Graduate School Options For Business Leaders

For many business leaders, a graduate degree can be a great way to expand your knowledge and accelerate your career. But with so many different options including an MBA, executive education courses, and graduate certificates, it can be hard to determine the best option for you.

The Carlson School has a wide array of options available. No matter which program you choose, you’ll have access to the Graduate Business Career Center for personalized career support.

Find out which of these options is best for your career trajectory and work situation.

MBA

In the Carlson MBA programs (with Full-Time, Part-Time, and Online options), you can grow into the kind of leader you want to be. With courses offered in person, online, or in a hybrid setup, you can find the format that best fits your lifestyle.

Throughout the program, you’ll develop a deep understanding of your strengths and weaknesses in leadership, create a personalized plan, and hone your skills and mindset through coaching and practice.

The program’s leadership curriculum, collaboratively developed by our field-defining faculty and industry experts to include both theoretical concepts and practical techniques, includes a 360-degree self-assessment, ongoing assessment surveys and feedback, group activities, and a personalized leadership development plan.

Executive MBA

Designed for students who are further in their careers than those typically in the MBA program, the Carlson Executive MBA program (CEMBA) has leadership at the foundation of its curriculum. To start the program, you’ll take a personal leadership workshop and spend the next two years developing their skillset through structured leadership courses that focus on goal-setting and the use of a 360-degree assessment.

You also have the opportunity to practice and improve new leadership skills through the Virtual Team Projects where you’ll work with peers in China and Vienna on a semester-long project. You then can take those skills and work with teams across continents, cultures, and industries.

Graduate Certificates

Designed for working professionals, Graduate Certificates offer high-impact learning in a specific topic area. Whether you want to gain new knowledge or hone your existing skills to stay on top of the latest trends, our for-credit Graduate Certificates allow for an immediate application on the job, In these programs, you’ll take MBA-level classes alongside Carlson School graduate students.

One specific certificate offered is the Leadership for Managers certificate, which covers the key principles of effective leadership, identifying personal leadership through feedback, and developing leadership skills through practice.

With these graduate certificates, you’ll earn a “micro-credential” that stands on its own or allows you to apply the credits you’ve earned into an MBA or master’s degree program.

Executive Education

Not interested in a full degree program? Choose short, targeted courses designed to empower you and your team. Carlson Executive Education courses fit into 2-3 workdays or can be completed online over 4-8 weeks.

Programs are non-credit, meaning there are no grades and courses do not count toward degree requirements. Courses are focused on discussion and practical application of insights and trends. Collaboration and networking with peers in the class are also important parts of the Executive Education experience.

Events

Learning doesn’t only happen in the classroom. Throughout the year, the Carlson School offers a wide range of events and workshops to help you develop your leadership skills. Learn from well-known executives at the monthly 1st Tuesday Speaker Series, meet with other women in business during the annual Women’s Leadership Conference, or the MN Cup, a startup competition and hub to connect Minnesota's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Which program is right for you?