In the third part of the INSEAD MBA Analysis, we cover INSEAD MBA's core courses, electives, experiential learning, campus exchange opportunities, global projects, and Dual/Joint Degree programs.
To evaluate INSEAD MBA’s total cost (cost of the Singapore vs Fontainebleau campuses), and funding opportunities, read the first part of the series – INSEAD MBA Total Cost, Funding Options - Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans (third part), and Essay Tips (fourth part).
INSEAD MBA Course Schedule
The INSEAD MBA stands out for its accelerated 10-month format, offering a full business education in less time than most global programs.
In this INSEAD MBA Curriculum Analysis, we cover:
- Academic Periods
- Building the Core
- Electives - Periods 4 and 5
- Experiential Learning: Capstone, PLDP and International Exchanges
- INSEAD MBA Curriculum's Uniqueness: Sustainability and Responsible Leadership
- Global Learning – Dual Degree and International Exchange
1. What are the Academic Periods at INSEAD?
The academic journey is divided into five intensive periods, each lasting approximately eight weeks, with each phase building on the previous one. The program begins with a pre-MBA option and culminates in a Capstone that integrates all aspects of learning.
A Fast Start: Period 0 and Business Foundations Week
Before the core curriculum begins, INSEAD offers an optional Business Foundations Week. This preparatory module is designed especially for students from non-business backgrounds or those who want to brush up on fundamentals. It covers essential topics like accounting, quantitative methods, and academic preparation, ensuring all students are equipped to handle the program’s demanding pace from day one.
Alongside academics, this period includes student life webinars and networking opportunities, helping participants integrate into INSEAD’s multicultural environment and build connections early.
2. Building the Core: Periods 1–3 with 14 Required Courses
The heart of the MBA starts with 14 core courses distributed across Periods 1 to 3. These courses create a strong foundation across key disciplines such as finance, economics, marketing, operations, and leadership.
Period 1: Setting the Foundation
• Financial Accounting
• Prices and Markets
• Organizational Behaviour I
• Financial Markets and Valuation
• Uncertainty, Data and Judgement
• Introduction to Strategy
This period introduces analytical and strategic thinking, and helps students understand market dynamics and internal business functions.
Period 2: Expanding Functional Knowledge
• Corporate Financial Policy
• Managerial Accounting
• Organizational Behaviour II
• Managing Customer Value
• Process and Operations Management
• Leadership Communication Foundations
In this stage, students move deeper into decision-making, financial planning, and customer engagement, while also refining their leadership communication skills.
Period 3: Shifting Toward Personalization
• Business and Society
• Macroeconomics in the Global Economy
• +3.5 elective courses
This is a transitional period where students begin shaping their academic journey with elective choices while continuing core learning focused on global economics and social responsibility.
In-Depth Analysis from F1GMAT's Research Desk (Edited by Atul Jose, Founding Consultant)
For full details on bidding rules, seat availability, planning cross-campus rotations, and into specific electives, to see if 10 months is sufficient to accelerate your skill development and networking opportunities, Join F1GMAT Premium
3. Customizing the Experience: Periods 4 and 5 (Electives)
Once the foundation is in place, students fully transition into elective coursework, choosing from over 75 electives across ten academic areas, including finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
Period 4
• 4 elective courses
Period 5
• 3 elective courses
• Final Capstone
This phase allows students to explore specific interests, prepare for targeted career paths, or build breadth across multiple domains. INSEAD's global faculty and diverse cohort enable cross-sector, cross-cultural learning throughout.
Related: INSEAD MBA: Essay Tips, Analysis, and Strategies
4. INSEAD MBA Curriculum's Uniqueness: Sustainability and Responsible Leadership
INSEAD has integrated sustainability and responsible leadership as cross-cutting themes throughout its MBA curriculum.
Students are encouraged to evaluate risk through a long-term lens, manage trade-offs, and lead with an understanding of systemic global challenges. Whether through case discussions or project-based work, sustainability is not confined to one course; it’s embedded in how strategy, operations, and finance are taught.
Period 0 | Period 1 | Period 2 | Period 3 | Period 4 | Period 5 |
| Pre MBA Elements | 6 Core Courses | 6 Core Courses | 2 Core Courses | 4 Electives | 3 Electives |
| Business Foundations Week (Optional) | Financial Accounting | Corporate Financial Policy | Macroeconomics in the Global Economy | Capstone Course | |
| Student Life Webinars | Organisational Behaviour 1 | Managing Customer Value | Business and Society | ||
| Networking Opportunities | Financial Markets and Valuation | Organisational Behaviour 2 | 3.5 Electives | ||
| Prices and Markets | Managerial Accounting | ||||
| Uncertainty, Data and Judgement | Process and Operations Management | ||||
| Introduction to Strategy | Leadership Communication Foundations |
5. Experiential Learning: Capstone, PLDP and International Exchanges
Beyond classroom learning, INSEAD’s MBA integrates hands-on experiences that challenge students to apply what they’ve learned in real-world settings.
These opportunities, including the Capstone simulation, Personal Leadership Development Programme (PLDP), and international exchanges, sharpen decision-making, leadership, and global agility.
Here’s an overview of INSEAD’s core experiential learning opportunities:
Program | Relevant Industries / Functions | Description |
| Capstone Simulation | Strategy, Consulting, General Management, Sustainability | A three-day strategic simulation where students take on executive roles (CEO, CFO, CMO) to lead a virtual company through complex challenges. Recent themes include ESG strategy turnarounds, tech disruptions, and emerging market expansion. Designed to test integrated decision-making under pressure. |
| Personal Leadership Development Programme (PLDP) | All sectors (Leadership Development) | A 10-month journey that includes coaching, feedback sessions, and reflective exercises. Students use tools like psychometric assessments and 360° feedback to strengthen self-awareness and develop a personal leadership style. |
| Campus Exchange Program | Strategy, Luxury, Industrial Goods, Tech, Startups, Supply Chain, Energy, Public Sector, Family Business | INSEAD’s tri-campus system allows students to rotate between Fontainebleau, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi. Exchanges begin in Period 3, managed through a structured bidding system. Each campus offers exposure to distinct markets, leadership styles, and sectoral expertise. For further details on bidding policies, timelines, and strategic planning, subscribe to the premium version. |
INSEAD Capstone: Simulating Executive-Level Decisions
The Capstone takes place in the final period and is a signature component of the program. It’s a three-day simulation where students take on C-suite roles in companies navigating crises, expansions, or industry shifts. Working under pressure, each team must manage operations, finance, marketing, and strategy, all while responding to real-time developments.
Recent Capstone scenarios include:
• Sustainable Strategy Turnaround: Leading a legacy industrial firm to pivot toward ESG goals while maintaining investor trust.
• Emerging Market Expansion: Launching healthcare operations in price-sensitive markets such as India and Sub-Saharan Africa.
• AI and Ethics in Tech: Steering a consumer data platform through an AI rollout, while managing privacy risks and public trust.
• Luxury Brand Reinvention: Aligning a high-end fashion brand with climate targets without compromising brand equity.
Personal Leadership Development Programme (PLDP): Leading from Within
The PLDP runs in parallel with academic courses from start to finish. Built on adult learning theory, it uses structured feedback, personal reflection, and coaching to help students become more self-aware and adaptive leaders.
Key elements include:
• One-on-one coaching sessions
• Peer feedback and group learning
• Personality and leadership assessments
• Structured journaling and self-review cycles
Global Perspective Through Campus Mobility
INSEAD’s multi-campus setup is a defining feature of its global MBA. Students can switch between Fontainebleau (France), Singapore, and Abu Dhabi starting from Period 3, enabling first-hand exposure to different cultural, economic, and business environments.
Each campus offers distinct regional strengths:
• Europe (Fontainebleau): Legacy industries, luxury goods, and strategy
• Asia (Singapore): Innovation ecosystems, startups, and supply chains
• Middle East (Abu Dhabi): Energy, infrastructure, and public-private dynamics
Students plan their exchange paths using a bidding system, where they’re allocated points to prioritize campus switches and elective access. Most students are guaranteed one campus change, but timing and availability vary based on demand and intake season.
6. Global Learning – Dual Degree and Exchange
International Exchange
The three campuses in France, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi, as well as agreements with Wharton and Kellogg in the United States and CEIBS in China, provide many chances for INSEAD MBA students to widen their views through the campus exchange program. Students must spend the first two semesters of their program on their home campus. As a result, the campus exchange option is only available beginning in Period 3. The exchange between the United States and CEIBS is only accessible for one academic year.
Dual MBA Degree
INSEAD has two key partners that offer dual degrees to INSEAD MBA students: Columbia’s Teacher's College and John Hopkins.
Students at INSEAD and The Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) can complete a joint MBA/MAIR degree program in less than two years by spending one and a half years at SAIS and one year at INSEAD. The dual-degree program permits students from both schools to pursue the SAIS Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR) and the INSEAD MBA at the same time.
Dual Degree - MBA and MA
Beginning in 2014, INSEAD and Columbia University's Teacher's College collaborated to develop a dual degree program for individuals interested in earning both an MBA and an MA. Graduates of the dual degree program will get a Master of Arts (MA) in Education Leadership from Teacher's College and an MBA from INSEAD. Graduates will be able to achieve a combined MA/MBA degree in just two years, thanks, to the accelerated curriculum.
Field Trips
INSEAD provides four elective field trips under the Elective theme of:
- Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise: Building Business in China
- Building Business in India
- Building Business in Russia
- Building Business in Silicon Valley.
Marketing courses also include a Discover Israel field trip.
Related Service: F1GMAT's INSEAD MBA Application Essay Editing Service
Related Book: F1GMAT’s INSEAD MBA Essay Guide
Reference
INSEAD MBA Analysis
- INSEAD MBA - Total Cost and Funding Tips (Part 1)
- INSEAD MBA - Curriculum Analysis (Part 2)
- INSEAD MBA - Scholarships, Loans and Financial Aid (Part 3)
- INSEAD MBA: Essay Tips, Analysis, and Strategies (Part 4)
- INSEAD MBA - Salary Trends (Part 5)
