Leadership MBA Online - Wayne State College Nebraska

Online MBA in Leadership program overview

Great leaders don’t just manage - they motivate, resolve conflict, drive change, and bring out the best in their teams.

Take this opportunity to earn your full online MBA leadership degree while focusing on developing your leadership skills to futher your career. Through courses in managing organizational behavior, conflict resolution and negotiation, leading human capital, and a capstone leadership seminar, you’ll gain practical tools to build transformational leadership skills, navigate organizational challenges, and influence outcomes with confidence and clarity.

With employment in management occupations projected to grow by 5.4% through 2032 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), leadership expertise is in demand across industries - from corporate to nonprofit to government sectors.

Student learning outcomes for the MBA program:

Utilize core concepts to make informed business decisions. The core areas include marketing, management, finance, accounting, and strategic integration.
Apply business-related methods and tools to formulate management decision alternatives.
Construct and present effective business communications to reach diverse audiences.
Create a cohesive team environment by building on contributions of members to accomplish a team goal.

View program courses Download program fact sheet (PDF)

Online MBA in Leadership program of study

Students must complete the MBA core courses and Leadership focus area courses. Additionally, graduate students entering the MBA program benefit from prior coursework in accounting, finance, economics, and statistics. For more information about MBA-specific course prerequisites, please review the MBA program admission requirements.

A total of 36 credit hours are needed to graduate with this degree. Up to 9 credit hours may be transferred in from another regionally accredited graduate institution (subject to evaluation by the dean of the School of Business and Technology). Only transfer credit with a "B" grade or better is accepted. A "B-" is not acceptable.

MBA core courses (24 credits)

Credits: 3
Description: A study of financial decision making in the firm; development of a decision-making framework for determining the most efficient allocation of resources within the firm; emphasis placed on the analysis of capital investment projects, long-term sources of funds, and short-term financing problems.
Credits: 3
Description: Application of principles of communication to the managerial setting. The course investigates the influence of organizational climate, manager’s style, and use of motivation on the communication process. Communication strategies appropriate to business reports, speeches, interviews, and conferences are explored along with emphasis on managerial problems with employee communication and conflict management. The course includes a focus on methods of analyzing and resolving communication problems.
Credits: 3
Description: Underlying structure of quantitative business decisions and their solution. The course emphasizes problem recognition, formulation, and analysis, using software to perform necessary calculations. Topics may include linear programming, goal programming, simulation, queuing, and other MS/OR techniques.
Credits: 3
Description: Application of microeconomic theories in private and public managerial decision-making including an analysis of market structure and its effect on price and output determination. The course incorporates a global perspective and estimation of econometric models for business, government, and non-profit organizations.
Credits: 3
Description: An examination of management uses of accounting data with particular reference to decision-oriented cost classification, methods of cost estimation, data appropriate for decision models, standards and controls, and special problems.
Credits: 3
Description: A study of concepts useful in understanding marketing systems and buyer behavior and developing skills in making marketing decisions. Topics include marketing strategy, decision models, market segmentation, promotional strategy, and product management.
Credits: 3
Description: Examination and analysis of the organization as a social system and the impact of its various components on work attitudes and behavior; topics include the development of organizational structures, organizational effectiveness, decision-making and policy formulation, leadership, and change.
Credits: 3
Description: Analysis of policy formulation and implementation from a company-wide standpoint; emphasis on integration of knowledge and approaches across functional areas; both endogenous and exogenous factors that affect company policies; and the role of the firm in society.
Prerequisites: All core/foundation courses and satisfactory completion of 24 credit hours in the MBA program or approval of MBA director.

Leadership focus area courses (12 credits)

Credit hours: 3
Description: This course integrates concepts from organizational development, systems dynamics, and management to oversee organizational change. Included will be concepts from demographic, technology, diversity, political, and social arenas.
Credits: 3
Description: This course is designed to give students an overview of alternative dispute resolution. Students will explore negotiations, a process that helps individuals and organizations settle disputes. Students will examine their personal style of management and their unique approach to conflict. This course uses case studies, simulations and role-playing to explore concepts of interests, collaboration, mediation, and nonverbal communications. Students will grow in their ability to anticipate the needs of their audience.
Credits: 3
Course description coming soon.
Credits: 3
Description: This course provides students with context and background for the consideration of leadership from multiple perspectives. The course explores leadership theory and practice. Special emphasis is placed on the translation of theory into practice. The evolution of leadership thought, situational leadership, and the future of leadership are also explored.