Business Leadership Certificate Program

A Program of Study Designed Specifically for the Client


Program Overview:

The Business Leadership Certificate Program refers to a customized program of study that is created through a partnership between the client/firm and the Drake University Center for Professional Studies, College of Business and Public Administration.  This program provides a unique opportunity to apply and integrate the most current principles of business research with the mission of the customer. The premise of the certificate is based on the need for key people in the firm to acquire advanced business competencies that will in turn empower the leaders in the organization to better utilize business theories and practices.  If your firm is interested in exploring the opportunities of developing a Business Leadership Certificate Program that is matched to your organization, please contact Lance.Noe@drake.edu or phone (515) 271-2592 and ask for Lance Noe, Director of the Center for Professional Studies.

Mission:

To provide leadership development that integrates key competencies identified by the customer and Drake University with forward thinking business knowledge.

Vision:

To provide participants with the vision to see beyond their functional areas and develop a comprehensive understanding of how different functional areas interrelate, through an applied and experiential curriculum designed through collaborations between Drake University faculty and leaders from the client firm.

A “Typical” Program:

While each program is custom tailored to fit the needs of the organization, a common framework for each certificate is as follows:

  • A “class” of between 15 and 30 students selected by the client move through the program as a unified group
  • Classes typically meet between two and four half days per month over a period of between three and six months
  • Classes are taught by Drake University faculty members from the College of Business and Public Administration

While each version of the certificate is designed for the individual client, a sample of the curriculum topics:

     • Strategic Decision Making
     • Human Capital
     • Finance and Accounting for Strategic Decision-Making
     • The Essential Role of Marketing and Distribution
     • Business and the World Economy
     • The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business
     • Risk Management
     • Planning for the Future

Integrated with Drake Graduate Programs:

In most cases, a learner completing the Business Leadership Certificate Program will be able to apply a portion of their work toward the Drake MBA, MPA, or MFM graduate degree.  The program offers a cost and time efficient way for your firm to educate a significant number of key employees while giving them a head start on their graduate degree.