harvard business school continuing education

• Harvard Business School →
• Leadership →
• Executive Education →

Executive Education

We offer programs that strengthen the leadership capacity of individuals and their organizations., senior executive program—africa.

• Johannesburg, South Africa |
• 26 MAY–30 AUG 2024

Growing as a Purposeful Leader

• HBS Campus |
• 23–28 JUN 2024

Global Colloquium on Participant-Centered Learning

• 21–26 JUL 2024

Owner/President Management

• 01–20 SEP 2024 (UNIT 1 ONLY)

Managing Turbulence

• 09 OCT–06 DEC 2024

Senior Executive Leadership Program—China

• 13 OCT 2024–25 APR 2025

High Potentials Leadership Program

• 20–25 OCT 2024

Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation

• 08–13 DEC 2024

Authentic Leader Development

Developing yourself as a leader—virtual.

• 07 JAN–08 APR 2025

Agribusiness Seminar

• 12–15 JAN 2025

Senior Executive Leadership Program—India

• Mumbai, India |
• 13 JAN–05 SEP 2025

Senior Executive Leadership Program—Middle East

• 09 FEB–12 DEC 2025

Leading Global Businesses

• 16–21 FEB 2025

The Women's Leadership Forum

• 03–07 MAR 2025

Leading Change and Organizational Renewal

• 16–21 MAR 2025

Ascending the Peak: Finding the Leader Within—Virtual

• 01 APR–27 MAY 2025

Leading in the Digital Era

• 06–11 APR 2025

Advancing Women of Color in Leadership

• 27–30 APR 2025

PLD Module 5

• 20 MAY–25 JUL 2025

Leadership for Senior Executives

The hr-executive suite connection.

• Business Essentials
• Leadership & Management
• Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Digital Transformation
• Finance & Accounting
• Business in Society
• For Organizations
• Support Portal
• Media Coverage
• Founding Donors
• Leadership Team

• Harvard Business School →
• HBS Online →
• Learning Model

Certificates, Credentials, & Credits

• Employer Reimbursement
• Payment and Financial Aid
• Program Policies
• Student Stories
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Learning Tracks
• Preview the Harvard Business School Online Learning Experience
• Program Discounts
• Certificates, Credentials, & Credits →

Harvard Business School Online equips learners with vital business knowledge, applicable skills, and resume-worthy accolades. Each program offers varying levels of certification—from undergraduate credit to a Credential of Readiness. Explore what you can earn and the requirements for completing an HBS Online program.

Certificate of Completion

All paid HBS Online courses , with the exception of CORe , grant a Certificate of Completion. While each program can be completed on your own schedule, there are weekly deadlines to ensure you’re progressing through the course in step with your peers and taking full advantage of all networking and social learning opportunities.

To earn a Certificate of Completion, you must complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely manner, including meeting weekly deadlines, finishing assignments, offering feedback on others’ reflections, and contributing to conversations on the course platform.

Explore our Certificate FAQs for more information.

Certificate of Specialization

If you’ve finished an individual course and want to dive deeper into the subject, you might consider pursuing a Learning Track to earn a Certificate of Specialization.

Learning Tracks enable you to take three existing HBS Online courses within a specific subject area. If completed successfully, you’ll earn a Certificate of Specialization, which can bolster your resume and signal to employers how committed you are to professional growth and lifelong learning.

To earn a Certificate of Specialization, you must complete three courses from your selected Learning Track within 18 months. HBS Online currently offers a Learning Track in Leadership and Management, Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Business in Society, and Finance and Accounting. To determine which courses qualify, visit our Leadership and Management , Strategy , Entrepreneurship and Innovation , Finance and Accounting , and Business in Society pages.

Explore our Learning Track FAQs for more information.

Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business

A Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) is granted to those who successfully complete CLIMB—a selective, cohort-based learning experience and HBS Online’s most comprehensive business offering. CLIMB enables new and experienced leaders to ignite their careers with a combination of essential and forward-looking business skills, self-reflection, and membership in a diverse global network of peers.

The year-long program includes seven courses and a capstone project. Participants must complete CLIMB within two years to earn a credential.

Explore our CLIMB FAQs for more information.

Credential of Readiness

A Credential of Readiness (CORe) , is granted to those who complete all three courses that comprise CORe— Business Analytics , Economics for Managers , and Financial Accounting —and pass a final exam .

The CORe final exam is a three-hour, multiple-choice, computer-based assessment created by HBS faculty and administered online. A passing score on all three courses is required to earn a Credential of Readiness, and grades are assigned on the following scale:

• Pass with High Honors
• Pass with Honors

To learn more about how grades are assigned, visit our Program Policies .

During the January, May, and September offerings of CORe , there is also the option to earn eight undergraduate credits through Harvard Extension School . The course content, deadlines, and grading process are the same; what differs is the cost for the undergraduate credits and additional benefits.

By pursuing the for-credit option of CORe , you receive access to Harvard Extension School student resources, including libraries, career advising, workshops, and education tax credit and loan deferments. You may transfer the credit to your current institution, yet it is up to the accepting university to determine eligibility.

Are you interested in taking the next step in your career? Explore our online course catalog to find the right fit.

HBS Online has a real integration of knowledge, resources, and community. It offers immersive online learning, the best industry cases, and input from actual executives at industry-leading companies. In a nutshell, HBS Online allows us to meet our business needs in real time.

Our employees at Fortive have gained tremendous value through our work with HBS Online. They help us deliver on our L&D promise: Accessible Learning, Accelerated Growth. HBS Online offers courses with a range of topics and time commitments. We have had employees participate from over 35 countries!

We leverage HBS Online’s programs to reach employees and executives across our global organization. Participants develop a practical understanding of critical topics like strategic thinking, innovation, management, finance, and negotiations – all rooted in a social learning environment. This approach has made them more effective and engaged members of our organization, and eager to learn more.

What We Do On-Campus Learning

Executive education programs offer life-changing, on-campus learning experiences

For senior leaders, there is often no substitute for face-to-face learning. To enrich the impact of the learning experience for your senior leadership, our executive education programs can incorporate powerful living-learning experiences on the Harvard Business School (HBS) campus as part of an integrated enterprise learning solution tailored to your needs.

An immersive experience

On-campus senior leaders are fully immersed in a holistic experience that is uniquely enriching. In addition to expanding their knowledge and expertise, executives examine where they’ve been—and where they want to take their careers and their organizations. Many of our alumni and participants have called this a life-changing experience.

Engaging interactions

Participants interact closely with HBS faculty and a peer group representing diverse organizations, industries, and cultures. Executive education programs are taught by full-time HBS faculty, drawing on research and real-world experience to disrupt traditional thinking and spark innovative ideas. Lectures, business simulations, and small-group discussions foster collaboration with peers.

Rich campus life

Learning extends beyond the classroom. Harvard Business School executive education programs include “living groups” carefully designed to encourage leadership development through case study discussions, small-group projects, lively lunchtime discussions at the Chao Center, and evening excursions to Harvard Square. Participants make new connections and form lasting relationships that continue long after the experience ends.

Tap into the HBS alumni base

HBS offers several executive education programs that offer alumni status where graduates become members of the exclusive HBS alumni network: more than 78,000 alumni representing global leadership in more than 160 countries. Connect with peers through HBS social media channels and newsletters, and the Harvard Business Review .

“This program is unique, not only because it brought together a diverse group of investment management leaders, but also because of the diversity of topics covered. It was a tremendous experience.”

Let’s meet your leadership challenges, together

Want to write your own success story? Let’s co-create a leadership development solution that meets your challenges and delivers real impact for your organization’s performance.

Benefit from world-class thought leadership and expertise

Support your strategy with solutions tailored to your learners’ needs

Develop a culture of continuous learning with on-demand solutions

Let’s talk

Change isn’t easy, but we can help. Together we’ll create informed and inspired leaders ready to shape the future of your business.

© 2024 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.

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Succeeding as a Strategic CFO

Become a strategic chief financial officer by developing advanced skills in finance, strategy, leadership, and communication.

Associated Schools

Harvard Business School

What you'll learn.

Enhance your financial decision-making skills

Become a strategic partner to the CEO

Develop your leadership capabilities

Strengthen your communication skills

Course description

As capital markets and organizational strategies have evolved, so has the role of the chief financial officer (CFO). Today's CFOs are not just gatekeepers of a company's financial information; they serve as key strategic partners who must fulfill a broad set of responsibilities. In this program, you will learn what it takes to meet the demands of the CFO role. You will begin to build a robust set of skills in strategy, communication, and leadership that will enable you to drive innovation and lead organizational change.

This program helps individuals develop the knowledge and capabilities they need to succeed as a modern CFO. In the company of other senior financial leaders, you will discover how to build your skills in key areas, identify blind spots or competency gaps, and gain tools and insights relevant to the CFO role.

You may also like

Compensation Committees: New Challenges, New Solutions

Structure more effective compensation plans to drive long-term performance, profitability, and employee satisfaction.

Finance for Senior Executives

Strengthen your contribution with a deeper understanding of financial analysis, profit planning, capital markets, compensation, and more.

Audit Committees in a New Era of Governance

Meet evolving regulatory requirements while ensuring that financial reporting, compliance, and risk management efforts align with strategy.

Program for Leadership Development : Accelerating the Careers of High-Potential Leaders

• Upcoming Sessions
• Dates: 15 JUL 2024–31 JAN 2025
• Format: Blended Combines both in-person and virtual learning.
• Location: Virtual and HBS Campus
• Fee: $56,000
• 15 JUL–05 OCT 2024 — Module 1 (Virtual, Self-Paced)
• 06–18 OCT 2024 — Module 2 (HBS Campus)
• 19 OCT 2024–18 JAN 2025 — Module 3 (Virtual, Self-Paced)
• 19–31 JAN 2025 — Module 4 (HBS Campus)
• Dates: 03 DEC 2024–27 JUN 2025
• 03 DEC 2024–01 MAR 2025 — Module 1 (Virtual, Self-Paced)
• 02–14 MAR 2025 — Module 2 (HBS Campus)
• 15 MAR–14 JUN 2025 — Module 3 (Virtual, Self-Paced)
• 15–27 JUN 2025 — Module 4 (HBS Campus)

"Once you have gone through a program such as PLD, you just belong to this community."

"Our diverse backgrounds and global perspectives gave shape to invaluable conversations that you can't replicate anywhere else."

"Participants leave PLD equipped with the skills, mindset, and learning capacity to take on their work at ever-higher altitudes."

• Teaching Team
• Career Accelerator
• Participant Profile
• Participant Stories

Innovative companies know that long-term success requires a pipeline of visionary leaders who can help build and secure a competitive edge. The Program for Leadership Development (PLD) prepares emerging executives to become more effective influencers who can contribute to corporate success on a higher level.

This highly personalized program features two on-campus and two virtual, self-paced modules that focus on accelerating your business and your career. You will return to your organization more confident, more capable, and better equipped to take on new challenges.

Key Benefits

• Master the cross-functional challenges of corporate leadership
• Lead organizational change and inspire high-performing global teams
• Develop a personal leadership philosophy and presence that reflect greater confidence and capabilities
• Capitalize on the opportunities unleashed by digital transformation
• Formulate a detailed action plan to address your strategic and leadership challenges
• Build enduring bonds with accomplished peers who span functions, industries, and countries
• Take the first step toward becoming a member of the global HBS alumni community

Key Benefits Dropdown up

Key benefits dropdown down, who should attend.

PLD is designed for executives preparing for career growth who want to expand their hard and soft skills and refine their personal leadership style to deliver results for their organization. Ideal candidates include:

• Specialists and star contributors who have been identified as outstanding prospects for increased leadership responsibilities
• High potential talent in roles that cover the scope of senior manager, manager, senior director, or director

Leaders in Virtual Learning

This program features sessions in the HBS Live Online Classroom .

Just as HBS pioneered the case study method, we also built the first live online classroom in 2014 and have been refining and optimizing our virtual program experience ever since. In a world that is now centered around virtual connection, our programs reflect the input and experience of tens of thousands of participants.

When you participate in a virtual HBS Executive Education program, you benefit from a powerful learning experience carefully designed with a virtual setting in mind. Through live synchronous program sessions, you'll engage directly with our renowned faculty to learn from their latest research, gain actionable takeaways, and facilitate your growth. In addition, virtual discussion groups will connect you to a global group of peers and build your network.

Learning and Living at HBS

PLD is a highly structured yet deeply personalized experience. From the careful selection of living group members and new HBS case studies to professional executive coaching for individuals and teams, every aspect is designed to foster collaborative learning and accelerate personal growth.

Review Our Campus Health & Safety Protocols

Earning Alumni Status

Completing the four core modules of PLD puts you on the path to achieving HBS alumni status. You can become a lifetime member of the HBS alumni community by selecting one of three options:

• Complete PLD Module 5 to earn 10 PLDA Points .
• Earn a total of 10 PLDA Points by completing other qualifying HBS Executive Education programs. View all qualifying programs.
• Attend two consecutive Executive Education programs— Launching New Ventures and Foundations of Private Equity and Venture Capital , plus a special PLD only evening—to earn a total of 10 PLDA Points.

As part of the HBS alumni network , you gain exclusive access to our vast global alumni network and an array of resources that facilitate lifelong learning, growth, and success.

Admissions Criteria and Process

• The application, telling us about your experience, your organization, and your current responsibilities, goals, and challenges
• A letter of reference from someone familiar with your work

Applications will be considered on a rolling, space-available basis. Both your application and letter of reference must be submitted before the admissions committee can review.

Answering Your Questions

Letter of reference, english proficiency, application submission, application review, fee, payment, and cancellations.

The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.

You will be invoiced upon admission to the program. Invoices are due within 30 days of receipt, or upon receipt if the program start date is less than 30 days from the invoice date. If you need to cancel or defer your participation, you must submit your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive a full refund. Cancellation or deferral requests received 14 to 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received within 14 days are subject to full payment.

A limited amount of partial scholarship funding may be available for qualified applicants from not-for-profit organizations. Please include a request for funding in your application.

Admissions Criteria and Process Dropdown up

Admissions criteria and process dropdown down, what you will learn.

Focused on leadership, change, and innovation, the Program for Leadership Development curriculum is built around four highly integrated modules. In on-campus or live online modules, you will engage in faculty presentations, case studies, personal assessments, individual and group exercises, and special projects. Through a customized case and professional HBS Executive Coaching, you will develop a personal action plan for tapping new revenue sources and navigating global market shifts.

The virtual, self-paced modules feature Harvard Business School Online—a powerful digital platform that captures the dynamism of the HBS classroom, connects you to a global network of peers, and provides exclusive access to a wealth of interactive learning tools.

After completing the four modules, you will be eligible to attend PLD Module 5 —an optional program, which blends virtual and in-person learning, that further accelerates your development as a leader and enables you to achieve HBS alumni status.

Module Details Expand All Collapse All

Module 1: foundational skill building module 1: foundational skill building dropdown down.

• Build shared business knowledge and terminology before arriving on campus
• Complete introductory courses in accounting, finance, and quantitative methods
• Prepare for the cases that you will discuss during Module 2
• Identify your customized case challenge on the phone with your HBS Executive Coach
• Set aside 10 to 12 hours per week to complete this work
• Evaluate your current leadership skills through the Leadership Learning Path Assessment tool

Module 2: Cross-functional business approach Module 2: Cross-functional business approach Dropdown down

• Develop an end-to-end view of the business and how all functions interrelate
• Explore strategy, marketing, operations, finance, accounting, and corporate accountability
• Learn how functional strategy, business-unit strategy, and strategy implementation relate
• Understand the role that control systems play in executing strategy
• Analyze the economic, political, and social forces shaping the global business environment

Module 3: Strategy formulation and implementation Module 3: Strategy formulation and implementation Dropdown down

• Complete self-directed work at your own pace while engaging in scheduled exercises and group sessions
• Round out your understanding of strategy by completing Economics for Managers via Harvard Business School Online
• Continue working on your customized case and personal action plan

Module 4: Leading change Module 4: Leading change Dropdown down

• Identify what needs to change within your organization
• Expand your portfolio of change management processes and approaches
• Foster innovation, receptiveness to change, and an entrepreneurial mindset
• Present an overview of your customized case and action plan for feedback

Module 5: Personal leadership (Optional) Module 5: Personal leadership (Optional) Dropdown down

• Develop the self-awareness and emotional intelligence of an authentic leader
• Support your company's financial needs, legal requirements, and ethical obligations
• Become a more effective negotiator and a more confident decision-maker
• Address the competing demands of all stakeholders
• Create advantage by generating more value for the business and society
• Expand your leadership vision and address a personal leadership challenge
• Attain HBS alumni status upon completing PLD Module 5

Module Details Dropdown up

Module details dropdown down, module 1: foundational skill building, module 2: cross-functional business approach, module 3: strategy formulation and implementation, module 4: leading change, module 5: personal leadership (optional), special program features expand all collapse all, living/learning group work living/learning group work dropdown down.

An immersive four-module program creates the opportunity to build close, trusting relationships with a small, diverse group of senior executives who can understand your challenges—but are not part of your organization. Your living group will stimulate your learning each day as you:

• Share global insights with peer executives who span functions, cultures, and countries
• Consider diverse perspectives as you discuss cases and assignments
• Complete small group exercises and collaborate on projects as a team
• Exchange feedback—both personal and professional—in a safe environment

HBS Executive Coaching HBS Executive Coaching Dropdown down

Focused on accelerating individual and team growth, your professional coach will help you identify your leadership strengths and gaps through one-on-one and group coaching, a 360-degree leadership and personal assessment, and customized feedback. You will emerge with greater self-awareness, understanding, and confidence—as well as a customized action plan for achieving your leadership goals.

Leadership Learning Path Assessment Leadership Learning Path Assessment Dropdown down

A customized, 360-degree assessment of your current skills provides insight into your leadership and management strengths as well as areas for improvement.

Individual project: My HBS Leadership Case Individual project: My HBS Leadership Case Dropdown down

The My HBS Leadership Case is the cornerstone of the PLD learning experience. In Module 2, you will address a performance gap or strategic opportunity facing your organization by building a comprehensive strategy and implementation plan. Throughout the program, the faculty, your living group, and your professional HBS Executive Coach will deliver feedback that will help you fine-tune your personal action plan.

Special Program Features Dropdown up

Special program features dropdown down, living/learning group work, hbs executive coaching, leadership learning path assessment, individual project: my hbs leadership case, the hbs advantage.

The Program for Leadership Development is developed and taught by a multidisciplinary team of HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.

Joshua D. Margolis

James Dinan and Elizabeth Miller Professor of Business Administration

Read Full Bio

Katherine B. Coffman

Piramal Associate Professor of Business Administration

David C. Edelman

Senior Lecturer of Business Administration

Mattias E. Fibiger

Assistant Professor of Business Administration

David G. Fubini

Susanna Gallani

Tai Family Associate Professor of Business Administration

Antonio Moreno

Sicupira Family Associate Professor of Business Administration

Malcolm P. McNair Professor of Marketing

Monique Burns Thompson

PLD Sets You Apart

The Program for Leadership Development (PLD) learning experience is designed to fast-track your career by addressing your unique leadership objectives, business challenges, and professional development goals. You will become a more agile leader ready to identify problems, craft effective solutions, and adapt to global market shifts.

Focused on leadership, change, and innovation, PLD features two integral components that contribute to your personal and professional transformation:

• The My HBS Leadership Case enables you to address a specific challenge in your organization by developing and refining an in-depth strategy and implementation plan throughout the program
• One-on-one professional HBS Executive Coaching sessions and facilitated team meetings help you realize your true leadership potential

Fast-Track Your Career

PLD is an accelerated alternative to an executive MBA (EMBA) for proven executives who seek to play a greater role in corporate success. The program is ideally suited for specialists or star contributors with at least 10 to 15 years of work experience who are considered outstanding prospects for increased leadership responsibilities. PLD equips you with a broader understanding of core business functions and deeper confidence in your decision-making skills. You will emerge with a personal action plan for advancing your leadership goals—and strengthening your company's competitive edge.

In-Depth Curriculum, Long-Term Results

The rigorous PLD curriculum is tailored to achieve a singular goal—accelerate the development of emerging business leaders. Delivered via four intensive modules that take place over the course of six months, the compressed format is designed with your responsibilities in mind:

• Module 1: Foundational skill building (virtual, self-paced)
• Module 2: Cross-functional business approach (HBS campus)
• Module 3: Strategy formulation and implementation (virtual, self-paced)
• Module 4: Leading change (HBS campus)

The two on-campus modules require a total of four weeks away from your job. After completing the four modules, you also will have the opportunity to achieve HBS alumni status* during PLD Module 5 , an optional capstone session.

*You also can attain alumni status by earning a total of 10 PLD Alumni Points by completing other qualifying HBS Executive Education programs. View all qualifying programs .

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Health Care Economics

Explore the economic forces shaping us health care.

Taught by Harvard Medical School faculty, this Harvard Online course provides insights into the interactions between industries in the US health care sector and teaches what economic forces are shaping health care.

What You'll Learn

Why is health care spending so high in the US? What are the primary drivers of rising health care costs? What is the relationship between finance and health care? How does money shape your decision-making as a patient, provider, or payer? Is a sustainable healthcare architecture possible?

Even for those within the health care industry, the economics of the United States health care system are stunningly complex and can be challenging to navigate. In Health Care Economics, gain insights into the interactions between industries in the health care sector and learn what economic forces are shaping health care. You will cover core topics in health care economics, such as moral hazard and adverse selection, and examine how these forces, as well as the actions of patients, providers, and other key stakeholders, shape outcomes in the health care market.

Balancing the needs of patients and purchasers is a daily struggle for health care leaders and central to the success of any health care business. To make this happen, clinical, research, operational, and financial leaders need a shared understanding of the true drivers of health care spending, the policies that shape and define the sector, and how financial incentives impact both patient and provider behavior. This course will examine health care spending growth, considering new technologies and other economic factors, and explore the theoretical framework behind controlling spending growth through changes to benefit design and payment reform.

Delivered via Harvard Business School Online’s innovative course platform, Health Care Economics features real-world examples, interactive lessons, and conversations with industry experts. Led by Harvard Medical School professor Michael Chernew, PhD, Chair of The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), this course allows you to gain a better understanding of core economic principles as you learn how to create more compelling programs, develop more effective growth strategies, negotiate better reimbursement contracts and partnerships, and advocate more effectively both inside and outside your organization.

The Harvard Medical School is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Harvard Medical School designates this enduring material for a maximum of  19.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ . Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will have access to claim their credits through the Harvard Medical School’s continuing education platform.

The course is part of the Health Care Leadership Learning Path  and will be delivered via  HBS Online’s course platform .  Learners will be immersed in real-world examples from experts at industry-leading organizations. By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Articulate the drivers of spending and spending growth in health care and evaluate how your organization’s strategy and decision-making processes impact total spending as well as value
• Describe approaches to getting the incentives right for both providers and patients and evaluate the impacts of changes to these incentives
• Understand risk and pooling as they relate to insurance markets and health benefit design
• Define the role of employers, insurers, and government in influencing the economics of health care markets, such as spending, access to care, and stability of insurance markets
• Explain how technology and patients’ and providers’ decisions contribute to high spending and spending growth, and how they impact their own organizations

Your Instructor

Michael Chernew, PhD,  is the Leonard D. Schaeffer Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chernew’s research examines several areas related to improving the health care system, including studies of novel benefit designs, Medicare Advantage, alternative payment models, low-value care, and the causes and consequences of rising health care spending. Dr. Chernew is currently serving as Chair of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), where he previously served as the Vice Chair and as a Member. In 2000, 2004, and 2010, he served on technical advisory panels for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that reviewed the assumptions used by Medicare actuaries to assess the financial status of Medicare trust funds. He's a member of the Congressional Budget Office’s Panel of Health Advisors and Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Health Connector Board. Dr. Chernew is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and a Senior Visiting Fellow at MITRE. He's currently a co-editor of the  American Journal of Managed Care  and on advisory boards for several private companies in the health care space, including Virta Health, Archway, and HEALTH[at]SCALE.

Real World Case Studies

Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only.

MATTHEW HUTTER, MD, MPH

SANDHYA RAO, MD

Dr. Sandhya Rao is chief medical officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts , the largest private health plan in Massachusetts. Learn from Rao about the challenges in health insurance today.

JOSEPH NEWHOUSE, PHD

Available discounts and benefits for groups and individuals.

Experience Harvard Online by utilizing our wide variety of discount programs for individuals and groups. 

Past participant discounts.

Learners who have enrolled in at least one qualifying Harvard Online program hosted on the HBS Online platform are eligible to receive a 30% discount on this course, regardless of completion or certificate status in the first purchased program. Past Participant Discounts are automatically applied to the Program Fee upon time of payment.  Learn more here .

Learners who have earned a verified certificate for a HarvardX course hosted on the  edX platform  are eligible to receive a 30% discount on this course using a discount code. Discounts are not available after you've submitted payment, so if you think you are eligible for a discount on a registration, please check your email for a code or contact us .

Nonprofit, Government, Military, and Education Discounts

For this course we offer a 30% discount for learners who work in the nonprofit, government, military, or education fields. 

Eligibility is determined by a prospective learner’s email address, ending in .org, .gov, .mil, or .edu. Interested learners can apply below for the discount and, if eligible, will receive a promo code to enter when completing payment information to enroll in a Harvard Online program. Click here to apply for these discounts.

Gather your team to experience Health Care Economics and other Harvard Online courses to enjoy the benefits of learning together: 

• Single invoicing for groups of 10 or more
• Tiered discounts and pricing available with up to 50% off
• Growth reports on your team's progress
• Flexible course and partnership plans 

Learn more and enroll your team ! 

Who Will Benefit

Rising Leaders

Develop a comprehensive understanding of the health care landscape, including the key drivers of rising US health care spending.

Administrators and Policy Makers

Gain insights into strategic decisions around new business initiatives, health benefit plans, reimbursement contract negotiations, and care delivery models.

Understand the financial impacts of new technologies and services and how to create value-based care for patients.

Learner Testimonials

“This is an amazing course. The professor did a fantastic job dissecting the complexities of healthcare into chewable chunks.”

Howard H. Dinh, MD, FACC Medical Director, Cardiac Services, Greater Sacramento The Permanente Medical Group and Chief, Cardiology, Kaiser Permanente, South Sacramento

“This is now my fourth HBS online course that I have taken. I love that the format lets me learn asynchronously when I have time in my busy schedule. The HBS courses do a wonderful job encouraging interaction with peer learners which amplifies the learning. The HBS courses foster this peer engagement much more effectively than I have found in other online courses that I have taken.”

Denver Sallee III, MD Chief Financial Officer, Sibley Heart Center Cardiology and Associate Professor of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine

“This is a very well designed course to understand the nuances of the US healthcare system economics. The videos and the guest talks were very helpful to understand the real world examples. The discussion surrounding the RAND experiment was very useful to understand many key concepts. Overall a very good course.”

Krishna K. Chotneeru, MPH Associate Director, Data Science & Statistics Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Syllabus and Upcoming Calendars

Health Care Economics provides insights into the interactions between industries in the health care sector and teaches what economic forces are shaping health care.

Learning requirements: There are no required prerequisites to enroll in this course. In order to earn a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Online, participants must thoughtfully complete all 6 modules, including associated assessments, by stated deadlines.

Download Full Syllabus

Download October 2023 Calendar 

Download January 2024 Calendar 

• Why is health care so expensive?
• Why is health care spending growing?
• Make health care spending growth predictions.
• Compare US health care costs to costs in other countries.
• Analyze the math behind health care spending.
• Examine sources of waste in the health care industry.
• Explore the role of technology in health care spending growth.
• What role should patients play in making important choices about their care?
• What role should money play in the decisions of patients?
• Interpret demand curves.
• Explore willingness to pay for health care.
• Evaluate different solutions to inefficient consumption of care, such as moral hazard.
• What role should the provider play in determining care patterns?
• How do provider behavior and competition influence care?
• Analyze clinical decision-making.
• Recognize supplier-induced demand and the consequences of the medical arms race.
• Explore practice ownership trends.
• Determine whether prevention programs and care coordination are cost saving.
• What is the role of insurance in health care?
• Why is the risk pool for health insurance so important and how do we manage it?
• Explore risk preferences.
• Calculate actuarially fair premiums to understand what health insurance is and how it works.
• Examine solutions for solving some of the problems with insurance.
• Evaluate policy proposals for dealing with information asymmetry and adverse selection.
• How can we design insurance plans to promote efficient consumer decision-making?
•  Explore patient decision-making in health care.
• Analyze different approaches for improving patient incentives.
• Understand the benefits of value based care and insurance.
• Strategies for implementing value-based healthcare and insurance designs.
• How do we structure payments to promote efficient provider decision-making?
• Explore provider decision-making in health care.
• Analyze different approaches for improving provider incentives.

Earn Your Certificate

Enroll today in Harvard Online's Health Care Economics course.

Still Have Questions?

What are the learning requirements? How do I list my certificate on my resume? Learn the answers to these and more in our FAQs.

Related Courses

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Innovations in Teamwork for Health Care

In this course, experts from Harvard Business School and the T.H. Chan School of Public Health teach learners to implement a strategy for organizational teamwork in health care.

Graduate profiles

Meet the class of 2024, harvard college.

Meet more Harvard College graduates

Isabella Madrigal

Isabella’s senior thesis screenplay, a genre-bending family drama full of magical realism, centers the issues of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and two-spirit people.

Read more about Isabella

Dora Woodruff

Dora will next pursue a Ph.D. at MIT in algebraic combinatorics, a branch of mathematics that applies methods found in abstract algebra to discrete counting problems.

Aaron Shirley

Aaron dove into the world of medieval medicine with his thesis, “Holiness to Wholeness: Restoring Medieval Surgery to its Religious Cultural Context.”

Harvard Business School

Meet more HBS graduates

Davida Bynum

As a dual-degree candidate studying business and government, Davida is exploring the best ways to serve the public and private sectors.

Eduardo Avalos

With a focus on social entrepreneurship, Eduardo is hoping to create more equitable opportunities for those with fewer resources and less access.

Claudia Hill

By combining a degree in biomedical engineering with an M.B.A., Claudia plans to change millions of lives by creating life-saving drugs that can be distributed equitably.

Harvard Divinity School

Meet more Divinity School graduates

The growth I’ve experienced at HDS, both personal and academic, has been beyond anything I expected.” Samirah Jaigirdar Master of Theological Studies Learn more about Samirah’s studies

Jude Terna Ayua

Jude says his time at HDS changed his perspective about other faith traditions. After graduation, he will work as a private attorney and also run his non-profit, Keep Hope Alive Nigeria.

Christopher Siuzdak

While studying at HDS, Christopher’s favorite class was “Trends in World Christianity, 1900-2050,” which explored shifts in Christian confessions around the globe from a historical and social scientific perspective.

Harvard Extension School

Meet more Extension School graduates

Tomas Hernandez

Extension School graduate Tomas was able to complete his Master of Liberal Arts in Finance degree while working a full-time job, being a dad to three children, and pursuing his love of karate.

Vivien Kocsis

For her Master of Liberal Arts in Data Science capstone project, Vivien had a very specific sponsor in mind: NASA.

Brian Mazmanian

Of his journey at Harvard Extension School, Brian said, “I can honestly say that I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Harvard Graduate School of Education

Meet more School of Education graduates

Kavya Krishna

Kavya was recently named among Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for her dedication to empowering girls with the digital literacy skills necessary to excel in a technology-driven society.

Alria and Vyankatesh Kharage

Alria and Vyankatesh met as undergraduates, fell in love, and began building a life together when their shared passion for education brought them to Harvard.

Moriah has turned her own struggles with sobriety and recovery into an opportunity to help others seeking higher education opportunities.

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Meet more SEAS graduates

Ben Schroeder

During his internship at SpaceX, Ben talked to experts to help him finalize his design for a robotic hand to help astronauts perform tasks remotely without the fatigue imposed by a suit glove.

Maria Emilia Mazzolenis

While pursuing a master’s degree in data science, Maria always kept her focus on the responsibility and impact that technology can have on society.

Lachlain McGranahan

Whether on the Charles River as a skipper on the Harvard Crimson sailing team or on the ocean helping to decipher sperm whale communications, Lachlain was never too far from his love for water and engineering.

Harvard Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Meet more GSAS graduates

Thomas found a way to identify otherwise unrecorded 20th-century hurricanes, laying the foundation for a new field of historical environmental seismology.

Dylan Renaud

Dylan’s Harvard Horizons project combines research in the emerging field of nanoscale photonics—how light interacts with very small objects—with practical computing applications to create novel devices that move information via light.

Juhee Kang, who studied history and East Asian languages and civilizations, explored how psychological testing and mass data collection evolved in 20th-century Japan, where they became central across society.

Harvard Kennedy School

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Ananya Chhaochharia

While pursuing a Master in Public Policy, Ananya learned how to turn a political campaign into an art form.

Adebayo Alonge

After founding a platform that provides safe pharmaceuticals in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda, Adebayo decided to pursue a mid-career master’s degree to help him understand how to expand to even more countries.

For her capstone research project, Maya sought to understand and find solutions for the inequality in Boston’s core city services, which aren’t equitably distributed across its diverse neighborhoods and communities.

Harvard Law School

Meet more Harvard Law graduates

Nicholas Gonzalez

Nicholas was instantly smitten with the law when he took part in mock trial and moot court competitions in high school. The performative part of arguing a case felt both familiar and alluring.  

Phoebe Kotlikoff

After becoming one of the first female U.S. Navy submariners, Phoebe was inspired by the integration of submarine service and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to attend law school.

Harvard Medical School

Meet more HMS graduates

I often tell students two things: ‘You can do it,’ and ‘but not alone.’” David Velasquez Doctor of Medicine Learn what inspired David to earn a third Harvard degree

Deborah Plana

Personal experience with cancer in her family cemented Deborah’s determination to pursue a career that combines her passions for analysis and improving patient care.

Mitchell Winkie

There are only a handful of residency positions in dermatology for the U.S. military each year. There was only one spot in the Navy open to graduating medical students, and Mitchell was selected to fill it.

It was an online search for “science internships, Boston” that set Irene on a 10-year path to Harvard where she would ultimately complete a Ph.D. in biological and biomedical sciences.

Harvard School of Dental Medicine

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Sheridan Danquah

Growing up, Sheridan didn’t encounter a dentist until after moving from Ghana to the U.S. when he was 10. The experience made a profound impression on him and influenced him to enter the field.

Explore how Sheridan found his purpose

Jessica Latimer

Jessica turned a passion for doodling into a side job creating scientific illustrations that have landed in well-known medical and dental journals across the country.

Read about Jessica’s unique skill set

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Meet more Harvard Chan School graduates

I heard of people who had given birth during their incarceration, and I was really shocked.” Bethany Kotlar, who studied the impact of maternal incarceration during pregnancy and after birth on child development Learn more about Bethany’s research

Irfan Chaudhuri

Watching his grandmother battle Alzheimer’s disease inspired Irfan to explore the role public health could play in Alzheimer’s prevention.

After navigating the roadblocks involved in gender-affirming care, Ivan founded the startup Trans Health HQ to decrease barriers for clinicians and patients.

James Frater

As a child with asthma, James saw the dangers that come from inadequate health care. That’s why he decided to gain the skills to understand health systems and improve health equity across the globe.

• Academics /

Business Management Microcertificates

Build specialized management skills in 2-course microcertificates.

Number of Courses

Time to Completion

1 to 3 semesters

Microcertificate Cost

Strong leaders are an essential part of many workplaces. In our curated collection of 2-course management microcertificate for 2023-24, you can build skills to be an effective leader.

Accelerated. Earn a Harvard credential in 2 courses.

Stackable. Apply courses toward a graduate certificate — or degree.

Actionable. Gain a new skill set for real-world impact.

Project Management Methodologies Microcertificate

The Project Management Methodologies Microcertificate will provide you with the frameworks and hands-on application needed to successfully guide project development from start to finish. This microcertificate is an excellent option for anyone involved in project management as well as those looking to transition into a project management role.

You will gain fluency in applying Agile, waterfall, and Scrum methodologies and frameworks to a team-based setting.

Courses (Select 2)

• Required: MGMT 5030 Project Management (Fall, Spring, & January)
• MGMT 5044 Product Development with Scrum (Fall 2 & Spring 1)
• MGMT 5042 Agile Project Management (Fall & Spring)

Stackable Pathway

The microcertificate courses can stack toward the Project Management 4-course graduate certificate.

Skills & Outcomes

Upon the completion of the Project Management Methodologies Microcertificate, you will be able to choose the best approach to successfully engage all stakeholders in the project process. The microcertificate may help you build the skills to excel in such roles as project manager, team lead, director, or consultant.

Wellbeing at Work Microcertificate (Not offered during the 2024-2025 year)

What does it mean to be motivated, happy, and engaged? How can this be promoted in work cultures? In this two-course microcertificate, you’ll apply the research on happiness and well-being to work settings to actively engage in and promote balance, engagement, positivity, and happiness in organizational settings.

This microcertificate is a great choice for anyone who leads others or is looking to transition into a managerial role, as well as for anyone who wants to engage and motivate others.

• MGMT 4520 The Science of Happiness and Wellbeing (Fall 1)
• MGMT 4500 Work and Wellbeing (Spring)

The microcertificate courses can stack toward the 4-course Organizational Behavior graduate certificate.

By reviewing the science behind psychological happiness, wellbeing, and the impact on business success and employee performance, you:

• Learn strategies to encourage high productivity and high levels of employee satisfaction and engagement.
• Practice promoting and evaluating psychological safety in business settings.

After completing the microcertificate, you will have the tools to inspire high levels of productivity, employee satisfaction, and engagement in your employees. You will have the skills needed to pursue various careers in workplace culture, including roles in human resources, executive coaching or consulting, ombudsman, and employee relations.

Starting and Completing a Microcertificate

To begin, you simply register for your first course for the microcertificate — no application required.

To earn the microcertificate, you will complete two microcertificates courses at the graduate level and with a grade of B or higher, within one year — a total of three semesters. This short timeline will support momentum and reinforce the learning between the two related courses.

To request your microcertificate , log in to  MyDCE  and complete the Certificate Course Tracker and Request Form. You  must  request your certificate within 30 days of the release of your final grade in your last microcertificate course (see  calendar  for dates). If you do not request your microcertificate after this deadline, it won’t be awarded until the next awarding cycle, which is at the end of the subsequent semester.  

Cost of a Microcertificate

Learning on a budget doesn’t have to mean compromising on your goals. Our 2-course microcertificates cost $6,440 ($3,220 per course), making it an affordable alternative or stepping stone to a longer academic program.

What is a management microcertificate?

A management microcertificate is a set of short, competency-based courses you complete to gain and demonstrate mastery of business management topics.

• A short timeline. Other continuing education options, like master’s degrees, can be a significant time commitment and may not fit life or your goals. Microcertificates allow you delve into highly focused topic and earn a graduate-level credential with only 2 courses.
• Stackability. Our management microcertificates are designed to stack with at least one graduate certificate. They are also stackable toward certain master’s degrees.
• A verified Harvard credential. Harvard confers CeCertificates , an official, secure, and verifiable PDF version of your accomplishment. You can share it with your colleagues, employers, or friends and family. You also have the option to provide your Certified Electronic Document Identifier and validation URL on your resume for easy access.

Who should enroll in a management microcertificate?

Managers and leaders across fields and industries looking to increase employee satisfaction and team productivity or fill skill gaps in project management can benefit from a microcertificate.

For those aiming to fast-track their professional growth, microcertificates are specifically crafted to help career accelerators cultivate a focused skill set promptly. At the same time, they serve as a valuable resource for individuals committed to lifelong learning, facilitating their educational pursuits.

How do I get my microcertificate?

Harvard confers CeCertificates , an official, secure, and verifiable PDF version of your accomplishment. Share it with your colleagues, employers, or friends and family. You also have the option to provide your Certified Electronic Document Identifier and validation URL on your resume for easy access.

Who teaches the management microcertificate courses at Harvard?

The courses featured in the microcertificates are taught by Harvard Extension School instructors, who teach across Harvard as experts in management practices, organizational behavior, finance, marketing, and more. They bring a genuine passion for teaching — students give our faculty an average rating of 4.6 out of 5.

Visit our faculty page to meet some of them.

How will a microcertificate in management help me improve my career or company?

Completion of a management microcertificate shows proficiency in specific industry competencies — such as the methodologies and frameworks of project management and promoting a happy and engaging work culture — while earning academic credit. In a semester or two, you can upskill or reskill to demonstrate initiative and develop new skills in your place of business.

How many hours will I spend on a management microcertificate each week?

The amount of time you’ll spend on a management microcertificate varies from class to class and student to student. Generally, outside of the time spent in class, students spend 8 to 10 hours doing work for a HES class.

Who do I contact with questions?

We are here to help. Send us an email at [email protected] .

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Learn to Change the World

Nonie Lesaux Named HGSE Interim Dean

Professor of education and former academic dean will begin her role at the end of the academic year

Howard Gardner Named 2024 Convocation Speaker

Celebrated psychologist and originator of the theory of multiple intelligences will address HGSE graduates on May 22

Can School Counselors Help Students with "FAFSA Fiasco"?

Support for low-income prospective college students and their families more crucial than ever during troubled federal financial aid rollout   

A Place to Thrive

Explore how you can connect, grow, deepen your work, and expand your horizons at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Degree Programs

Through a rich suite of courses and co-curricular experiences, along with the mentorship of exceptional faculty, a degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education prepares you to make a difference in education today.

Residential Master’s in Education

Immersive campus experience for aspiring and established educators, leaders, and innovators, with five distinct programs to choose from and rich opportunities to personalize your study and deepen your interests.

Online Master's in Education Leadership

Part-time, career-embedded program, delivered online, for experienced educators looking to advance their leadership in higher education or pre-K–12.

Doctor of Education Leadership

Preparing transformative leaders to have the capacity to guide complex organizations, navigate political environments, and create systemic change in the field of education.

Doctor of Philosophy in Education 

Training cutting-edge researchers who work across disciplines, generate knowledge, and translate discoveries into transformative policy and practice.

Professional Development

For early childhood professionals.

Programs designed to support the learning and development of early childhood professionals working in diverse settings.

For K-12 Professionals

A robust portfolio of programs serving teachers, school leaders, district administrators, and other education professionals.

For Higher Education Professionals

Leadership and career development programs for college and university administrators.

Ideas and Impact

From world-class research to innovative ideas, our community of students, faculty, and alumni are transforming education today.

Royal, Wippman Named Presidents-in-Residence

In its first year as a fully endowed program, the Judith Block McLaughlin Presidents-in-Residence program welcomes two new members.

Um... Where Is Everybody?

Families may be the key to ending chronic absenteeism, a pandemic-era problem that has only gotten worse

Phase Two: The Reach

Reach Every Reader on its impact and the project’s next phase

Faculty in the Media

With deep knowledge of the education field, HGSE faculty members influence current conversations in the media, giving educators and students a much-needed voice for positive change.

"Every child has the right to read well. Every child has the right to access their full potential. This society is driven by perfectionism and has been very narrow-minded when it comes to children who learn differently, including learning disabilities."

Related Programs

Leadership development for physicians in academic health centers, related articles, the unique challenges – and opportunities – facing leaders of academic health centers during covid-19, from physician to physician leader: developing your skills for success, leadership development (infographic), the skills physician leaders need today.

Physician leaders who join the two-week Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers program—usually those at the chief or medical director level—do so to hone the skills required for excelling at the next stage of medicine: the art of organizational business, increased financial literacy, and managerial skills. 

Yet, they walk away with those skills and more, explains the Program Director, Ted J. Witherell , MA, faculty at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The course stands out due to its immersive nature—physician leaders stay at a hotel for the length of the course and form a tight network of peers—and because it provides physicians with a lot of the learning that they never get elsewhere yet need as their careers advance.

The Intersection of Leadership and Management Skills

“As physicians, we are never taught leadership,” Witherell says, adding that almost every leader in health care is wrestling with challenges, such as cost issues that they must be equipped to handle. But, he says that the course also teaches “human skills”—how to hold a difficult conversation and how to problem-solve on a team in a post-pandemic world, and these might be the most important aspects of leadership.

“Strategy is something we teach, but strategy doesn’t sit in a vacuum,” Witherell says. “Your strategy sits next to operational management. If I have operational management, financial management, strategy, and people skills with some maturity, then it will make it possible for me to be proactive.”

Being proactive is particularly paramount today, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, says Witherell. The pandemic marked a time of acute crisis and called for leaders in medicine to respond in unprecedented ways urgently with clear direction. Witherell notes that Mass General Brigham opened up a 1,000-bed field hospital in seven days—a healthcare system where, previously, “it was a two-year-long process to decide on which surgical gloves to get.”

But four years later, medicine can’t continue to operate in this way. “We’re living at a pace that is not sustainable,” Witherell says, noting high rates of burnout among healthcare professionals and a struggle to adapt pandemic medicine—command centers and an all-hands-on-deck mentality—to a post-pandemic world.

The Importance of “Human Skills” in Sustained Crisis

“Today’s world calls for a different kind of leadership than what we’ve been doing,” Witherell says, “[and] the most vital skills that matter in a sustained crisis are the human skills.”

Operating in more of a sustained crisis requires that leaders learn about money and how businesses are organized, of course. But it also calls for perspective-taking, conflict management, difficult conversations, emotional intelligence, and experimentation—all of which help physician leaders look ahead. “On one hand, the health care model is one of diagnose and then treat, and that makes a lot of sense on all kinds of levels, metaphorically and physically, and we need to sort of ‘push the horizon out’ in terms of what we can see, and not just look at what’s in front of us and diagnose what’s going on, but look ahead.”

The language that gets called up a lot regarding today’s world is a managerial acronym called VUCA, Witherell says: volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. “No longer does a paradigm of the leader being the one who knows the best and knows it all exist, and in many ways, that’s how physicians have been sort of brought up.” 

Learning to lead in a team setting with good judgment and confidence in using strategies such as experimentation and effective communication can help physician leaders move forward effectively in a constantly changing world.

There’s a notion in the book The Leadership Pipeline by Ram Charan about turning a bend in your career. “Charan talks about how whenever anyone moves up in an organization, it’s like coming to a bend in a pipe. When you go around that bend, you can see down the rest of the pipe [to] things you couldn’t see before,” says Witherell. “At every level of leadership, things change.”

The Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers program prepares physicians for those changes. 

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health offers Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers , an intensive two-week program specifically designed for medical directors and division chiefs at teaching hospitals.

• Back to All Programs /

Managing Yourself and Leading Others

Evolve your leadership style to lead better and motivate others to accomplish your company's goals.

All Start Dates

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM ET

2 consecutive days

Registration Deadline

May 26, 2024

June 30, 2024

11:00 AM – 2:30 PM ET

4 consecutive Mondays

July 28, 2024

August 27, 2024

September 24, 2024

October 8, 2024

4 consecutive Fridays

October 24, 2024

November 26, 2024

What You'll Learn

Think of the leaders you most admire. They seem to easily juggle competing demands, confidently motivate their teams to achieve optimum results, effectively navigate across the organization, and never lose their composure. These executives make the job of leading others look simple—but it’s not.

Designed to help managers become more effective leaders, this powerful program delves into the fundamentals of managing yourself, leading teams, and motivating others to accomplish your company’s goals.

Through relevant readings, case discussions, and introspective exercises, you will gain a broader and deeper understanding of organizational culture and dynamics, management best practices, the role of the manager, and the nature of influence. As you explore your own personality, strengths, and weaknesses, you will begin to evolve a leadership style that is uniquely yours. You will return to work with newfound confidence and an action plan for continuing your growth as a leader.

Program Benefits

• Improve your performance by strengthening your management skills
• Manage your team, your boss, and your colleagues more effectively
• Develop a management style that suits your unique personality
• Handle difficult management situations with greater certainty in your decisions
• Earn a Certificate of Participation from the Harvard Division of Continuing Education

Topics Covered

• Distinguishing management myth from reality
• Understanding the motivations of colleagues and competitors
• Recognizing strengths and blind spots in yourself and others
• Building emotional intelligence to communicate effectively
• Influencing others from a position of authority—or without authority
• Managing within organizational hierarchies
• Earning trust and building relationships
• Leading for long-term results

Who Should Enroll

This management training program is ideal for new or experienced managers in any function who want to become better leaders. Because management requires analyzing complex challenges, participants should expect to grapple with ambiguous situations that do not have simple solutions.

Considering this program?

Send yourself the details.

Related Programs

• Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Training Program
• Leadership Coaching Strategies
• Leading More Effective Teams

June Schedule

• Understanding Ourselves & Others
• Managing the Organizational Context
• Teams & Teamwork
• Managing Up & Sideways

July Schedule

August schedule.

• Understanding Ourselves and Others
• Managing Up
• Managing Others
• Leading Others

September Schedule

October schedule, november schedule, december schedule, paul green, jr., margaret andrews, laura wilcox, certificates of leadership excellence.

The Certificates of Leadership Excellence (CLE) are designed for leaders with the desire to enhance their business acumen, challenge current thinking, and expand their leadership skills.

This program is one of several CLE qualifying programs. Register today and get started earning your certificate.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Shubha Gautam is the newest CPS Presidential Scholar, continuing a longtime tradition

Rock Bridge High School senior Shubha Gautam on Thursday was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar, probably the highest honor a high school student can achieve.

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars elects students annually based on academic success and other measures. She is one of 161 high school seniors selected for the 60th anniversary of the awards. For Columbia Public Schools, Shubha is its 24th winner, the most of any district in the state.

The other Missouri academic winner was Santosh Manikandan, of Liberty High School in Wentzville.

"I was really surprised when I got the notification," Shubha said on Friday at Rock Bridge on her last day of classes. "But it feels good. It's a nice recognition for the stuff I've done in high school."

She took Advanced Placement literature and AP chemistry this year, but took more and more difficult courses earlier in her high school years.

"I think AP Physics is pretty hard," Shubha said. "And besides that, I took some math classes at Mizzou. Those weren't too bad."

She's a co-editor-in-chief of the student news magazine, Southpaw and the online Bearing News.

Her favorite stories have included a co-written in-depth look at the school district's 2021-22 Annual Performance Report scores. She wrote another piece about absurdism that she likes.

"I think I'll always write ," Shubha said.

She's on the Youth Advisory Council, advising the Columbia City Council and city government.

She's director of INTERGIRLS an international math organization for girls and non-binary students. It conducts math tournaments and activities.

Andrew Kinslow was an influential teacher for her, she said.

Kinslow also said Shubha was a great student.

"Shubha has three strengths in her academics that set her apart from other students: content knowledge, organization and work ethic," Kinslow wrote in an email. "Academically, she is sharp, always prepared, and performs in the top 1% of my classes. She is very organized and conscientious, always responding quickly to emails and taking care of her coursework in a timely fashion. She is very hard-working and a team player. She will undoubtedly change the world for the better wherever she lands in the future.  It has been an honor to learn alongside her these past few years."

She also participated in demanding field internships in the summers of 2021 and 2022, Kinslow said.

"During the summers of 2021 and 2022 Shubha participated in my Field Ecology internship and was a delight to work with," Kinslow wrote "This class is very unusual in that it occurs entirely in the field, working in hard conditions. We primarily focus on banding wild birds for research purposes."

It requires students who are dependable and trustworthy and Shubha was both, he wrote.

Her high school years weren't always easy, she said.

A perfectionist, she put pressure on herself to improve on every assignment. It caused her stress and anxiety and she missed two months of her sophomore year.

Kinslow helped her through that, she said.

"He did a lot," Shubha said. "He got me into conservation and being outside more. He really went above and beyond."

She decided to write about everything on her Presidential Scholar application, she said.

"I talked a lot about Palestine and a rally the students held," Shubha said. "I also had a long essay on my mental health struggles."

She thought both would count against her in the selection, she said.

Next for Shuba is Cornell University, where she has been accepted as one of around 100 Meinig Family Scholars. She plans to major in math or physics.

Her sister Shruti is studying law at Harvard.

The previous most recent CPS Presidential Scholar was Kyle Chen in 2022.

Shubha graduates with her fellow seniors at 7 p.m. May 17.

Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. He can be reached at [email protected] or 573-815-1719. He's on X at @rmckinney9.