That shift is at the heart of the Fox MBA, which now integrates a skills-based Learning Lab component into every core course. This format is designed to mirror how business decisions are made—collaboratively, dynamically and under real constraints.
Unlike traditional MBA formats that prioritize lecture and case discussion, this structure operates on a three-part learning model designed to move students from foundational understanding to real-world application.
Each week, students progress through three distinct components:
- Pre-lecture learning with faculty-created and curated material to establish core concepts.
- Faculty-led live lectures to deepen understanding and make connections across business functions.
- Learning Lab—also called Leadership Laboratories—where students apply what they’ve learned to real-world business management problems. The labs function as high-engagement, collaborative problem-solving sessions guided by an industry expert Lab Leader.
The result is an MBA experience built around procedural knowledge that distinguishes confident leaders from passive learners. Whether studying online or in person, all Fox MBA students benefit from this redesigned approach.
From defined problems to real-world ambiguity
What separates the Learning Lab from a traditional classroom is the execution-based problem solving where students are asked to test ideas, iterate and reflect, developing not just business knowledge, but professional judgment.
“When you’re looking at problems purely in an academic environment, oftentimes they are given to us well-defined and structured,” said Rebecca Smith, an executive lab leader who facilitated the Learning Lab sessions for the Strategic Management course. “But in an actual corporate business environment, we get problems or challenges or opportunities that are very undefined and unstructured. Part of what we’re asked to do is to bring structure to that so that we can guide teams and guide our colleagues into the best solution possible.”
That mirrors a broader shift happening across business education. Employers increasingly expect MBA graduates to arrive with more than theoretical fluency—they want critical thinking, collaboration under pressure and the ability to navigate ambiguity from day one. The Learning Lab is Fox’s answer to that expectation.
“You can think back to learning how to drive a car,” said Crystal Harold, associate dean for masters programs and professor of management at the Fox School. “You begin by studying the driver’s manual, gaining a foundational understanding of the vehicle and the rules of the road. But that knowledge alone isn’t enough. To become truly road-ready, you must get behind the wheel and practice.”
The Fox MBA is designed the same way.
Students first build strong conceptual foundations in traditional classroom settings, then apply those ideas later in the Learning Labs. In small, interactive sessions, participants work through experiential exercises and cases designed by faculty and facilitated by Lab Leaders—industry experts with firsthand experience navigating complex business challenges.
Rather than delivering answers, Lab Leaders guide students through ambiguity, asking questions and challenging assumptions similar to the way managers do in real organizational settings.
“In class, we usually learn about what. But in the Learning Lab, we are learning how,” said Shantanu Ghule, an MBA student.
Confidence through practice
For many students, the Learning Lab becomes a turning point in their MBA experience—it’s where concepts click and leadership skills take shape.
“The students who have participated in the Learning Lab experience develop critical thinking, leadership, collaboration and strategic thinking skills that I think will serve them well in their careers,” Smith said.
That’s the promise of the redesigned Fox MBA: not just an education that looks good on paper, but one that prepares students to contribute, adapt and lead from day one. Or as Fox puts it: learn today, lead tomorrow.
Curious about how the Fox MBA can benefit your career?
Learn more here.