courses in education leadership

Education Leadership (online)

Graduate Program

The Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) prepares students with the skills needed to change the world through education. The online Master’s in Education Leadership is a part-time, two-year Ed.M. program from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with Higher Education and PreK-12 pathways. The program is specifically designed for working education professionals who bring at least seven years of relevant or transferrable work experience. Through this program, students will strengthen the invaluable skills they’ve already developed and develop the tools to propel themselves to new leadership opportunities and to even greater impact.

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Courses and certificates.

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Bachelor's Preparing For Licensure

• View all Education Bachelor's Degrees
• Elementary Education – B.A.
• Special Education and Elementary Education (Dual Licensure) – B.A.
• Special Education (Mild-to-Moderate) – B.A.
• Mathematics Education (Middle Grades) – B.S.
• Mathematics Education (Secondary)– B.S.
• Science Education (Middle Grades) – B.S.
• Science Education (Secondary Chemistry) – B.S.
• Science Education (Secondary Physics) – B.S.
• Science Education (Secondary Biological Sciences) – B.S.
• Science Education (Secondary Earth Science)– B.S.
• View all Education Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Education Degrees

• Educational Studies – B.A.

Master of Science in Education Degrees

• View all Education Master's Degrees
• Curriculum and Instruction – M.S.
• Educational Leadership – M.S.
• Education Technology and Instructional Design – M.Ed.

Master's Preparing for Licensure

• Teaching, Elementary Education – M.A.
• Teaching, English Education (Secondary) – M.A.
• Teaching, Mathematics Education (Middle Grades) – M.A.
• Teaching, Mathematics Education (Secondary) – M.A.
• Teaching, Science Education (Secondary) – M.A.
• Teaching, Special Education (K-12) – M.A.

Licensure Information

• State Teaching Licensure Information

Master's Degrees for Teachers

• Mathematics Education (K-6) – M.A.
• Mathematics Education (Middle Grade) – M.A.
• Mathematics Education (Secondary) – M.A.
• English Language Learning (PreK-12) – M.A.
• Endorsement Preparation Program, English Language Learning (PreK-12)
• Science Education (Middle Grades) – M.A.
• Science Education (Secondary Chemistry) – M.A.
• Science Education (Secondary Physics) – M.A.
• Science Education (Secondary Biological Sciences) – M.A.
• Science Education (Secondary Earth Science)– M.A.
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• Nursing (RN-to-BSN online) – B.S.
• Nursing (Prelicensure) – B.S. (Available in select states)
• Health Information Management – B.S.
• Health and Human Services – B.S.
• Psychology – B.S.
• Health Science – B.S.
• Healthcare Administration – B.S. (from the School of Business)
• View all Nursing Post-Master's Certificates
• Nursing Education—Post-Master's Certificate
• Nursing Leadership and Management—Post-Master's Certificate
• Family Nurse Practitioner—Post-Master's Certificate
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner —Post-Master's Certificate
• View all Health & Nursing Degrees
• View all Nursing & Health Master's Degrees
• Nursing – Education (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Leadership and Management (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Nursing Informatics (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S. (Available in select states)
• Nursing – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S. (Available in select states)
• Nursing – Education (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Leadership and Management (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Nursing Informatics (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Master of Healthcare Administration
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Master of Science

Educational Leadership Master's

Make an impact on the future of education by becoming a school principal.

Are you an experienced, licensed teacher eager to take on new challenges? Perhaps it’s time you prepared to lead an institution of your own. Becoming a principal or educational administrator with this online educational license program will prepare you to change the future of education and impact students, teachers, and communities alike.

This online master's degree program is designed to enhance your expertise in educational governance, finance, law, leadership, and strategic planning. The program will give you the skills you need to manage a modern educational institution, including overseeing teachers, developing and implementing curriculum standards, and improving how your staff helps students achieve established academic goals. You'll also learn about school administration, how to manage educational budgets, ensure proper security, and better interact with parents, the public, and district administrators.

The Master's in Educational Leadership degree program (alternatively "Master's in Educational Administration") is aligned with National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards and Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). Although it adheres to national educational standards, due to state-specific programming and licensure requirements,  this program is not accepted in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, and Minnesota.

60% of graduates finish within 

WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.

*WGU Internal Data

Tuition per six-month term is

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps you control the ultimate cost of earning your degree online. Finish faster, pay less! 

Average salary increase

 Graduates of this program report an average salary increase of $12,314 after completing their WGU degree.

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COURSES & COMPETENCIES

Educational leadership courses, curriculum that ensures you’ve mastered the skills you’ll need as a leader among students and staff..

Program consists of 13 courses

At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.

This online Master of Education program provides the essential skills, knowledge, and field experience you need to successfully manage a modern educational institution, be it public or private. It will prepare you to be certified as a principal or educational administrator.

The WGU M.S. Educational Leadership program was designed (and is regularly updated) with input from the experts on our Education Program Council . These respected authorities know exactly what it takes for a graduate to lead a staff of educators, administrators, and support personnel in a modern educational setting.

This program comprises the following courses. You will typically complete them one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means that you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.

Leadership of Curriculum Design and Instruction prepares candidates to evaluate and implement curricular programs and instructional methods observed at the school level. Candidates focus on the knowledge and skills needed to develop, align, and implement cohesive systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Importance is placed on responding to student needs, embodying high expectations for student learning, aligning with academic and non-academic standards within and across grade levels, and promoting students' academic and non-academic success and social and emotional well-being. This course also explores the use of data from formative and summative assessments to make recommendations to improve instruction and promote student learning and well-being. Candidates are prepared to build a professional culture of trust and collaboration to ensure they are able to work with school personnel in creating curricular programs and instructional methods that are engaging, challenging, and relevant to student needs, experiences, and interests. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of D632: Cultural Competency and Social-Emotional Learning.

Leadership Foundations and Ethics presents candidates with a variety of leadership theories and strategies used by PK–12 educational leaders to develop, sustain, and evaluate a coherent system of academic and social supports that meet the full range of students' needs. Foundational knowledge addresses the importance of developing mission, vision, and core values in collaboration with faculty, staff, and the school community to advocate for student success. The course also covers communication strategies, interpersonal skills, and using data to build community, influence school culture, and manage change for continuous improvement. In addition, candidates are introduced to the significance of following professional ethical codes and the importance of modeling and advocating ethical behavior with all stakeholders.

School Law prepares candidates to understand the appropriate application of laws, rights, policies, and regulations to promote student success. The course emphasizes the importance of understanding the history of and relationship between federal and state laws, legal decisions, local education policies, and practices at the local school level to ensure compliance. The course further focuses on understanding the legal rights and protections provided for all students, including those with disabilities, as well as school staff. It also addresses curriculum and instruction that help stakeholders understand the possible effects these rights may have on administrative decisions. Candidates are also provided the opportunity to demonstrate their capability to evaluate legal consequences of administrative decisions.

People and Talent in Educational Leadership prepares candidates to understand and implement practices used to recruit, hire, and prepare school personnel to provide students with an optimal learning environment. Various school professional development practices, such as professional learning communities, collaborative learning communities, beginning teacher induction, and mentor programs, will be covered. Additionally the course covers methods to evaluate school personnel appropriately based on data-driven decisions; providing realistic and actionable feedback to school personnel to continuously drive improvement; engaging all school personnel in the use and evaluation of competing school-wide initiatives; creating and sustaining a professional culture of engagement and commitment by developing workplace conditions that promote employee development, well-being, and professional growth; and continuously supporting school personnel to improve their instructional practices through ongoing professional development. The candidate will also reflect on leadership standards in order to develop a personal professional growth plan. A prerequisite for this course is D017: School Law.

School Financial Leadership focuses on financial policies, practices, and issues connected to PK–12 school operations. The course describes various sources of school funding, the impact these sources can have on managing school budgets, and the challenges connected to finances that are often encountered by school leaders to ensure equitable financial support for all students. Candidates learn how to analyze different types of school budgets and understand the principal's role in the budgetary process to ensure alignment to the school's mission, vision, and values. This course also identifies and explains various types of commonly used accounting regulations, rules, and professional ethical principles used to create, maintain, and evaluate school budgets to ensure the equitable and ethical use of financial resources. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of D017: School Law.

Practicum in Educational Leadership - Focus on Professional Practices provides candidates with an authentic, real-world work experience as an educational leader in a K–12 school environment. This is the first of a two-part experience designed to take place under the leadership and supervision of a practicing school principal or assistant principal at an approved practicum school site (K–12). This course includes an emphasis on the application of knowledge and skills to areas directly or indirectly affecting students. Collaboration within the school and local community is a focal point for this course. The course also includes the completion of assigned administrative duties in a K–12 setting, as defined by the candidate's state of residence, under the supervision of the cooperating administrator of the candidate's approved practicum site. Prior to enrolling in this practicum course, the candidate must complete a minimum of 18 CUs.

Systems management and school operations instruct candidates on the operational aspects of school leadership that are essential to developing, monitoring, and evaluating school management, school systems, and services that address and support the needs of students and school personnel. Topics presented in this course include systems thinking; development, implementation, and evaluation of data-based strategic planning; and school improvement processes. Candidates will evaluate the use of appropriate operational technology and the development of communications systems that provide actionable information to internal and external stakeholders for use in classroom and school improvement and community engagement. Each of these topics emphasizes the importance of efficiently and effectively managing school resources to build, maintain, and evaluate a cohesive system of academic and organizational supports, services, extracurricular activities, and accommodations to meet the full range of needs for each student. Prerequisites for this course: Leadership Foundations and Ethics and School Law.

Practicum in Educational Leadership - Focus on Instruction and Operations provides candidates with an authentic, real-world work experience as an educational leader in a K–12 school environment. This is the second of a two-part experience designed to take place under the leadership and supervision of a practicing school principal or assistant principal at an approved practicum school site (K–12). This course includes an emphasis on the application of knowledge and skills to areas affecting school operations and school personnel. The course also includes the completion of assigned administrative duties in a K–12 setting, as defined by the candidate's state of residence, under the supervision of the cooperating administrator of the candidate's approved practicum site. Prior to enrolling in this practicum course, the candidate must complete a minimum of 18 CUs.

Educational Leadership Capstone serves as the culminating experience of this degree program, uniting content area knowledge with the execution of a problem-based learning project. Under the guidance of program faculty, candidates will apply their data literacy and research skills authentically and to topics appropriate to the candidate's degree program and future career goals. Projects will include action research or program evaluation and the qualitative or quantitative research methods necessitated by the project's purpose. Prerequisites include Data Literacy and Educational Inquiry, as well as all content area courses and field experiences prescribed in one's area of study. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of all courses with the exception of Educational Inquiry, which may be taken concurrently.

Leading Inclusive Schools covers a variety of topics that directly affect students who have been assessed and determined to need additional support or services to ensure their academic success and well-being. The course prepares candidates to understand and comply with applicable laws, rights, policies, and regulations as appropriate to address matters of equity, fairness, and student marginalization based on culture and language, disability, or giftedness. These include types of special education classifications and their significance, working with English learners (ELs), working with gifted and talented students, and using Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) frameworks to ensure optimum learning environments for diverse learners. This course will guide candidates in building a strong repertoire of skills and knowledge related to exceptional students. It will help them ensure that each student has equitable access to effective teachers; learning opportunities; academic, social, and behavioral support; and other resources necessary for success. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of the School Law course.

Cultural Competency and Social-Emotional Learning focuses on empowering educational leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster cultural competency, deepen their understanding of diverse learner populations, and apply culturally responsive pedagogy. This course places a strong emphasis on promoting social justice, equity, and inclusivity within educational contexts. Students in this course will engage in immersive learning experiences aimed at equipping them with the capacity to lead social-emotional learning initiatives that cater to the social and emotional needs of all learners. The course also empowers students with advocacy strategies to influence positive change in local and global educational environments, ensuring that educational leaders are well prepared to navigate the challenges and opportunities of today's diverse educational landscape. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of D019: Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices.

Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices focuses on the development of data literacy skills educators need to improve the learning and development opportunities of K–12 students. Candidates will practice identifying educational problems and data types, generating data, analyzing data, making inferences and drawing conclusions, and creating action plans within their educational settings. Candidates will also learn best practices for data literacy, including continuous improvement planning, approaches to professional learning communities, and instructional decision-making processes. This course has no prerequisites.

Educational Inquiry focuses on practical problem solving. This course teaches candidates to use scholarly literature to inform their own practice. It also teaches candidates to engage in their own action research processes, which empowers educators to recognize opportunities for improvement and to systematically implement and evaluate changes. This course prepares candidates to conduct research for the capstone. Prerequisites for this course: Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices.

Capstone Project

Special requirements for this program

WGU's online master's degree program in educational leadership requires the successful completion of a capstone project. You'll take what you've learned during your studies and apply it to a real-world situation, proposing a solution to an actual issue you're likely to face in a professional academic environment. 

Skills For Your Résumé

As part of this program, you will develop a range of valuable skills that employers are looking for. 

• Presentations: Created tailored presentations that effectively address the unique needs and interests of specific audiences.
• Budgeting: Skillfully evaluated funding requests for various activities, ensuring they align with pre-authorized budget expenditures, promoting financial responsibility.
• Leadership: Established open lines of communication between leaders and team members, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.
• Educational Leadership: Collaborated with stakeholders to identify and establish educational goals for school improvement plans.
• Ethical Standards And Conduct: Demonstrated the consistent use of responsible practices and principles, reflecting a commitment to ethical and professional conduct.
• Operations: Successfully identified key personnel and processes within organizations, leading to streamlined operations and efficient decision-making processes.

“After years of putting off getting my master's degree, I finally decided that it was time. While working a full-time teaching job and having a husband and two toddlers at home, WGU's program allowed me the flexibility of working at my own pace. I was able to earn my Educational Leadership degree in an accelerated time frame with the support of my course instructors and mentor. WGU allowed me to achieve my goals, and I love them so much that I registered for a second master's!”

—Sylvia M.S. Educational Leadership

WGU vs. Traditional Universities Compare the Difference

Traditional Universities

TUITION STRUCTURE

Per credit hour

Flat rate per 6-month term

Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors

Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one

Scheduled time

Whenever you feel ready

Professor led lectures at a certain time and place

Courses available anytime, from anywhere

TIME TO FINISH

Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options

As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in under 2 years

You Aren't On Your Own

WGU has Program Mentors who work with you from the day you start, all the way through graduation. They help you chart your courses, answer your questions, and ensure you can go through your program. You're not alone when you choose an online degree at WGU.

Flexibility You Need

Students choose WGU for their online degree program because of its flexibility. Whether you already have a full-time job, have responsibilities as a parent, or just have a busy schedule, WGU can work for you.

Strong Alumni Network

When you enroll in an online master's degree program at WGU, you join an impressive network of teachers. Over 13,000 students graduated from the Teachers College in 2021 alone, taking their skills and impacting the educational system all around the United States.

Accredited, Respected, Recognized™

One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.

COST & TIME

When We Say Affordable We Mean It

By charging per six-month term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.

A Master's Degree Is Within Reach

There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:

The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half* the national average.

Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits. 

Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.  

* WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE

A Different Way to Learn: Degree Programs Designed to Fit Your Life—and All the Demands on Your Time

Professional responsibilities. Family obligations. Personal commitments. At WGU, we understand schedules are tight and often unpredictable for adult students. That’s why we offer a flexible, personalized approach to how education should be. No rigid class schedules. Just a solid, career-focused principal preparation program that meshes with your current lifestyle. You'll be challenged. You'll work hard. But if you commit yourself and put in the hours needed, WGU makes it possible for you to earn a highly respected degree as a busy working adult.

"My experience at WGU was excellent. My mentors and professors where there when I needed them. There ability to keep me on track and to answer questions in a timely matter allowed me to get my master's faster than I thought possible.”

—Jerry Nielson M.S. Educational Leadership

CAREER OUTLOOK

Pave the Way to the Next Step in Your Career as an Educational Administrator

If you're a licensed classroom teacher with at least three years of experience under your belt, and you have a passion for positive influence in an academic setting, you are ready to advance in your career by becoming an instruction-based principal, vice principal, assistant principal or school administrator. As an educational leader, you'll have an opportunity to shape the school that you run by creating an inspiring and safe environment for educators and the students they teach.

With the deep, comprehensive education you'll receive at WGU, you will be ready to be certified and become a school principal. This position allows you to impact the overall learning environment of an institution and lead students toward a better academic future. Consider this program an investment in yourself, in your professional growth, and in the future of your students.

Return on Your Investment

On average, wgu graduates see an increase in income post-graduation.

Average income increase from all degrees in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary. Source:  2023 Harris Poll Survey  of 1,655 WGU graduates.

Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.

Employment of elementary, middle, and high school principals is projected to grow 5% from 2021 to 2031.

—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

WGU Has Alumni Teaching Across the Country

Graduates of WGU's online Teachers College have found meaningful, rewarding teaching careers in classrooms at:

• Inclusionary K–12 classrooms
• Middle/junior high schools
• High schools
• Private and charter schools

Impressive Class of Graduates

Graduates of the WGU Teachers College include recipients of many professional honors, including:

• Gates Millennium Scholars
• Intel Grant for Mathematics and Technology
• Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award
• Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award
• Association of Public Charter Schools Educator of the Year Award

Master of Education Admission Requirements

Prior to entry into the M.S. Educational Leadership degree program, you will be required to complete a candidate interview and provide the following:

• Evidence of an undergraduate bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Proof of a state issued, valid, and unexpired standard professional license
• A resume showing three years of licensed professional experience in a P-12 setting (excluding probationary, temporary, and substitute teaching experience)
• A confidential recommendation
• Recent annual summative performance evaluation

Additionally, you will complete and submit a Practicum Site Agreement . Use the version for your state of residence.

• For students in Washington.
• For students in Missouri.
• For students in North Carolina.
• For students in Kentucky.
• For students from all other states.

Get Your Enrollment Checklist

Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.

Get Your Questions Answered

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More About the M.S. in Educational Leadership

• More About This Degree

What is a master's in educational leadership?

A master's degree in educational leadership is a graduate program that prepares you for certification as a school principal or administrator. It gives you important skills and credentials to understand how to run the school in an efficient way. 

How long does it take to earn a master's in educational leadership?

Typical master's of educational leadership programs take 2 years to complete, but at some schools you may be able to accelerate and finish faster. For example, most WGU educational leadership students finish in just 18 months or less.

What can you do with an educational leadership degree?

An educational leadership degree can prepare you to become a vice principal, assistant principal, principal, or other administrator in education.

What can I expect from an online master's in educational leadership program?

What are the types of educational leadership.

Most educational leaders fall into a few categories of leadership including: servant leaders, transactional leaders, emotional leaders, and transformational leaders.

What are the functions of educational leadership?

Educational leadership is implemented to ensure that the entire school and system runs smoothly. Educational leaders are in place to create effective and robust places of teaching and learning where students feel safe and welcome. They ensure that the business end of a school runs well, while also ensuring that students and teachers feel confident as individuals.

What is educational leadership theory?

Educational leadership theory evaluates the different approaches to running schools and classrooms in ways that are effective for students and teachers alike.

What is meant by educational leadership?

Educational leadership is a joint effort utilizing the talents and expertise of educators, students, policy makers and the public at large to enhance public K-12 educational quality and systems. These enhancements are typically executed through improvements to training regiments, pedagogy, epistemology, and developmental psychology. A degree in educational leadership will focus on helping current teachers advance their knowledge and skills, giving them greater opportunities to influence policy and move into education careers that impact the future of learning.

What are the key qualities of educational leadership?

There are many qualities that an educational leader should exhibit. Qualities such as positivity, honesty, deep reflection, authenticity, integrity, passion, inclusivity, and a strong focus on community building and collaboration on educational issues are key to being a transformational educational leader. In an educational leadership degree program, you will focus on developing and honing these skills.

Should I get an online masters degree, or a graduate certificate?

Understanding your post bachelor educational possibilities is crucial if you have a specific goal in mind. For some, a post-graduate certificate can fulfill the requirements that are needed to teach a specific course or courses, by fulfilling a state or national licensing requirement, but a certificate is what is considered a non-degree award. As a result, if you have career goals that include additional advancements for your career beyond the classroom, you may need to consider if a certificate will provide you the ability to pursue those goals. 

A master’s degree in education can open the doors to school leadership roles as a principal or assistant principal, and in some states is even sufficient to be considered for roles as part of the superintendency. This is not typically true of a graduate certificate. Check your state guidelines to see your specific state’s educational requirements for leadership roles. 

Does WGU offer financial aid?

WGU is approved to offer  federal student aid . You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.

Are there scholarships available?

Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates.  This video shows more  about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:

• How to apply
• Eligibility requirements
• Examples of scholarships
• What happens after you apply
• Other financial aid options

How does tuition work at WGU?

WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools. 

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Graduate Certificate in School Leadership

Transfer credits, next start date, build a better learning community with a certificate in educational leadership.

Do you want to improve your leadership skills so you can apply your teaching experience to solve educational problems? Liberty University’s 100% online Graduate Certificate in School Leadership can help. This educational administration program is designed to help professionals navigate the complexities of schools, communities, and teaching organizations.*

Median Salary

Projected Job Growth

*Please note that this certificate does not grant licensure.

**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,   Occupational Outlook Handbook , Postsecondary Administrators , (viewed online June 28, 2021).   Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

Throughout this online certificate in educational administration, you can learn how to:

• Improve learning outcomes for all students.
• Make informed, ethical decisions.
• Promote the value of diversity, lifelong learning, and innovation.

Is a graduate certificate the same as a master’s degree? Graduate certificates and master’s degrees both require graduate coursework. However, graduate certificates are shorter and more focused. This allows you to get the training you need in the shortest time frame possible. Our school leadership certificate only requires 3 courses. You can be on your way to career advancement in just 1 semester.

Certificate in School Leadership Potential Career Options Our School Leadership Certificate can help you prepare for several career paths. Depending on your current knowledge, education level, and experience, there are many different positions that could benefit from our accredited School Leadership Certificate: Dean of discipline K-12 administrator Program director School administrator School board member School leadership associate Secondary school department head The administrative, supervisory, and educational policy skills that you gain from our certificate in school leadership can be an asset in many other aspects of the education world as you pursue positions of added responsibility. Additionally, the credits from this certificate may transfer directly into the MEd in Curriculum and Instruction – General Education . Take the next step towards your personal and professional goals with a school leadership certificate from Liberty University. Additional education or training may be required for some jobs or occupations. Conferral of a certificate does not guarantee job placement. Education careers may also require satisfaction of teaching licensure requirements, which this certificate is not designed to fulfill.

Are educational certificates worth it?

Yes – an educational leadership and administration certificate can help you increase your career options and earning potential. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median yearly salary for education administrators was $106,850 in 2022!*

* Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (viewed online Nov. 27, 2023). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

How do you become an educational leader?

For most professionals, you need to hold your initial teaching license to consider educational leadership roles. If you’re a teacher and want to add more value to your résumé, our certificate can help. This program provides you with 9 credit hours that focus on education administration. You can earn an advanced leadership certificate in a single semester!

What is the role of the educational leader?

Educational leaders primary responsibilities include:

• Collaborate with teachers
• Develop and implement an effective educational program
• Provide guidance and direction on curriculums
• Support educators

Why Should You Choose Liberty University’s Online Educational Leadership Certificate?

Liberty University’s educational leadership certificate can help you bridge the gap from hands-on classroom experience to administration roles. 

Are you currently working as an educator? Do you want to start your career in school leadership? Our graduate certificate in educational leadership online can provide you with an advanced credential. You will be able to demonstrate your value as a leader in your organization.

Here’s why you should complete your graduate certificate with us:

• Liberty University is regionally accredited by SACSCOC , the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. You’ll be earning your certificate from a respected institution.
• This program is offered 100% online. You can continue to dedicate time to your career and family while earning an advanced credential.
• Our professors have real-life experience teaching and administrating at all levels of education. They are excited to share their expertise with you.

What Will You Learn in Our Educational Leadership Certificate Online?

Our Graduate Certificate in School Leadership seeks to develop educators with a Christian worldview. These educators can prepare to serve in their school or organization with diligence and integrity. We accomplish this through challenging and rewarding courses taught by experienced education professionals. Each professor can teach you the skills and techniques you need to develop into a better leader and administrator of learning environments.

Through your education leadership courses online, you can explore the methods and best practices of the field. You can also discuss effective supervision methods, educational policy concerns, and how to navigate important local, state, and federal regulations.

Required Courses

• EDUC 642 – Leadership and Supervision in Education
• EDUC 643 – Contemporary Issues in Educational Policy
• EDUC 644 – School Leadership in Diverse Settings

Information for Our Online Graduate Certificate in Educational Administration

• This program falls under the School of Education .
• Download and review the Certificate Completion Plan for this program.
• View the Graduate Education Course Guides   (login required) .

  Apply Now     Request Info

Military Benefits for Students in Our Educational Leadership Certificate Program Online

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe. Whether you are a current service member, discharged or retired from service, or the spouse of a service member or veteran, we are here to support you every step of the journey.

As a thank-you for your dedication and service to our country, Liberty is honored to serve and support you in your pursuit of online education by offering the following benefits: 

• Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
• 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

Program Highlights of the Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership

• We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility . Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America . Earning your online education administration certificate from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
• The majority of tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs has not increased in 9 years. While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university. 
• You can complete our online school leadership graduate certificate in as little as 1 semester.
• Credits earned in your online Graduate Certificate in School Leadership may apply toward a relevant master’s degree .

Admission Requirements for Our School Leadership Certificate Online

Applicants must have a regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with a 2.0 or above cumulative GPA for admission in good standing. Please visit our admission requirements page for more detailed admissions-related information. 

All applicants must submit the following:

• Admission application
• Application fee*
• Official college transcripts**
• Proof of English proficiency (for applicants whose native language is other than English)

*There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.

**Please note: You cannot be accepted into this program until Liberty has your official transcripts.

*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, Non-Degree Seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and Certificates.

Apply FREE This Week*

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Next Start Date: May 13, 2024

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You have to have a lot of self-motivation and self-discipline when you are going to school online, but the amazing thing is at Liberty you do not need to do it by yourself. You really do have resources like someone who is going to school on campus.

– Janae Fleming ’15, B.S. in Education

Education Leadership (K-12)

Creating cultures where learning comes first, stronger schools and classrooms require effective educational leaders. start with our transformational school leadership training programs..

Effective leaders are invaluable, both in the classroom and in the workforce. And strong educational leaders directly impact student and community success. Yet school and district leaders must produce results despite limited resources and complex, competing demands.

Investing in high-quality, research-based leadership training for educators can help build a more trusting, collaborative, and inclusive culture where learning occurs every day. Our proven educational leadership training programs help develop leadership skills for principals, headmasters, teachers, and administrators — improving outcomes both for individual students and entire schools, districts, and communities. But leadership development is not just for adults.

Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. The better they can understand themselves and work effectively with others, the greater impact they can make on the world around them. That’s why  integrating youth leadership development into classrooms and schools  enhances a student’s  social-emotional skills and  overall growth.

At CCL, we’re proud of our educational leadership development training with students, faculty, principals, schools, districts, associations, and higher education institutions . Many of our school leadership training initiatives offering top-notch professional development for educators are funded through partnerships with foundations for philanthropic leadership .

K-12 Educational Leadership Training

Education leadership training for principals & administrators.

Partner with us to co-create programs that provide transformative leadership training for educators.

Using our extensive research, discovery process, and a combination of talent diagnostic tools and assessments, we can do a deep dive into your people, your organizational priorities, and your staff engagement levels to help inform your investments to ensure you see ROI as you develop leadership skills for principals and headmasters.

• Get a clear understanding of the impact of your investment in educational leadership training

Self-Paced Professional Development for Educators

We offer a variety of solutions for professional development for educators. School administrators can register cohorts of educators for our short, self-paced ecourses,  Social-Emotional Leadership and Building Collective Efficacy in Schools .

These research-based courses give teachers and staff the tools and support they need to build school cultures focused on collaboration and continuous improvement, enabling students to engage and achieve more.

• Go beyond theory with tools and practical support for implementing changes in the classroom

Coaching & Conversational Skills Training

Starting from the transformative premise that better culture starts with better conversations, our conversational skills training  can help you strengthen the fabric of your entire school, organization, and community.

Build and scale conversational skills for more candid and productive conversations, more effective solutions, and a stronger, more psychologically safe culture at your educational institution.

• Human-centered, research-based development experience
• Scalable options across large populations

Go Deeper on Leadership Training for Educators

Learn more about the 4 requirements for improving school culture , the most needed leadership skills for principals and educators based on our research, and how educational leadership training programs can create lasting impact:

What Our Educational Leadership Training Clients Are Saying

At CCL, we measure success by lives touched and impact made. That’s why the organizations we work with and the leaders we transform consistently tell us the same thing: their experience with us is a game-changer. These organizations’ investments in professional development for educators and youth leadership development have impacted thousands of lives in hundreds of communities.

But don’t just take our word for it — take theirs.

“ Our partnership with CCL…has been an immense blessing . Evaluations at the end of the program clearly demonstrate the strong positive effect on school leaders. The networking, skill training, and understanding of self as a leader are instrumental in successful outcomes for participants…it is simply outstanding.”

Executive Director Vermont Principals’ Association

“Can I just say that I love CCL? I love the impact it has made on me personally and professionally. I love how it fits perfectly with educational philosophy and globalization … I love the footprint CCL is making on the Ravenscroft community.”

Faculty Member

Ravenscroft School

“This has been one of the best leadership development courses I have experienced in my 25 years of education. The course made me grow as a superintendent, leader, father, and husband. The program makes you reflect on who you are as a person and provides peer support to help you grow in weak areas. I would recommend this training for any new or seasoned superintendent. Awesome experience!”

Dr. David Hall

District Superintendent, Pre-K-12 Oberlin, OH, City Schools

“I am at a point in my career where my role has shifted and I need to think about supporting principals in a new way. My experience at CCL with the Margaret Waddington Leadership Initiative was very timely and helped me think about a reset as an educator. I’m excited about this opportunity for continued growth!”

Bonnie Johnson-Aten

Principal Supervisor Margaret Waddington Institute for School Leaders Program Alumna

Impact of Our Partnerships for Educational Leadership Training

What participants said about our school leadership training programs and professional development for educators:

Meet Our Educational Leadership Development Experts

Greg Cameron

Director, Education Sector

Greg has an extensive background in nonprofit and educational leadership effectiveness, program design, development, and delivery. He is an internationally recognized expert in developing collective efficacy and organizational collaboration. At CCL, he leverages his experience to lead statewide K-12 leadership development initiatives and design development programs in partnership with school districts, universities, professional associations, and nonprofits.

Harvey Hinton

Senior Faculty, Societal Impact

Harvey is a Joy, Equity, Blackness, Belonging, Education, Diversity, Inclusion, Access, and Healing (JEBBEDIAH) thought leader with over 20 years of leadership experience. He has co-authored articles on teacher decision making, civic instruction, and character development and designed leadership development programs for youth, young adults, and youth practitioners. At CCL, Harvey delivers programming and engages members of the K-12, nonprofit, and higher education communities on leadership journeys. 

Susan Reinecke

Susan has over 20 years of experience working in and with public and private schools, colleges, universities, and nonprofits across the U.S. She has taught at both the university and community college level and has held multiple leadership roles within the educational system. Her experiences as a professional educator and school leader give her an insider’s view of the rewards and challenges of improving education. She strongly believes that educational leadership is both a science and an art.

Let’s Discuss Leadership Training for Educators

Our  experts are here to help .  Let’s talk about how our expertise in school leadership training for educators and youth social-emotional learning can help you create a culture where learning comes first.

K-12 Education Leadership: Research, News & Resources

CCL has published 2 books, one for educators and one for children, about Social-Emotional Leadership, strengthening our investment in building tomorrow’s leaders today.

Teach For America North Carolina and CCL have announced a new statewide partnership providing exclusive access to leadership development programming and resilience skills-building for over 2,200 Teach For America alumni.

How do you empower educators while also holding them accountable for their responsibilities? Watch this webinar to learn how to balance support and accountability.

Supported by an Armfield Foundation grant, CCL is partnering with Surry County Schools to develop a first-of-its-kind, district-wide leadership development initiative.

See how investing in leadership development for K-12 principals, teachers, and staff can transform schools and entire school systems.

CCL plans to build leadership skills across the state of Vermont, serving both individuals and organizations in the nonprofit and K-12 education space, with the support of a major gift from a CCL alum and longtime Vermont resident.

More About Educational Leadership Development

Social-emotional leadership development.

The better that today’s youth can understand themselves and work effectively with others, the greater impact they can make on the world as future leaders. And based on over a decade of research, we’ve developed an evidence-based framework for student leadership development called Social-Emotional Leadership . Increasing students’ social-emotional leadership increases their engagement and even academic performance.

Adults can actively encourage and foster social-emotional leadership development with students of all ages. But to be able to engage students authentically in leadership development,  headmasters, school administrators, faculty, and staff need educational leadership development experiences of their own.

Increasing Leadership Capacity Via Professional Development for Educators

Principals play a pivotal role in shaping positive school cultures. They must manage hiring and evaluating teachers, communicating with parents, keeping test scores up, budgeting and fundraising, and creating an environment where a diverse range of instructors and students can thrive. Good leadership permeates a school, fostering collaboration and trust, enhancing instructional effectiveness, and ultimately, impacting student learning. Thus, school leadership training is crucial for educational success.

Whether you want to offer professional leadership training for educators in your faculty or district, provide principal leadership development to headmasters, or support social-emotional learning for students, we have research-based K-12 educational leadership training programs that can help.

Frequently Asked Questions About Leadership Training for Educators

Leadership training for educators can help create a more trusting and inclusive culture where learning happens every day. Additionally, our research-backed leadership training helps educators foster more collaborative relationships in schools, districts, and communities overall. When you integrate leadership development into classrooms and schools, it enhances the leadership capacity of superintendents, principals, headmasters, and teachers, while at the same time supporting the holistic growth and social-emotional leadership of students. 

School leadership training is important because it strengthens educational leaders, enhances leadership skills for principals, administrators, and staff, and builds youth leadership capacity within faculties and districts. Investments in educational leadership development can help improve learning outcomes for entire communities. 

At the Center for Creative Leadership, our evidence-based professional leadership training helps build leadership skills for principals by leveraging credentialed, relevant, and personalized programming that’s designed to deliver classroom success and build collaborative relationships in schools, districts, and communities. We understand the unique challenges that principals and headmasters face, like managing and hiring teachers, fundraising, and keeping standardized test scores up, so we have tailored our programs to develop the leadership skills needed to tackle these issues head-on.

More questions? Our experts are here to help. Let’s have a conversation!

Related to Educational Leadership Training for K-12 & Youth

Higher Education Leadership Development

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Educational leadership Courses

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• Tuition and fees

Courses for this program are 100% online: no campus visits are required.

Some online courses are synchronous. This means class lectures occur at certain times of the day/week and require the student to attend via online collaborative tools. Please refer to myzou.missouri.edu for course availability and details — click on "Browse Course Catalog" or "Schedule of Classes" under Guest Access.

Your degree requires 120 credit hours, which may include transfer credits from other regionally accredited institutions.

The courses you take will include:

• Mizzou general education requirements;
• 24 credit hours of education courses;
• 21 credit hours of coursework in educational leadership;
• 3 credit hours of internship coursework.

The number of credits you need to take will depend on the type of previous credit earned and the institutions' accreditation and transfer equivalencies. The admissions office will determine your transfer credit once they receive your official transcripts and application. Visit the University of Missouri Course Equivalency site to determine credit equivalencies from courses taken at other Missouri institutions.

Course planner

Your individual plan of study will vary depending on your educational goals and the number and types of courses you transfer into the program. Personal degree plans will be developed with your academic advisor.

The chart below shows the courses offered in the program. Courses are 3 credit hours each, unless stated otherwise. The University reserves the right to change or cancel courses as needed.

This program requires an internship/practicum experience (EL_PA 4481). The intent of this course is to integrate practice, theory and ethical standards within a supervised education setting. Specific activities during the internship may vary greatly from one field placement to another in that different students may have different learning needs and desires, and different settings will offer different learning opportunities. In some circumstances and situations, an off-campus/off-site setting for an internship is also possible. The course may be repeated depending on student interests, internship site availability and additional experiences needed by the student. Graded on S/U basis only.

The senior capstone course (EL_PA 4975) is designed to allow a rigorous and in-depth study area of inquiry within the field of education. The area of inquiry is cumulative and includes critical analysis and theoretical and/or pragmatic integration of scholarly materials. The course of study is individualized under the guidance of a faculty member. Graded on A-F basis only.

Nondegree-seeking enrollment

Prior to acceptance into the program, you may enroll in up to 12 credit hours as a nondegree-seeking (in some cases, post-baccalaureate) student. Enrollment does not guarantee acceptance. Learn more about nondegree-seeking university student admissions .

State authorization

States require that the University of Missouri-Columbia be authorized to deliver university-level distance/online education to their residents. Each state handles this process differently.

Please see our state authorization page for more information.

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Students residing in all states are eligible to enroll in this program.

Learn more about this program

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Exploring educational leadership

Course description

Course content, course reviews.

This free course, Exploring educational leadership, provides an overview of the field of educational leadership and management. You will explore: the relationships between management and leadership; the scope of the field; different world views that underpin educational leadership research and practice; and some key concepts such as agency, power and authority and context. You will consider some differences between concepts, models and theories and be introduced to some questions that will help you evaluate different educational leadership theories and models.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• discuss different views of leadership
• identify key concepts related to leadership (e.g. agency, power)
• explain what 'agency' means
• explain some alternative views of 'power'
• explain the difference between a theory and a model.

First Published: 07/04/2016

Updated: 26/09/2018

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• Business Essentials

Leadership & Management

Credential of leadership, impact, and management in business (climb).

• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• *New* Digital Transformation
• Finance & Accounting
• Business in Society
• For Organizations
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• Harvard Business School →
• HBS Online →
• Online Business Certificate Courses
• Business Strategy
• Digital Transformation

Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability

• Leadership & Management →

Develop the leadership and management skills to get things done and bring out the best in your team, whether you’re an aspiring, new, or seasoned leader.

Have more confidence making business decisions

Return on investment with an average $17,000 salary increase

Are more self-assured at work

CLIMB enables new and experienced leaders to ignite their careers with a combination of vital and forward-looking business skills, self-reflection, and an immersive cohort-based learning experience with a diverse global network.

Certificate Courses (7)

Leadership Principles

Learn to bring out the best in others by applying and adapting your leadership style and managing the conditions that drive team performance.

Develop a toolkit for making tough leadership decisions.

Organizational Leadership

Elevate your leadership skills to take your organization to the next level.

Management Essentials

Master four vital managerial processes: decision-making, implementation, organizational learning, and change management.

Strategy Execution

Gain the tools, skills, and frameworks to successfully implement strategy within your organization.

Power and Influence for Positive Impact

Understand how power really works and develop your own power to gain influence and make an impact.

Negotiation Mastery

Secure maximum value for your organization through a mastery of negotiation techniques.

What You Earn

Certificate of Completion

Take any individual course to earn a Certificate of Completion and boost your resume.

Certificate of Specialization

Complete any three courses within this subject area to earn a Certificate of Specialization and signify your deep expertise in leadership and management.

Complete the year-long CLIMB program , including seven courses and a capstone project, to earn a Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business.

What Learners are Saying

I got promoted to a senior project coordinator role just weeks after finishing the course, so I have had the chance to apply many of the topics covered.

My favorite part of the program was interacting with my cohort members. I shared valuable experiences and feedback and was able to be a thought partner around strategies and best practices.

I am using some of the negotiation preparation techniques from the course in different aspects of my job. Overall, I feel more confident in situations that might have once felt intimidating.

What sets HBS Online apart?

Real-world cases, hbs online vs. other top business schools with online, asynchronous courses, related content.

How to Become a More Effective Leader

Which HBS Online Leadership & Management Course Is Right for You?

You may also be interested in.

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Leadership and Management Certificate Program & Courses

Leadership & management certificate program, “ the latest evidence on what it takes to become a better leader might surprise you. ”.

– Adam Grant, PhD, The Paul P. Steinberg Professor of Management, Professor of Management, The Wharton School; Professor of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School.

The Leadership and Management Certificate online program offers leadership courses designed to help executives across the organization reach new levels of success. Learn cutting-edge management concepts from world-class Wharton faculty. For companies looking to achieve and increase competitive advantage through online leadership training, this flexibly- paced online executive leadership certificate program is an effective way to scale learning for maximum impact across the organization. The online Leadership and Management Certificate program is for high-potential mid to senior-level managers working in any function or industry (with a minimum five to seven years’ experience) who want to gain exclusive insights and learn cutting-edge concepts to advance in their careers.

Benefits for Executives

• Enhance and strengthen your skills as a manager and decision-maker within your organization.
• Learn at your own pace with the convenience of leadership courses online and flexible start dates.
• Interact with world-class faculty and fellow high-potential learners from around the world.

Benefits for Organizations

• Efficiently scale leadership development across teams
• Leverage the flexibility for managers to adapt learnings to corporate challenges.
• Ensure better communication through a common leadership vocabulary.

Program Details

Start Dates: 

Enroll Immediately

Duration: 4-6 weeks per course

Commitment: 2-4 hours per week

Program Format: 100% Online

Program Tuition: $3,600 $995 (per individual course)

READY TO START?

Need a little more info, key certificate program takeaways.

Unlock your executive potential with Wharton’s online Leadership and Management Certificate program. As you progress through the four-course certificate program, you will gain insights from some of the world’s foremost business experts and learn critical skills needed to manage, lead, and succeed in today’s complex business environment.

Participants will learn how to:

• Better engage and motivate employees
• Better manage employee performance and evaluation
• Create an optimal organizational architecture
• Optimize outsourcing, acquisitions, and alliances
• Create strategic leadership and vision
• Quantify market trends on a global scale

Testimonials

“ Doing the online course was an amazing experience.…Having a certificate from Wharton, which is one of the best business schools in the world, is a big plus and a memorable accomplishment for me. ”

Layi Babalola , Finance Manager, Publicis Groupe, New York City

“ For anybody with responsibilities of almost any kind — whether it’s managing two people in a small office, or 20,000 people in a larger company or organization — this program has the content you need to get your job done. ”

Michael Useem , William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management, Professor of Management, Director of the Center for Leadership and Change Management, Editor of the Wharton Leadership Digest

“ Like most busy professionals, I often find myself bogged down in day-to-day tasks. The Leadership and Management Certificate program helped me make time to learn new business strategies and invest in myself .”

Elizabeth Carlyle , Vice President and General Counsel, Vision Source, Houston, Texas

Watch the video to learn about the power of this Wharton Certificate.

Video transcript.

Harbir Singh: “Leadership and management are actually some of the most important traits needed in organizations today.”

Nancy Rothbard: “Leadership is the engine by which you advance in your career. Showing leadership potential, showing that you’re able to engage others, showing that you’re able to bring out the best in others.”

Nicolaj Siggelkow: “The Leadership and Management program offered by Wharton Online covers a broad array of topics that are essential for managers in the current world. Even as technology is improving companies, the people skills are really really important.”

Mauro Guillén: “At a time when automation is making great inroads in the business world, we have more robotics on the factory shop floor and we have more IT throughout the corporation. What this means is that managers need a new set of skills.”

Nicolaj Siggelkow: “It’s thinking about how to create and implement a strategy. It’s thinking about how to lead a team, how to manage the people around you.”

Mike Useem: “How to pay people. How to promote people. How to reward people. How to give feedback to people. How to build a team. How to build a team of teams. How to structure an organization to optimize what people can deliver.”

Harbir Singh: “You also learn about the marketplace and how it imposes pressures and creates opportunities. And in a global environment today you learn a lot about emerging economies and how they are impacting markets here and how our organizations are accessing opportunities globally.”

Nancy Rothbard: “Those are the skills that are going to get you recognized in your career, and that are going to advance you.”

Mike Useem: “Anybody with responsibility of almost any kind, whether its managing two people in a small office or 20,000 in a larger company or organization, this is the content you need to get your job done.”

Mauro Guillén: “This program is specifically designed to help people achieve professional growth.”

Harbir Singh: “We have ways of participating with participants in this program that can allow people to have more of an individualized experience.”

Nancy Rothbard: “You’re getting Wharton faculty right to your fingertips when you need it. We’re bringing you up-to-the-minute insights but with skills that are timeless.”

Harbir Singh: “The Leadership and Management program brought to you by Wharton Online allows you to improve your future prospects, but also to become a more thoughtful leader. It’s a way for you to learn the most cutting-edge ideas to satisfy your curiosity, to learn about a truly global environment, and also to learn how to be a strong leader. So this is really exciting; that’s why you should do it.”

Leadership and Management Certificate Program Courses

Individual course descriptions, leadership in the 21st century, course description.

$995 Duration: 4-6 weeks

The attitudes, assumptions, and dynamics of employees in today’s workplace are more varied than perhaps ever before. Today’s successful leaders are those who create positive, productive, and responsive organizational cultures for their people. But with such varied perspectives, what cultural considerations make the most sense for an organization?

Leadership in the 21st Century will teach you how to create an environment where your employees can thrive and step up to meet stretch goals for the organization. Led by some of the world’s most acclaimed professors, including Adam Grant, Sigal Barsade , Katherine Klein, and Nancy Rothbard , the program exposes executives to cutting-edge research on the qualities and behaviors of both successful and unsuccessful work environments and how this research can be applied to practical, real-life workplace situations.

This inspirational program culminates in an understanding of making change for the better and how such change can propel your organization into the future.

Course Modules

• Engaging Hearts and Minds
• Understanding Work Styles and Cultivating Originality
• Purpose-Driven Leadership
• Organizational Culture and Culture Change
• Better engage your employees
• Foster creativity among individuals and teams
• Identify “givers,” “takers,” and “matchers”
• Lead with purpose
• Create a culture that encourages success

MANAGING AND MOTIVATING TALENT

People are the most valuable asset of any business, but they are also the most unpredictable and, often, the most difficult to manage. Talent management is a key strategy to the health and growth of successful organizations. Are your managers getting the training they need to make good management decisions?

In  Managing and Motivating Talent,  award-winning authors and renowned management professors  Michael Useem  and  Peter Cappelli  have designed this course to introduce you to the key elements of managing talent and motivating people.

By the end of this course, you’ll have developed the skills you need to start motivating, organizing, and rewarding people in your organization so that you can thrive as a business and as a social organization. Scaling this important learning throughout the organization provides leadership with a consistent framework for cross-divisional talent management.

• Motivation and Reward
• Tasks, Jobs, and Systems of Work
• Making Good and Timely Management Decisions
• Designing and Changing the Organization’s Architecture
• Engage and motivate employees
• Create incentive and reward systems
• Design jobs for greater performance and effectiveness
• Create an optimal organizational architecture for your company

MANAGING THE GLOBAL FIRM

Today’s markets are fast-moving, interconnected, and global in a way that is only increasing. Ongoing changes in our world, like the rise of emerging-market multinationals, the aging population, and the reconfiguration of global power relationships, result in new opportunities. How do you take advantage of these opportunities to benefit your business and get out in front of the change?

In  Managing the Global Firm,  world-renowned professor of management  Mauro Guillén  will teach you how and when to pursue these opportunities so that you can maximize profits and growth. You’ll be introduced to new decision and business models, products, and services, and learn how to use them within your organization. You’ll explore new international markets and how they evolve, and learn how to create a global structure and strategy to take advantage of these new global markets and envision the multinational firms of the future.

• Global Markets and the Firm
• International Strategies
• Organization and Management of the International Firm
• The Multinational Firm in the 21st Century
• Define and evaluate international markets
• Understand the evolution of market trends
• Identify the benefits of global strategy for your company

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: COMPETITIVE AND CORPORATE STRATEGY

In an increasingly competitive global business environment, companies in all industries are striving for an edge and working to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. In a world where “strategy” seems ubiquitous, how do you find your niche to truly differentiate?

Strategic Management  is designed to teach you how to evaluate, develop, and execute a successful business strategy that you can implement inside and outside the organization. World-renowned management professors  Harbir Singh  and  Nicolaj Siggelkow  introduce tools and frameworks that can be put to immediate use in planning and execution. By the end of this course, you will be able to articulate your strategy, why it works, and how it will help meet your organization’s financial and marketing goals.

• The Firm and the Industry
• Industry Analysis and Competitive Dynamics
• Corporate Strategy and Firm Scope
• Firms in a Context
• Create a value chain
• Position yourself in the market
• Perform network and industry analyses

Want it all? Take the complete program for $3600.

World-class wharton faculty.

Wharton’s outstanding faculty have worked for and consulted to large multinationals, health care and biopharma organizations, public and not-for-profit corporation, and small entrepreneurial organizations. Their research has been published in leading management journals, including Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Journal of Industrial Economics, Management Science, Organization Science, and Strategic Organization and featured in outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Harvard Business Review, US News & World Report, USA Today, and the Financial Times. They have also authored books on leadership and management, such as The Leader’s Checklist , The India Way , and Why Good People Can’t Get Jobs .

Faculty research interests include:

• Organizational culture and micro-organizational behavior
• Talent and performance management
• Multinational management
• Innovation and technology implementation
• Enterprise risk management
• Corporate governance

Sigal Barsade, PhD

Joseph Frank Bernstein Professor; Professor of Management, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Organizational culture, emotional intelligence, unconscious bias, organizational change, teamwork and leadership

Peter Cappelli, DPhil

George W. Taylor Professor of Management; Director, Center for Human Resources, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Human-resource practices, public policy related to employment, talent and performance management

See Faculty Bio

Adam Grant, PhD

The Saul P. Steinberg Professor of Management; Professor of Management, The Wharton School; Professor of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania

Research Interests: Work motivation, helping and giving behaviors, job design and meaningful work, leadership

Mauro Guillén, PhD

Dr. Felix Zandman Professor Emeritus of Management

Research Interests: Globalization, international political economy, multinational management

Katherine Klein, PhD

Edward H. Bowman Professor, Professor of Management; Vice Dean and Director, Wharton Social Impact Initiative, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Innovation and technology implementation, leadership, diversity, teams, and social networks

Nancy Rothbard, PhD

David Pottruck Professor of Management; Deputy Dean, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Emotion and identity, work motivation and engagement, work-life and career development

Nicolaj Siggelkow, PhD

David M. Knott Professor; Professor of Management; Co-Director, Mack Institute for Innovation Management, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Competitive strategy, firms as systems of interconnected choices

Harbir Singh, PhD

Mack Professor; Professor of Management; Co-Director, Mack Institute for Innovation Management; Wharton School Faculty Director for the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Corporate governance, corporate restructuring, management buyouts, strategies for corporate acquisitions

Michael Useem, PhD

William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management; Professor of Management; Director, Center for Leadership and Change Management; Editor, Wharton Leadership Digest

Research Interests: Catastrophic and enterprise risk management, corporate change and restructuring, leadership, decision making, governance

Request More Information and Download Program Schedule

Learn more about Wharton Online’s Leadership & Management Certificate before enrolling in the program.

Download Our Guide: Learning to Lead Multi-Generational Teams

This free downloadable eBook offers expert insights and practical advice on how to talk to, motivate, and manage Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers.

The Wharton School is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU.

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Description of program.

The Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Educational Leadership (EdL) is a practitioner-researcher degree designed to prepare educational leaders who desire to improve educational practice across private and public sectors of PK-12, higher education, military, and corporate learning organizations. You will acquire skills to ethically address the complex problems within educational practice using data-driven decision-making and other conceptual frames linking systematic inquiry with innovative solutions. The degree culminates in the completion of empirical research with direct implications for educational practice.

Please be advised that this program is NOT accredited in Kentucky by the Education Professional Standards Board and is NOT recognized for initial, additional, or renewal of certification or salary enhancement (rank change) for P-12 educators in Kentucky. For more information, please visit the Education Professional Standards Board’s website at  http://www.epsb.ky.gov/mod/page/view.php?id=12 .

Click here for potential career opportunities within the EdD-EdL.

Learning Outcomes

• Illustrate effective educational leadership vision and integrity through strategic planning involving data-driven decision-making and evidence-based practice
• Determine the aspects of professional capacity and resource needs for a quality professional learning community within a sector-specific learning organization
• Develop effective leadership traits to improve educational practice across diverse learning organizations within public and private sectors
• Devise informed evidence-based solutions to address a complex problem from educational practice
• Conduct empirical research to address a complex problem within educational practice

Basis for Admissions

Admission requires a conferred post-baccalaureate master’s degree and/or doctoral degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution or an international institution determined to be equivalent through an approved evaluation service.

Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership (EdL) requires 54 credit hours for degree completion. Coursework includes foundations, educational leadership, research methods, the pre-candidacy prospectus, and the dissertation. Additional credit hours may be allowed as needed to complete dissertation research in alignment with the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Academic Maximum Time Frame policies. Students who do not complete their program within these requirements may be dismissed.

The EdD-EdL degree program has the following graduation requirements:

• A minimum of 42 credit hours of graduate instruction must be completed through the University
• Official transcripts on file for all transfer credits accepted by the University
• Grade Point Average of 3.0 (letter grade of “B”) or higher
• University Approval of Dissertation Manuscript and Oral Presentation completed
• Submission of the approved final dissertation manuscript to the University Registrar, including the original unbound dissertation manuscript and an electronic copy
• Official documents on file for basis of admission: a conferred master’s degree from an accredited academic institution
• Official transcripts on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
• All financial obligations must be met before the student will be issued their complimentary diploma

The University may accept up to 12 semester credit hours earned with a grade of “B” or better for graduate coursework completed at an accredited college or university and evaluated to be substantially equivalent in content with the required course work for the EdD-EdL program.

Note:  Students who complete the University’s EdS program may be eligible to apply up to 30 credits from the EdS program to the Sanford College of Education’s Doctoral programs. School Dean (or their designee) approval is required to determine number of applicable credit hours from EdS to the selected doctoral program.

Dissertation Completion Pathway

The University’s mission is dedicated to assisting students in achieving their academic aspirations and helping them become valuable contributors to their community and profession. To support our mission, the University now offers a dissertation completion pathway for students who have successfully completed their doctoral coursework and achieved doctoral candidacy at a previous institution but were unable to complete their dissertation. The University’s Dissertation Completion Pathway (DCP) offers a unique opportunity for students to complete their doctorate in one of the doctoral programs offered at the University (excluding the PhD in MFT, DMFT, and DNP). Students successfully meeting the entrance and application requirements will complete a minimum of 23 credit hours to earn their doctorate.

Click below for more information on the Dissertation Completion Pathway   .

Time to Completion

The University allows 7 years to complete all doctoral programs of 60 credits or less.

The median time to completion for this program is 41 months.

Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most students are working adults, balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic and finance advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.

Students following the preferred schedule designed by the Dean for this program, and applying no transfer credits, can expect to finish in as little as 35 months.

Certification and Licensing

The Sanford College of Education serves educational leaders by providing online graduate studies in education to reach worldwide populations. The EdD-EdL program is designed to reach national and international markets and does not purport to provide licensure or certification in any particular state or country.

Dissertation Process

Faculty assists each Doctoral student to reach this high goal through a systematic process leading to a high-quality completed dissertation. This process requires care in choosing a topic, documenting its importance, planning the methodology, and conducting the research. These activities lead smoothly into the writing and oral presentation of the dissertation.

A doctoral candidate must be continuously enrolled throughout the series of dissertation courses. Dissertation courses are automatically scheduled and accepted without a break in scheduling to ensure that students remain in continuous enrollment throughout the dissertation course sequence. If additional time is required to complete any of the dissertation courses, students must re-enroll and pay the tuition for that course. Continuous enrollment will only be permitted when students demonstrate progress toward completing dissertation requirements. The Dissertation Committee determines progress.

Course Sequence

This program can be completed with a minimum of 54 credit hours, but may require additional credit hours, depending on the time required to complete the dissertation research. If needed, additional courses will be added to the student degree program in alignment with the SAP and Academic Maximum Time to Completion policies. Students who do not complete their program in accordance with these policies may be dismissed. The EdD-EDL has two specializations (PK-12 and Higher Education). All EdD-EDL students will take the first two introductory courses and will then take their remaining specialization courses (four required and two electives courses) within the PK-12 specialization, and EdD-EDL students in Higher Education will then take their remaining specialization courses (four required and two electives courses) within the Higher Education specialization.  All EdD-EDL students, regardless of specialization, will then take a series of research courses, a comprehensive examination course, and a series of dissertation courses.

• EDU-8050 - Foundations of Advanced Graduate Study and Research
• EDU-8060 - Foundations of Academic Writing, Conceptual & Theoretical Frameworks

Required Specialization Courses: 

• Specialization Course 1
• Specialization Course 2
• Specialization Course 3
• Specialization Course 4
• Specialization Course 5
• Specialization Course 6
• EDR-8200 - Scholarly Literature Review
• EDR-8300 - The Research Process
• EDR-8201 - Statistics I
• EDR-8400 - Advanced Qualitative Methodology and Designs      - or -  EDR-8500 - Advanced Quantitative Methodology and Designs      
• EDR-8206 - Applied Qualitative Analysis     - or -  EDR-8202 - Statistics II     
• CMP-9602E - Doctoral Comprehensive Assessment: Pre-Candidacy Prospectus
• DIS-9911A - Applied Doctoral Introduction
• DIS-9912A - Applied Doctoral Proposal
• DIS-9913A - Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Data Collection
• DIS-9914A - Applied Doctoral Manuscript

Higher Education Specialization

Specialization courses - 18 credit hours.

Required Specialization Courses: 

• EDL-9000 - Educational Leadership Theories
• EDL-9100 - Leadership for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice
• LHE-7300 - Legal Issues in Higher Education
• LHE-7600 - Strategic Planning and Operations in Higher Education

Select Two of the Following:

• LHE-7200 - Student Services in Higher Education
• LHE-7400 - Academic Program and Curriculum Development in Higher Education
• LHE-7500 - Financial Considerations in Higher Education
• OL-7100 - Conflict Resolution and Mediation
• OL-7102 - Leadership Ethics to Attain Organizational Excellence
• EDL-9500 - Innovation for Change in Educational Organizations

PK-12 Specialization

Required Specialization Courses:

• EDL-9200 - Leadership, Supervision, and Personnel in PK-12 Education
• EDL-9300 - Legal Issues in PK-12 Education
• EDL-9400 - PK-12 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
• EDL-9600 - Policy Development & Implementation in PK-12 Education
• EDL-9700 - Finance & Budgeting in PK-12 Education
• SEM-7300 - Leadership Paradigms in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management
• TRA-7100 - Trauma-Informed Educational Practices within Community Contexts and Conditions
• SEL-7600 - Comprehensive Planning for SEL Initiatives
• SE-7300 - Leadership, Law, and Finance in Special Education

• Effective Classroom Management

Four Practical Tips for Creating Leaders in the Classroom 

• April 1, 2024
• Rachel Elms

When we envision the traditional classroom setting, we tend to visualize the power at the front of the room. The instructor is standing over a podium while the students are seated looking up at the one who holds the future of their course grade. The instructor asks a question and the student answers. The instructor administers an exam, and the student is expected to know the materials to receive a passing grade. Yet, research has found that organizations are in dire need of transformational leaders, and too often, faculty practice traditional bureaucratic pedagogies that neither model nor develop the values and skills that students need to become transformational leaders (Luechauer & Shulman, 2007).  

So, what if we expected more from our students? What if we relinquish some of the power to watch our students succeed? Or show them the way to persevere when they fail?  What if our goals in the classroom included leadership development and our syllabi contained an inclusive tone with listed course activities that support professional development? As faculty members, we can inspire students who are eager to learn and grow. We are placed in a unique position to educate, but also to lead.  

My charge for us as faculty is to be open-minded and push the traditional power boundaries of the classroom. By allowing students the chance to succeed, we are inspiring a group of future leaders who will feel both empowered and motivated. While leadership skills are relevant for all students, I believe it is important to continue to examine how we set our students up for success both on campus and beyond.  

I have found the following four tips helpful for creating leaders inside the classroom: 

1. Create an inclusive learning environment  

While research traditionally focuses on the power of inclusive leadership from an employment standpoint, I believe the same power exists within the classroom. Regardless of course format, instructors must foster a positive learning environment. Learning and leadership are processes and fostering positive emotions in the classroom is key to motivating students. As students feel positive about their learning environments, they are more likely to get better grades (Weissman, 2022). It can be assumed that students are also less likely to be motivated to go above and beyond in a negative course setting. To truly foster leadership, faculty should be prepared to revise syllabi to include a positive and motivating tone, while focusing on a growth mindset and sense of belonging. I have found that using a variety of teaching strategies in addition to implementing games, trivia, and group presentations is helpful for increasing classroom engagement.  

2. Encourage critical thinking  

A leader must have the ability to communicate effectively, think critically, and handle a level of debate. In my courses, I like to focus on presenting hot topics and current events, which challenge my students to consider alternate viewpoints and perspectives. While it is necessary to establish ground rules for participation, I have tried several methods for encouraging student participation. In my experience, I receive the most engagement when I: 

• Give my students time to brainstorm a topic of discussion. 
• Allow them time to discuss the topic with their partner. 
• Ask students to share their ideas with the class. 
• Follow these steps up with future questions and positive reinforcement for all contributions.  

To follow up the discussion, I have asked my students to write a one-minute paper as an overview. I have also conducted my own informal evaluation of the discussion, taking notes of what was successful and what was not successful.  

3. Promote extracurricular involvement  

Students often get excited to learn more about extracurricular opportunities. Oftentimes, students are so occupied with work, courses, family, etc. that they don’t always have time to research internship opportunities, professional development events, or graduate programs. I have promoted involvement off-campus in the following ways:    

• Career f air i nvolvement : Our department hosted a career fair with vendors from across the stage. I encouraged students to attend and provided them with a resume clinic beforehand. Students secured internships and summer jobs with organizations across the state.  
• Guest speakers: I have brought guests to my classes who have promoted various local organization partnerships, summer internships, as well as graduate programs related to my students’ interests and degrees.  

4. Give students responsibility    

I have found that one of the most effective teaching strategies in my courses is to clearly define the task at hand while providing the students with a level of responsibility. Not only does this allow students to make decisions that naturally improve their leadership skills, but it opens the door to constructive feedback and positive reinforcement. As faculty, we can model transformational leadership by empowering our students. Here are several examples of activities I have done which have given my students a level of power: 

• Fundraising c hallenge: My students were responsible for fundraising for a local charity through our athletic department on campus. The group with the most raised funds won a backpack with university gear.  
• Career f air t abling: My students set up a table to promote a local business at a networking event. They were responsible for set-up, research, facilitation, and tear-down at the event. 
• Local b usiness p romotion: My class helped promote a local business by creating a social media campaign with strategies, posts, and creative ideas.  

My students enjoy activities that allow them room for creativity and hands-on involvement. In the past, many of my students expressed appreciation for practical assignments which required them to “step up and lead.” They have also reflected on their growth in just one semester after being challenged to lead in these various capacities.  

Rachel Elms is an assistant professor of sport management at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Her work focuses on leadership promotion and advancement of female leadership within the sport industry. In her role as assistant professor, she teaches a variety of sport management courses in addition to assisting in the Sport Impact Lab on campus. 

References  

David L. Luechauer & Gary M. Shulman (1996) Training transformational leaders: a call for practicing empowerment in the classroom, International Journal of Public Administration, 19:6, 827-848, DOI: 10.1080/01900699608525122  

“Facilitating Effective Discussions | Centre for Teaching Excellence.” n.d. https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/catalogs/tip-sheets/facilitating-effective-discussions

Hess, P. W. (2007). Enhancing Leadership Skill Development By Creating Practice/Feedback Opportunities in the Classroom. Journal of Management Education, 31(2), 195-213. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562906290933  

Lathan, Joseph, PhD. 2024. “10 Traits of Successful School Leaders.” University of San Diego Online Degrees. February 19, 2024. https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/effective-educational-leadership/

Weissman, Sara. n.d. “Better Classroom Experiences, Better Grades.” Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2022/07/14/better-classroom-experiences-better-grades

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Non-Credit Certificate Program in Project Management: Strategy Essentials

Enhance your career with our project management certificate as you advance your leadership and strategic skill sets.

*The extensive PMGT18101 is a double class priced at $2870.

At a glance.

Learn the technical and interpersonal skills necessary to master project management theory and best practices.

In order to offer a richer student experience, maximize program knowledge and offer our project management expertise to a greater audience, the University of Chicago Professional Education has merged its Essentials of Project Management and Project Management Strategy certificates into a robust, new program, Strategy Essentials of Project Management.

The Strategy Essentials of Project Management Certificate introduces students to the technical and interpersonal skills necessary to master the theory and practice of project management. Students will gain direct experience using appropriate tools and techniques to enhance their understanding of the strategic, leadership, human resources, and operational aspects of project management to successfully execute a project from initiation through completion.

Designed For

Designed for project managers who need to rethink internal processes to drive more successful project outcomes or professionals interested in gaining the skills needed to lead within their industries.

Professional impact of a Project Management certificate

The number of project management jobs is growing at an exponential rate, and trained project managers can excel in any organization or industry. Anyone who has participated in a project team knows that successful project delivery is a combination of science and art for project execution to meet its objectives on time and on-budget. This series of project management courses prepares you to embrace these challenges head-on by addressing real organizational needs, giving you knowledge that will enhance your ability to grow and contribute to any organization.

After completing the program, you will be able to: 

• Inhabit your role as a project leader by applying quantitative skills to inform good decision-making at every stage
• Deploy the “soft skills” inherent in successful project execution such as communication, interpersonal relationships, and problem-solving
• Use technology to facilitate communication and stakeholder management
• Deepen your understanding of the strategic, leadership, human resources, and operational aspects of project management
• Manage the expectations of the project stakeholder
• Manage risk at both project and organizational levels
• Successfully link project planning with corporate strategy
• Manage portfolios while juggling priorities, clients, and budgets
• Recognize and implement recovery techniques when necessary

Advance Your Skills With Our Results-driven, Interactive Classes

Gain in-demand project management training and level up your career with practical courses taught by expert instructors with serious industry knowledge.

Who Should Pursue UChicago's Project Management Certificate?

The online project management certificate program is open to participants of varying professional backgrounds. However, industry professionals who demonstrate five years of experience in a managing role or capacity in project management can receive a waiver for the first core course.

According to a 2020 report by the Project Management Institute , 51% of organizations require project management professionals to have a certification for their role.

The Interpersonal Touch

In addition to rigorous training in the techniques, tools, and practical concerns inherent to the successful execution of projects, students in the project management certificate will learn the interpersonal skills often overlooked in foundational project management programs. Successfully conducted project management requires tactical communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution. Our online Project Management courses train students to meet and embrace challenging team dynamics to guide a project smoothly to conclusion.

Participants in the project management certificate include:

• Experienced project managers and project coordinators responsible for project design and implementation
• Project managers responsible for process-centric projects
• Program managers who are responsible for multiple projects
• IT managers, supervisors, or project leaders responsible for business analysis and project implementation
• Business managers/supervisors, project sponsors, and other managers responsible for project success

I was amazed at the program's ability to cater to a breadth of project management professionals. The instructors find ways to challenge everyone—and I learned just as much from my classmates, fellow project managers from unique industries and backgrounds. I was promoted to Manager of Project Management at my firm only a few months after receiving my certificate. Kurtis Hardy, Project Management Strategy Certificate Recipient

Offered by The University of Chicago's Professional Education

Boost Your Career at the Speed of Industry

Of interest, non-credit certificate program in conscious leadership and team management.

Learn how accurate self-assessment can improve your conscious leadership skills and encourage strong...

The Modern Project Manager

Charting a Course to an Exciting Future

Using Agile to Embrace Change in Product Development

• Non-Credit Certificate Program in Clinical Trials Management and...
• Three Keys to Project Management Success
• Professional Development Units (PDUs)

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Corporate Training and Professional Education Instructor Jay Powers Gives Insightful Presentation on Leadership and Success

• Tatiana Del Valle
• March 28, 2024
• Leadership and Management
• Text-based Story

The event GROW Pasco 2024 was the backdrop for retired Colonel and University of South Florida instructor Jay Powers, wherein he guided entrepreneurs and leaders toward success earlier this month using the expertise he developed as a U.S. Army Green Beret and leader within Joint Special Operations. 

GROW Pasco is an event designed to equip local entrepreneurs and executives for growth in the evolving business landscape. Hosted by the SMARTstart entrepreneurship program at Pasco EDC, it provides educational and networking opportunities for business owners in the area. With a full schedule of speakers, including business and community leaders, and breakout sessions throughout the day, attendees learned how to leverage everything from marketing and social media to artificial intelligence. 

USF’s Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education attended to absorb more knowledge, connect with others in the local community, and see unique perspectives on entrepreneurial success.

Weaving Leadership with Self-Care

Powers emphasized key aspects of leadership and organizational growth in his presentation, “Lead Your Way to Entrepreneurial Success,” and coupled these observations with valuable perspectives he’s gained as COO at Tampa Bay Wave, a renowned non-profit accelerator dedicated to tech company growth and the development of Tampa Bay's tech ecosystem. 

He honed in on the similarities and differences between the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs and leaders. Good leaders have strengths such as delegation, integrity, empathy, and respect, while entrepreneurs have characteristics such as flexibility, curiosity, persistence, and innovative thinking. Both should have self-awareness to reflect on their actions and how they affect others. 

“There’s no single approach to leadership that will work for every person and situation, that's why it's difficult,” Powers said. “It’s important to get feedback to know how you’re truly impacting people.”

He believes people are the critical resource for any organization to succeed, so leaders should strive to create environments where people can thrive.

He also stressed the importance of balancing your business efforts with the other essential areas of your life. Be sure to prioritize sleep, exercise, family, and other parts of your personal life to ensure you bring the best version of yourself to your organization. “If you take the time to invest in it, family can be one of your biggest sources of resilience,” he said. 

Ultimately, Powers had two major takeaways:

One: Identify when you need to do less and lead more.

Two: Take a long-term approach to balance.

By getting to know your team, prioritizing feedback, giving people space to take initiative, and taking care of yourself, you can set yourself up with a strong foundation for success both in business and your life. 

The impact of his speech was evident in the long line of attendees who patiently waited to chat with him after the presentation. View the full presentation here .

Level Up Your Skills

For a unique opportunity to learn from an experienced leadership practitioner, join Powers for the next session of his course, “Executive Leadership Lessons,” starting Friday, April 5. Designed to accommodate the schedules of busy professionals, this course provides an overview of how to build positive environments, encourage employee input, give and receive feedback, and build trust. 

Register here or contact David Hill, associate director of the Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education, at [email protected] for more information. 

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About Corporate Training and Professional Education

USF Corporate Training and Professional Education empowers people to craft their future without limits through engaging professional growth learning and certification programs. Its programs focus on an array of topics – human resources, project management, paralegal, process improvement, leadership skills, technology, and much more.