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Leadership in Business Graduate Certificate

Unlock your leadership potential and reach new levels of success as you learn graduate-level concepts that strengthen your management abilities and enhance your executive potential in Oakland University’s Leadership in Business Graduate Certificate program. Through action-based and experiential learning, you will emerge with the mindset, confidence and ability to lead high-performing teams with integrity, drive and purpose.

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This 15-credit certificate program is designed for early and mid-career professionals who are preparing to advance to management. In the required courses, students concentrate on building critical competencies through the study and practice of leadership and group performance as well as organizational behavior. Students build on this foundation by selecting from a range of electives to customize the program to match their career-specific goals.

Benefits

  • Develop core leadership competencies for success in a dynamic workplace, including strategic planning, change management, problem-solving, collaboration, communication and team building.
  • Demonstrate commitment to professional development and organizational improvement to current and future employers.
  • Build and expand a strong professional network by engaging in team-based activities.
  • Learn directly from faculty members actively engaged in leadership research and involved in the nationally recognized Leadership Academy.
  • The option of face-to-face evening, online and hybrid courses mean students can balance earning the certificate with current personal and professional commitments.
  • Earn credits that can be applied toward an Oakland University MBA.

Contact Us
Graduate Business Programs
[email protected]
(248) 370-3287

The program is ideal for students holding a bachelor’s degree who are interested in:

  • developing leadership capabilities without committing to a master’s degree program.
  • building skills to launch or advance to a management position.
  • sharpening their skills and enhancing their resume. 

This program is also available to companies interested in offering career development opportunities to their employees in a flexible, cost-effective manner.

In-Demand Skills
In a recent Deloitte Human Capital Report, 75% of hiring managers said leadership skills are hard to find in new recruits. Companies surveyed for the most recent World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report reported a clear gap in leadership skills. The report lists the top skills expected to increase in demand over the next five years: analytical thinking, complex problem-solving, creativity and innovation, leadership and social influence, emotional intelligence, and persuasion and negotiation.

Application Requirements

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution.

How to Apply

The application process requires submission of the following:

  • Online Application for Admission from the Graduate School
  • Curriculum Vitae or Resumé - uploaded after online application is submitted
  • Two email addresses for individuals who will write your recommendations - added after online application is submitted
  • Official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended sent to OU

International Students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree from a U.S. college or university or at least 24 credits from a U.S school, will have additional application requirements:

  • A transcript evaluation (for transcripts from a college or university outside of the United States)
  • TOEFL Exam Scores (for non-native English speakers unless they have a baccalaureate degree from a U.S. college or university or at least 24 credits from a U.S. school)

School of Business Administration

Elliott Hall, Room 427
275 Varner Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4485
(location map)