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Billion Dollar Fund for Women Entrepreneurs Shelly Porges
  • Students gained first-hand experience and applied best practices on collaboration in a virtual business environment
Skyline of a city

“Battle for the Cloud” War Game, February 2021

  • Students participated in workshops teaching competitive intelligence, scenario planning, and war gaming
  • The three-round war game ended with a catastrophic scenario challenging student teams to recalibrate their strategies to survive and prosper
  • Judges included c-suite executives from the world’s leading cloud providers and their global clients
  • Jay Nakagawa, Director of Competitive Intelligence at Dell Technologies, delivered the keynote address
Skyline of a city

Want to learn more about your Online MBA options? Speak with an Advisor today.