MBA: Leadership Emphasis
Earn Your MBA and Transform Into an Effective Leader
Offered by the Colangelo College of Business, the Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis in Leadership at Grand Canyon University is designed to strengthen your leadership style and prepare you to be a confident and effective business leader. Focusing on ethical decision-making and problem-solving principles, this program allows you to build a framework that facilitates the thoughtful development and communication of decisions.
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Benefits of GCU's MBA: Leadership Emphasis Program
From a managerial approach, you will explore a wide range of leadership topics within an intimate and engaging online classroom. Benefit from the diverse perspectives of your peers and instructors. Prepare to drive growth and lead efficient change in your company as you explore timely topics in organizational change and leadership development.
Additional benefits of this MBA program include:
- Greater convenience and flexibility with online or evening classes
- Opportunities to build a robust professional network
- Transfer credits for business-oriented bachelor’s degrees
In addition, the Colangelo College of Business has a distinct perspective of business designed to help equip you to be a good steward and adept business professional. Elements of this perspective include:
- Business as a force for good — you will be taught to elevate humanity through business done right, including the tenets of conscious capitalism.
- Free markets and purpose for prosperity — over the course of the program, you will explore the higher purpose of business and a stakeholder orientation for long-term success.
- Business as ministry — business competencies are taught through a Christian perspective that encourages building up your team through love, care and support to facilitate a positive workplace culture.
An MBA Program Designed for Aspiring Leaders
Effective leaders are those who drive positive change and build productive workspaces. As you work toward your degree in this MBA and leadership program, you will be guided to explore the tools and foundational knowledge needed to become an effective leader. An effective leader cultivates many qualities and competencies, including:
- Identifying and nurturing talent
- Inspiring others and developing a positive company culture
- Providing a good example for others to follow
- Motivating others toward a common vision
- Promoting potential in others
Explore Skills and Competencies for Your Future
The learning objectives are broad in scope yet in-depth in nature. They include the following:
- The models and theories of leadership, as approached by diverse viewpoints
- The behavioral forces and relationships that drive positive organizational change
- The design and execution of strategies that create a sustainable competitive advantage
- The adoption and promotion of socially responsible business practices
In addition to working through theoretical coursework with practical applications, you will be encouraged to develop key business competencies through hands-on activities. This program includes a capstone project that requires you to prepare and conduct a strategic analysis of a publicly traded firm. You will prepare a strategic plan designed to foster value for the chosen firm.
Applying Servant Leadership in Organizations
The MBA program at GCU emphasizes the intrinsic value of servant leadership. You will explore how servant leadership builds strong and ethical organizations, enriches lives and works toward positive and socially just communities.
This degree program challenges you to attain a deeper understanding of effective business and management principles. You will be expected to refine your communication skills, such as how to effectively connect with diverse audiences and key stakeholders. Critical thinking and analysis, ethical problem-solving and innovative theory application are core competencies of this MBA program.
Career Opportunities for MBA Graduates
Earning your MBA can help prepare you for executive and managerial positions across a broad range of industries. This credential demonstrates your commitment to professional development and best practices in leadership. Some of the career opportunities for those with strong business and leadership competencies may include:
- Chief executive
- Human resource manager
- Business operations specialist
- Facilities manager
MBA candidates at GCU may qualify for placement assistance.
Earn Your MBA Degree From an Institutionally Accredited University
The Colangelo College of Business is pleased to offer numerous accredited degree programs to future business leaders. This MBA program has received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), an accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
In addition, GCU is an institutionally accredited university — a designation that reflects our commitment to thoroughly preparing our students with the quality education necessary to make a meaningful impact on their communities. The Higher Learning Commission has continually accredited GCU since 1968. The Colangelo College of Business shares the university’s commitment to upholding the principles and standards established by our accrediting bodies.
MBA: Leadership Program FAQs
As you reflect on your future in business and consider your options for advancing your education, you may have some questions. Review the following FAQs and answers to help guide your decision-making process.
Strive toward leadership in your organization. Earn your MBA online from GCU.
1 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Financial Managers as of May 2023. retrieved July 11, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as financial managers, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc., against a pool of candidates.
Fundamentals
Fundamental courses prepare students for the curricular content they will encounter within this MBA program. Upon evaluation of their transcripts, students with business-oriented undergraduate degrees may waive all MBA fundamental courses. All students will undergo transcript evaluations. If they have earned grades of C or better in equivalent course content, students with non-business undergraduate degrees may have the option to waive one or more of the following fundamental courses associated with their chosen MBA program.
Course Description
This course is designed for students who are preparing for more advanced coursework in business but who have not had accounting in undergraduate work. Topics covered include the principles and practices of financial accounting, including the fundamentals of revenue recognition, the components of the balance sheet, and financial statement analysis. ?The course explores accounting theories using publicly traded companies and case studies.
Course Description
This course is designed for individuals who are preparing for more advanced coursework in accounting and is designed for students who have not had finance in undergraduate work. Topics covered include financial analysis, financial planning, asset evaluation, capital structure, and working capital management.
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to prepare students in mathematical, probability, and statistical concepts for their upcoming studies in quantitative methods. The course is intended for those students who have not had any prior statistical education, although students who have had statistics should also consider taking the course as a refresher.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the College of Business. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success.
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the College of Business, key concepts of leadership, and an overview of how the science of organizational behavior contributes to effective leaders and managers.
Course Description
This course introduces microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts that are relevant to contemporary business. Emphasis is placed on using economic data for business decision-making.
Course Description
This course is a study in the quantitative tools and techniques used to model business functions and applications. Emphasis is placed on how to set up models, and how to interpret and apply their results. Prerequisite: SYM-506.
Course Description
Management of the marketing function, market environmental analysis, and marketing planning, strategy, and control are fundamentals of marketing management. The course examines the marketing process, marketing research, product development innovation and diffusion, pricing strategy, distribution value drain, advertising and promotion, and strategic marketing issues. Emphasis is placed on case study analysis and current academic research with a marketing plan as a significant curriculum component.
Course Description
This course covers managerial accounting concepts and procedures for internal reporting, including the study of cost behavior, cost systems, budgeting, and performance evaluation. Coursework includes case studies, group projects, and class discussion. Prerequisite: ACC-502.
Course Description
Operations Management examines managerial concepts and strategies relating to the management of operations in both manufacturing and service environments. Emphasis is placed on methods to streamline and drive inefficiencies out of a firm’s internal processes to build a highly efficient organization. The course also focuses on external processes by examining ways to achieve greater supply chain integration with suppliers and customers. Quantitative and qualitative methods and tools are introduced and applied. Prerequisite: SYM-506.
Course Description
This course discusses elements of business financial decisions, including financial forecasting and development of proformas, management of working capital, capital budgeting, capital structure, and raising funds in capital markets. Prerequisite: FIN-504.
Course Description
This capstone course focuses on preparing and conducting a strategic analysis of a selected publicly traded firm to produce actionable intelligence used to formulate recommendations to promote the creation of a value-adding strategy. Based on the results of their strategic analysis, students are then required to prepare the framework of a strategic plan that creates significant value for the selected firm. Prerequisites: MGT-605, MKT-607, ACC-650, and FIN-650.
Course Description
This course is an exploration of the behavioral forces and relationships that influence organizational effectiveness and change. It also emphasizes the study of intervention strategy and application skills related to a foundational understanding of the role of project management in the context of leading change in organizations. The course provides insights into the leadership and management of people, processes, and best practices for successful change.
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to synthesize the interdependent concepts of global business, cultural intelligence, self-awareness, and interpersonal relationships. It examines and applies contemporary global topics, diverse business and problem-solving perspectives, and effective cross-cultural communication skills to develop competent world leaders.
- GCU cannot and will not promise job placement, a job, graduate school placement, transfer of GCU program credits to another institution, promotion, salary, or salary increase. Please see the Career Services Policy in the University Policy Handbook.
- Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
- Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.
Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom.