Graduate Servant Leadership Certificate
Graduate Servant Leadership Certificate
Start your GCU
journey today.
journey today.
In each servant leadership course, you can develop advanced leadership skills in effective communication, critical thinking, global awareness, ethics and conscious capitalism.
Throughout your courses, you have the opportunity to articulate the responsibilities of leadership through a Christian worldview. This includes the biblical basis of servant leadership and the professional integrity required of Christian leaders.
While completing this graduate servant leadership certificate program, you will be taught to:
Online: $665 per credit [More Info]
The University will accept one course of the total certificate requirements in transfer.
Credits: Fill out the Lopes Eval to find out what will transfer
Admission Requirements (Master's)
OR 2.5+ Unweighted GPA and
Admission requirements may differ based on degree level, program and modality, or transfer status. Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission. Please review full admission and program requirements in the University Policy Handbook.
* Degree must be from an accredited college or program that has been approved by GCU.
** Combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011 (1,000 combined verbal and quantitative, prior to August 2011).
The Graduate Certificate in Servant Leadership is designed to guide you on how to create a positive work culture of growth, engagement and employee well-being. Offered fully online through Grand Canyon University’s Colangelo College of Business, this program can equip you with practical leadership strategies and interpersonal skills that promote collaborative decision-making. Through a flexible, structured curriculum, you can develop the tools needed to lead with empathy and drive positive organizational change.
In each servant leadership class, you will have the opportunity to engage in dynamic group discussions, examine the principles of servant leadership and assess leadership styles across various organizations.
GCU integrates Christan values, ethical leadership and community impact into every aspect of the curriculum. You will be taught how to serve others with humility and purpose, while fostering emotional intelligence to create an engaged workplace culture.
1. COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective August 2025, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Management Occupations, retrieved September 2025.
2. Lichtenwalner, B. (2024, Aug. 21). Servant Leadership Companies List. Modern Servant Leader. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
3. Winch, G. (2024, Sept. 9). The Importance of Feeling Respected, Appreciated, and Liked at Work. Psychology Today. Retrieved Oct. 6, 2025.
4. VanBenschoten, B. (2020, Nov. 25). What Is Servant Leadership and How To Apply It. The National Society of Leadership and Success. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
Read through some of the most frequently asked questions to learn more about becoming a servant leader and earning your graduate certificate in servant leadership.
Servant leadership is important because it shifts the focus of leadership from authority and control to service and empowerment. Servant leaders prioritize the well-being, growth and success of their teams. This approach to leadership can foster collaboration, trust and a shared sense of purpose. A healthy environment, where individuals feel supported and valued, can motivate each member of the team to handle challenges well and contribute to a culture of respect and engagement.
Servant leaders put the needs of others first. The focus of servant leadership is to empower others to help them grow and be their best self. According to the National Society of Leadership and Success, there are ten characteristics of servant leadership. These include listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of others and building communities.4
The servant leader certificate is designed for those who want to enhance their existing leadership skills and build new servant leadership skills, leverage the strengths of their employees, build a collaborative workplace and reshape the processes and operations of their business.
Earning a graduate certificate in servant leadership can teach you how a servant leader is different from other types of leaders, and how you can acquire those skills to help develop yourself as a servant leader and apply those skills to various settings. Through your servant leadership education, you can establish yourself as a servant leader and begin applying your knowledge to your professional and personal life.
GCU’s online graduate servant leadership certificate provides digital resources, a supportive learning community and the convenience of studying remotely. Each servant leadership course is designed to fit your busy schedule while offering meaningful interaction with faculty and peers. Whether you’re balancing work, family or other responsibilities, this flexible format can allow you to pursue leadership development while maintaining your other commitments.
Some industries may tend to place a higher value on servant leadership careers.
As with the healthcare industry as a whole, servant leadership in nursing is particularly well-aligned due to the direct patient care involved in the nursing field. Nurses build relationships with many of their patients through regular, personal interaction. Through this interaction, nurses and physicians are able to create personalized care plans that best meet the medical needs of each patient.
Servant leadership can be an effective leadership model used in schools. School principals who incorporate servant leadership in education can help encourage, empower and serve their teachers. Teachers who feel supported increase their effectiveness in the classroom; thus, positively impacting student learning as well as their relationships with parents and colleagues.
Many companies favor servant leadership training in business. Chick-fil-A, Whole Foods, Marriott, Southwest Airlines, Nordstrom and REI are among the long list of recognized companies who understand the importance of creating nurturing workplace environments for their employees.2 When employees feel respected, heard and appreciated, their morale, engagement and productivity increases.3
If you’re interested in becoming a servant leader, fill out the form on this page to get in contact with a university counselor and get started.
Earning a graduate servant leadership certificate can help prepare you to lead with compassion, integrity and in service to others. Individuals who pair this certificate with a degree program can enhance their confidence and capabilities to lead, serve and transform.
This certificate program, when combined with a degree program, can prepare you for roles such as:
Chief executive
General or operations manager
Human resources manager
Sales manager
Training and development manager
Social and community services manager
Facilities manager
Administrative services manager
Number of new jobs estimated to open for management occupations from 2024 to 20341
