Strategic Leadership and Management Graduate Certificate
In this for-credit program, you’ll learn in-demand skills for managing people and teams and developing and implementing organizational strategy—all from a top-ranked business school.
Apply by April 3, 2025
Classes start on May 21, 2025.
5 -24 months
Minimum time to complete. May vary depending on course load and start date.
$4,164
Tuition and fees are subject to change.
100% online
Faculty teach live classes and offer weekly office hours.
The University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business is consistently ranked as one of the best in the United States, and delivers exceptional online learning experiences.
Curated, stackable content
Knowledge and skills are aligned with real-world demands and opportunities. The certificate stacks directly into the full Master of Business Administration (iMBA), Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA), and Master of Science in Management (iMSM) from the University of Illinois. Upon completion of the certificate program, you can take 12 credit hours of completed work and apply that toward one of those degrees.
Hands-on practice
Through projects, exercises, and case studies, you’ll build the experience and confidence to apply what you’ve learned.
Interactive and supportive
Faculty teach live classes and offer weekly office hours, and teaching staff are available to provide support as needed.
Program description
Overview
Build the skills to become an exceptional leader and manager in MBA-level courses taught by expert faculty. Benefit from live, interactive learning sessions with instructors and receive actionable feedback from teaching staff and your fellow learners. Through hands-on projects, exercises, and case studies, you’ll develop experience, insight, and in-demand leadership and management skills that you can apply immediately in your career.
The certificate stacks directly into the full Master of Business Administration (iMBA), Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA), and Master of Science in Management (iMSM) from the University of Illinois.
Required background
A bachelor's degree is required and professional experience, skills, or knowledge related to business concepts is preferred.
Upcoming Events
Skills you will gain
- leadership
- organizational leadership
- strategic leadership
- organizational management
- strategic management
- digital transformation
- organizational change
- team building
- leadership skills
- managerial skills
- organizational design
- organizational development
- business strategy
3 required courses
Course 1 of 3
BADM 508: Leadership & Teams
Overview
In this course, you’ll develop and learn how to integrate fundamental behavioral concepts and theories that have administrative applications. Your focus will initially be on the individual decision-maker but will ultimately take in interpersonal, organizational, and social structures and influences. You’ll also develop strategies and methods of research for behavioral applications in business.
Course 2 of 3
BADM 509: Managing Organizations
Overview
In this course, you’ll examine and analyze the organization as a social system and the impact of its various components on work attitudes and behavior. Topics covered include the development of organizational structures, organizational effectiveness, decision-making and policy formulation, leadership, and change.
Course 3 of 3
BADM 544: Strategic Management
Overview
In this course, you’ll engage in an integrative examination of executive-level decisions and policies that drive company survival and performance. Your focus will combine theoretical and practical learning through strategic management tools, frameworks, examples, and case studies. You’ll gain a top management view of companies and organizations that is essential learning for any leader.
The certificate stacks directly into the full Master’s of Business Administration (iMBA) from the University of Illinois.
Take the next step in your education to boost your career. This Graduate Certificate is a building block that offers you a pathway to a degree while also providing job-relevant skills today.
Certificate
Strategic Leadership and Management Graduate Certificate
Strategic Leadership and Management Graduate Certificate Certificate allows you to earn credit directly towards the:
Instructors
Denise Lewin Loyd
Associate Professor of Business Administration and Vernon Zimmerman Faculty Fellow
Elizabeth Luckman
Clinical Assistant Professor of Business Administration and RC Evans Data Analytics Fellow
Michael Bednar
Associate Professor of Business Administration, Director of Experiential Learning, and Robert & Karen May Faculty Fellow
Deepak Somaya
Professor of Business Administration and Academic Director of Origin Ventures Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Stephen V. and Christy C. King Faculty Fellow and Edwards Scholar
Frequently asked questions
Coursera does not grant academic credit; the decision to grant, accept, or recognize academic credit, and the process for awarding such credit, is at the sole discretion of the academic institutions offering the Graduate Certificate program and/or other institutions that have determined that completion of the program may be worthy of academic credit. Completion of a Graduate Certificate program does not guarantee admission into the full Master’s program referenced herein, or any other degree program.