Online MBA: Strategic Leadership Specialization
Expand and Deepen Your Strategic Leadership Skills
No GMAT Required
AACSB Accredited
AACSB Accredited
1:1 Career Coaches
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- Duration 16 months
- Cost per Credit $950
- Credit Hours 44
Program Benefits
- Explore the skills and capacities needed to influence others, manage change, set strategic direction and build teams and support networks.
- Navigate the complex analytical and human dimensions inherent in any leadership role.
Build Specialized Strategic Leadership Skills
Increase your earning potential with the online MBA’s Strategic Leadership specialization. You will develop skills in critical thinking, negotiation and conflict resolution, perspective-taking, managing emotions, strategic persuasion and developing a global mindset. Your degree’s comprehensive focus will enhance today’s top-paying leadership and administrative careers. Complete your Strategic Leadership concentration with nine credits, or choose the Strategic Leadership major with 15 credits.
With Your MBA in Strategic Leadership, You Will:
- Understand key concepts and theories related to strategic leadership, individuals, groups, teams, organizations and institutions.
- Understand strategic thinking, acting, influence and change.
- Develop the ability to organize information to see relationships and solve multiple interrelated problems.
- Improve your ability to understand and predict the behavior of others in competitive situations and formulate successful strategies.
Go Beyond Managing Others and Set Strategic Direction
100% online
16 months
9 credits
Your degree’s online courses will be taught be faculty with years of leadership experience. You will learn how to use strategic leadership skills to make sound, evidence-based business decisions. Complete your Strategic Leadership concentration with nine credits, or choose the Strategic Leadership major with 15 credits. To view the complete list of MBA courses, visit the program curriculum page.
Sample Courses
Using the framework of positive leadership, we will see how by leveraging the evolutionary advantage provided by positive emotion we can help our employees both broaden their thinking to be better problem solvers, who are more creative and innovative, while also building important psychological resources for the future including improving resilience in times of difficulty, creating stronger connections and a sense of purpose at work.
Although a topic often ignored, as leaders we are the emotional guides for our units and must recognize that managing the emotional life of our organizations is a critical but often overlooked leadership skill. We will learn how fear and other negative emotions can destroy the performance of an individual and the entire organization. We learn how to use the tools of positive leadership to help build environments in which our employees can thrive and as a consequence our organizations also thrive.
Topics will include: Evolutionary Leadership Theory, the Broaden and Build Theory of Emotions, Neuroscience, Positive Psychology, the Stakeholder Model of Organizations, the importance of Engagement, Strengths Based Leadership, building a Positive Organizational Culture and how Happiness can drive performance. Prerequisite: BUAD 670
Offers an in-depth perspective of leadership and an analysis of teams and teamwork. Emphasizes the practical application of theoretical concepts. Prerequisite: BUAD 670
Explores the strategy and psychology of negotiation and conflict resolution, including topics such as effective preparation and understanding the role of communication, emotions, and relationships. Simulated negotiations provide the opportunity to put knowledge into practice and acquire feedback on negotiation and conflict resolution skills throughout the semester. Prerequisites: BUAD 670
Leading Across Boundaries focuses on cultural similarities and differences worldwide and how they impact managers’ effectiveness. Attention is given to general cultural dimensions as well as specific global mindset competencies. This course will focus on cultural similarities and differences, and interpersonal interactions with people who are different from us. By understanding this, students will uncover and improve their own global leadership skills. Prerequisites: BUAD 870.
Focuses on the development of business strategies and management practices for managing the multinational business organization.
Career Outlook
With strategic leadership skills from this specialization, you can move into leadership positions in virtually any career path you choose. The median annual wage for leadership and management positions in the U.S. was $102,450 in May 2021, which was the highest of all the major occupational groups.1 You could become a director of leadership development, strategy consultant, senior strategic analyst, director of thought leadership, director of strategic planning and operations, executive director and more. To view more exiting career path options, visit the MBA careers page.
Top Executive $98,980 per year2
Sales Manager $127,490 per year3
Management Analyst $93,000 per year4
Choose From Six MBA Specializations
UD’s online MBA program offers six in-demand specializations. Explore them below.
Answers to Common Questions
We’ve provided answers to the most commonly asked questions about UD’s online programs. If we missed anything, you can get in touch with a knowledgeable admissions counselor by phone at (844) 237-1338.
You can earn your degree in as few as 16 months full-time, or complete the program part-time at your convenience.
Yes. The online MBA at the University of Delaware is delivered through the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, which has been accredited by AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) for more than 50 years. AACSB accreditation is the highest standard of accreditation for business schools in the world, and a distinction fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide have earned.
You can transfer up to nine credits from another AACSB accredited MBA program that have not already been used toward a completed degree. Contact an admissions counselor at (844) 237-1338 for more information about transferring your prior credits.
You may start this program in the fall, summer or spring semesters. Applications are accepted at any time up until a week before classes begin. Applications are accepted up until 3 weeks prior to when classes begin.
Yes. To complete the program, you have the following completion options: one major, up to three concentrations or a combination of electives. Choose from concentrations in Business Analytics, Finance, Healthcare Management, International Business and Strategic Leadership. You might also complete your degree with a series of approved General Elective courses.
Read More About the Curriculum