A unique, 100% online, virtual-reality MBA program, immersing aspiring leaders in simulated workplace scenarios to rapidly develop and practice  critical business skills.

The Lake Forest Graduate School of Management Immersion MBA (iMBA) is a 12-course, part-time, accredited program that offers the next generation of business education to the next generation of leaders. Lake Forest Graduate School of Management (LFGSM) was founded in 1946 and is the 4th largest independent not-for-profit MBA program in the Chicago area.

The iMBA program offers a unique experience working in a virtual corporation with real products, customers, competitors, opportunities and failures. As you rotate through a variety of departments such as marketing, human resources and finance, you will take on different responsibilities and projects along the way. Throughout your rotation, you will not only learn business theory, but the ability to apply it to the virtual company as well as your own workplace.

Your success in the iMBA is not only determined by traditional educational measures, but by your job performance in the virtual company. Faculty is there every step of the way to ensure your success with the program. LFGSM faculty is 100% practitioner and made up of successful business leaders and professionals from key executives in Fortune 500 companies to entrepreneurial founders of start-ups who bring a wealth of knowledge from their personal experience. In addition, volunteer alumni mentors are available to share experiences and provide support.

The iMBA program includes additional components such as career assessments and guidance, e-portfolios, and group projects to enhance the application of your education. This combination of virtual reality immersion and interaction with your fellow students, faculty and mentors is designed to give aspiring leaders the most impactful and engaging online learning experience available.

As an independent, accredited, not-for-profit business management school, we put your success first. Through this unique, dynamic, interactive program, the iMBA will provide you with not just knowledge, but real experience to build your resume and help you become the leader you aspire to be.

There are six primary processes of learning in each Immersion MBA course:

• OBSERVATION of the Central Products Company managers' and employees' work, and the work of fellow students.
• EXPLANATION through training and instruction by the Central Department manager, the faculty mentor, and assigned readings.
• APPLICATION of the student's knowledge to problems and case studies within the Central Products Company and the market and industry context. These are assigned by the manager or faculty mentor.
• MENTORING through feedback, instruction, and correction by the practitioner mentor and faculty mentor when the student is not getting things quite right or additional perspective is deemed necessary. The student also receives real-time feedback from the courseware's "performance gauge" and periodic performance appraisals.
• TESTING AND REVIEW is accomplished through both the Central Products Company context and through more traditional-looking tests (competency hurdles) at the end of each module.
• CONTEXTUALIZING is completed through the cohort mentoring experience where students interact with one another and learn from practicing professionals about practical business and ethical issues.