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Develop Your Leadership Style and Drive High Performance Teams

Overview

Today’s top companies are made of high performing teams that can effectively work together to achieve organizational objectives. Even organizations that have the most talented individuals with the highest potential need the right leadership in place to bring those individuals together. MSU’s Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Managing Teams helps you recognize and leverage the relationship between leader behavior, employee motivation and behavior, and your organization’s bottom line and productivity. Gain the skills and knowledge you need to improve performance through this graduate certificate consisting of only five courses (9 credits). All five courses are included in MSU’s Master of Science in Management, Strategy and Leadership, so the credits you earn can be applied toward a master’s degree if you decide to pursue your education further.*

Application Deadline

December 4, 2024

Start Date

January 6, 2025

View Start Dates

Academic Calendar

Spring 2025
Application Deadline

December 4, 2024

Start Date

January 6, 2025

Apply Now

This program was designed specifically for hard-working professionals willing to roll up their sleeves with their teammates to move business forward. The curriculum incorporates applicable concepts and strategies for negotiations, communications and designing an organizational structure that works for you. It provides methods to help you develop your own leadership style, as well as techniques for promoting an ethical workplace. This curriculum was designed by some of the top researchers in management. So much of what you’ll be learning is based on timely and relevant research findings. In fact, the Broad College Management Department faculty members have been recognized for more than six years as the most productive researchers in top management journals.

*Students must be accepted into the master’s program for the credits to be applied. 

Graduate Certificates Designed for You Now Exclusively Online

This graduate certificate, offered exclusively online, was designed specifically for self-directed professionals like you looking to improve their leadership competencies. This credential leverages the convenience of anytime, anywhere interactive, video-based e-learning, opening doors to career advancement and leadership opportunities, while fitting into the constraints of your busy schedule. Breaking the mold of traditional online graduate courses, 5-week courses allow you to gain more skills and knowledge within an accelerated schedule. The length of time it takes to complete the graduate certificate is dependent on course availability.

What You’ll Learn

  • Develop and improve your personal approach to leadership, considering implications of trait, behavior, contingency and path-goal models
  • The strengths and weaknesses of various organizational structures, and how a company’s life cycle drives organization design
  • How to establish an enriched, fair work environment for your team to drive performance and motivation
  • Techniques for effectively leading and motivating people based on theory, research and best practices
  • Ways to gain support for ideas, encourage team members to meet objectives and overcome obstacles using different negotiation tactics
  • Practical approaches to promoting ethics in the workplace based on best practices and real-world examples

Who should Enroll

The For-Credit Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Managing Teams is designed for professionals who have earned a bachelor’s degree and have at least three years of full time managerial experience in a supervisory role. Ideal candidates will have earned a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA.

This program is designed to meet the needs of working professionals from a variety of fields and backgrounds, including aspiring and current managers, consultants and organizational leaders across position levels.

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Curriculum & Tuition

Required Courses

  • MGT 802 Strategic Analysis

    MGT 802

    Perform a supervised analysis of your employing organization, by interviewing the CEO or other visible leader. Then assess the correspondence between the leader’s vision and concepts presented in the program. *MGT 802 must be completed in the last semester.

  • MGT 824 Developing Managerial Skills

    MGT 824

    Learn how to manage people, group processes, and organizational design. Theories and research are applied to developing managerial skills in motivation and leadership with an understanding of diversity, organizational culture, and structure.

Electives

Complete Any Three of the Following Courses

  • MGT 814 Managing Diversity in the Workplace

    MGT 814

    Explore how organizations can benefit from differences in ethnicity, age, tenure, education and more. You’ll also discover some of the challenges that may arise and learn techniques to manage conflict.

    Skills: Leadership, People Management, Communication, Decision Making, Culture/Cross-Culture, Adaptability, Global Mindset, Change Management, Critical Thinking

  • MGT 840 Leadership & Team Management

    MGT 840

    Develop your leadership and team development abilities through evidence-based management, readings, and laboratory application.

  • MGT 863 Negotiations and Conflict Resolution

    MGT 863

    This course will cover important topics regarding strategic negotiations, negotiation preparation, buyer-supplier relationship assessment, international negotiations, and negotiation simulation.

    Skills: Collaboration/Coordination, Communication, Decision Making, Analysis, Culture/Cross-Culture, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Adaptability, Global Mindset

  • MGT 881 Creating an Ethical Organization

    MGT 881

    Ethical awareness and sound judgment are essential for individual success and organizational effectiveness. In this course, we will examine the ethical aspects of individual and corporate decision-making and provide practical resources for making ethical decisions within the business context.

Total Courses

Required Courses
3 Credits
Electives
6 credits
Total
9 credits

Tuition

Cost Per Credit Hour
$1,130
Total Credits Needed
9 credits

Tuition is determined by the University and does not include books or other fees that may apply. These rates are subject to change at any time during the program or enrollment process.

Need help?

Let us know if you have questions or need assistance.

Toll Free: 855-300-1310

International: +1 813-612-4295

Take the next step in your career with our program guide!

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Admission Requirements

  • At least three years full-time managerial experience in a supervisory role strongly preferred
  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college
  • 3.0 cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA)
  • A high degree of potential for advancement to an organizational leadership role
  • Important personal and managerial attributes, such as intellectual curiosity, strong communication skills, maturity, openness to new ideas and change, leadership qualities, analytical thinking ability, perseverance, and an ability to lead and work in teams
  • Background knowledge of and exposure to word processing, spreadsheets and presentations

Applicants must submit the following items:

  • A completed application
  • A one-time, nonrefundable $100 application fee
  • Official undergraduate transcripts from a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university and official transcripts of other programs or courses of study from any accredited college or university attended prior to Michigan State University. Transcripts from Michigan State are not required.
  • If an applicant selects they are a Service member or a Veteran of the military an official military transcript will be required
  • Current resume detailing professional work experience, academic credentials and related accomplishments, and pertinent biographical information
  • Three letters of recommendation from professional, work-related references, preferably supervisors. Letters that attest to your ability to work within and lead teams, as well as to your contribution to a professional business environment, are strongly recommended.
  • A statement of intention essay, no more than two pages, including details of your direct supervisory and/or project/program management experience, as well as a statement on how you intend to leverage the degree in your career

Transfer Credit Policy

  • At the sole discretion of Michigan State University, up to 9 graduate credit hours (excluding research and thesis credits) may be transferred from other postsecondary accredited institutions of comparable academic quality. Only courses in which at least a 3.0 grade or its equivalent was received will be considered for transfer. Transfer credit can only be used towards a master’s degree of 30 credits minimum; not towards a Graduate Certificate.

*Qualified applicants with 3 or more years’ full-time managerial experience in a supervisory role and a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher are typically not required to submit GMAT scores for admissions consideration. Admissions decisions are determined by several factors, including: quantity and quality of professional and/or military experience; academic degrees (including graduate degrees) and grade point averages; institution(s) where credits were earned; Letters of Recommendation; and the Statement of intention. Applicants may be requested to submit GMAT scores based on these criteria. Applicants who have earned below a cumulative 3.0 GPA, especially from non-regionally accredited institutions, are encouraged to provide a strong GMAT score along with their application. Applicants with cumulative GPAs above 3.0 from non-regionally accredited institutions or for-profit institutions may be asked to take a GMAT depending upon the quality of their overall application. Submitted GMAT scores must not be more than five years old.