Leadership Certificate Programs

Leadership is a multidisciplinary academic field of study that focuses on management in organizational contexts. The discipline is closely related to the field of organizational studies. A number of programs are offered in leadership that prepare students for managerial and administrative roles within businesses and organizations.
 

What do Organizational Leaders do?

Organizational leaders take up management roles and are responsible for establishing and carrying out departmental or organizational goals, policies, and procedures. They also direct and oversee an organization’s financial and budgetary activities and look after general activities. In addition, organizational leaders analyze, anticipate, and prepare for future leadership environments.  They apply practices in leading people and organizations to promote change, innovation and creativity.

Featured Programs

Certificate in Leadership

A variety of degrees are offered in leadership. Students may pursue associate, bachelors or master’s degree in leadership to improve their skills and find managerial positions in a wide array of settings.  In addition to degrees, certificate programs are also available in this area of study.

The certificate in leadership is designed for working professionals seeking to take their careers to the next level. The short courses are designed to help students learn about new leadership models to improve their career prospects. They allow candidates to find out how to apply contemporary leadership theories to real life problems.

Students can earn a certificate in a few months to one year. The exact duration of the programs depends on the enrollment status of the student.

While some certificates may be titled ‘Leadership Certificates’, some universities offer these certificates with slightly different names.

• Strategic organizational management and Change
• Leadership and Innovation
• Leadership and Change
• Leadership Excellence
• Organizational Leadership and Development

You should go through the details of these certificates and determine if they appropriately serve your interests.

What Courses will You Study?

The coursework includes a variety of topics that may help students develop managerial and leadership skills to excel in business and related fields. Students can pursue certificate programs such as healthcare leadership or organizational leadership. Through a variety of change and leadership courses, students can focus on studies that emphasize on current issues. They also learn about the crucial learning processes of observation, analysis, and action, allowing them to integrate their learning into the workplace.

• Leadership management
• Organizational behavior
• Development
• Accounting,
• Global enterprise
• Leading global and diverse cultures
• Leadership and Social Change
• Leadership Communication
• Civic Engagement and Wellness
• Leading Sustainable Change

The above mentioned list is intended to serve as general guide only. The names and types of courses may differ depending on the university that you enroll in. You’ll typically be required to take up a combination of compulsory and elective modules in order to fulfill the credit hour requirement.

What are the Admission Requirements?

Every university may have a different set of requirements for prospective students. There are many universities that do not require any specific prerequisites. However, it is recommended that students have a bachelor’s degree. As a part of the application process, they may have to provide official transcripts, letters of recommendations, and statement of purpose.

Online Leadership Certificates

As more and more people are turning to online education, there are many institutes that offer online certificates in leadership. Online courses are highly suitable for working professionals who wish to enhance their leadership skills while holding on to their current jobs. They’ll be able to study from any location at their own pace. Distance learning courses provide a great deal of flexibility and enable students to complete the program according to their own convenience. Moreover, online education proves to be more affordable and provides you with an equally good program curriculum and content.

Career Prospects

Leadership graduates may look for job opportunities in various industries including engineering, business, education and healthcare where they may work as executives, human resources managers or management consultants. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of human resource managers is anticipated to increase about as fast as the average of all occupations. The demand for management consultants is also expected to grow at a fast pace. As reported by Money Magazine human resources management and management consultancy are among the Top Jobs in America.

Earning a degree or certificate in leadership may open up several opportunities for you. You can look for senior level jobs in healthcare, engineering, business or the education sector. Compensation is subject to location, qualification, position and experience. As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012, management consultants earned a median annual wage of $78,600.