MBA in Leadership and Change Management

Application Deadline and Requirements

  • Aug. 5, 2013: Fall 2013 term application deadline. (Classes start Aug. 26, 2013.)
  • Dec. 13, 2013: Spring 2014 application deadline. (Classes start Jan. 8, 2014.)
  • All admission materials must be submitted with the application.
  • No application fee. No GMAT required.

Upcoming Event

Program Options

About the Program

Download a PDF with the program overview.

Were you born to lead? The current economic environment requires successful businesses to use resources creatively and effectively. There is an increasing need for leaders who can transform an organization in order to adapt to changing environments and changing consumer needs. Many businesses prefer those who maintain great leadership skills and have the ability to adapt to a changing environment.

An MBA with a concentration in leadership and change management will provide the business fundamentals you need to advance your career, with a focus on leading people and organizations.

This program will prepare you for a wide range of management positions and industries.

Career possibilities may include:

  • Executive Leadership, CEO, CMO, COO
  • Marketing Manager
  • Entrepreneur/Small Business Owner
  • Human Resource Management
  • Global Management
  • Consultant

Length and Format

Students can choose from the following class formats:

  • Part-time (in the classroom), two years
  • Online, two years

Course Schedule

  • Part-time: Classes meet Wednesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Students take one class at a time for eight-week terms.
  • Online: Students complete all coursework and discussions online. Students take one class at a time for eight-week terms.

Tuition

MBA courses are $690 per credit hour. Most courses are worth three credits. Thirty-nine credits are required to complete the MBA program. Payment is due at the start of each term. Financial aid is available.

Our unique cohort system groups students together throughout their educational experience. You will complete the program one class at a time, in a pre-determined sequence.

Total Credit Hours: 39

Core Courses

These classes are available in the classroom or online.

Global Managerial and Organizational Behavior

Examine interpersonal behavior related to organizational performance. Behavioral science motivation, social perception, group decision making, ethical leadership and multicultural behavior.

Financial Accounting and Analysis

Introduction of key financial accounting concepts. Analysis of a firm’s historical, current and prospective financial condition and performance. Emphasis on investment and credit decision.

Marketing Design and Strategy

Developing and evaluating brand strategies over the life of the product. Strategies for introducing brands and reviving brands. Includes basic marketing principles of product, price, promotion, environment and customer.

Managerial Economics

Focus on basic microeconomic principles of the firm and relevance in business decisions. Covers supply and demand and its relationship to market outcomes and economic determinants of consumption, savings, and labor behavior.

Seminar in Descriptive Statistics

Basic statistical concepts and analytical tools for data driven decision making. Introduction to concepts of frequency, distribution, variation and normal curve correlations with application to business decisions.

Ethical Strategic Leadership

Decision making, negotiations and ethics. Cultural impact on management strategy. Create value, motivate resources, leading and creating high performance teams. Integrating performance across business units.

Macroeconomic Analysis

Focus on creation of money, function and roles of financial institutions, fiscal and monetary policy and the Federal Reserve system. Covers economic theory of financial markets and impact of government policies, determinants of national income, employment, investment, interest rates, inflation and exchange rates.

Management of Human Resources

Analyze policies in human resource management and organizational design, recruitment, selection hiring, development promotion and incentive based pay.

Operations Management

Concentrates on strategic decisions surrounding the production and delivery of goods and services. Value-added activities that transform resources into product. Covers process analysis, quality, inventory control, capacity planning and location decisions.

Concentration Courses

These classes are available online only.

The Leader as Trainer, Mentor and Coach

Best practices in training, coaching and mentoring as a means of creating and sustaining organization culture and climate.

Leader Development - Cultivating, Sustaining and Renewing the Organization

The leader as the lead learner in the organizational and personnel development, leadership legacy and professional renewal initiatives.

Leadership Communication and Decision Making

Effective communication skill sets and competencies used in organizational communication and decision-making in global, real-world and virtual environments.

Agents of Change

The roles and processes in organizational intervention in relation to organizational culture, climate, communication, mental models, constructivism, diagnostic interaction, change theories.

Capstone Experience

This class is designed to integrate the knowledge and skills gained from the MBA program and apply them in a real world business environment. Students will learn how to use teamwork to develop a business plan and solve authentic business challenges.

Cohort Format

Our unique cohort system groups students together throughout their educational experience. You will complete the program one class at a time, in a predetermined sequence. This collaborative environment accelerates learning and builds strong peer relationships that last a lifetime. We also host occasional networking events for our MBAs, which allows them to interact with other cohorts and alumni.

Class Size

  • Average class size: 15
  • Maximum class size: 25 (15 online)

In the Classroom

We facilitate a close working relationship between students and faculty. Group work is often part of the curriculum, which helps prepare students to work collaboratively in the business world. Student discussion is encouraged as the MBAs learn from each other’s diverse backgrounds.

Project Work

At the end of the program, students will complete a capstone course. This class integrates the knowledge and skills gained from the MBA courses and applies them to a real business environment. Students will work as a team to solve an authentic business challenge.

On-campus Environment

  • Full-service library: Our staff is eager to help you find the resources you need.
  • Study areas: There are various places around campus for group meetings or studying.
  • Wifi: Classrooms and study areas are wifi accessible.
  • Information Technology Services: Our technology staff provides personal attention and prompt care for software, hardware and networking needs.
  • Print Services: Exists to serve students, faculty and staff with their printing and copying needs.
  • Gymnasium, tennis courts, running track and workout facilities: All students have access to on-campus workout facilities.
  • Restaurants: There is a full-service cafeteria available to students as well as a grab-n-go café.
  • Vibrant community: The River Forest and Oak Park area is a lively community filled with restaurants, retail stores, museums and other attractions.
  • Transportation: The Concordia-Chicago campus is accessible via the CTA’s green line train and is minutes from I-290.

Admissions

How do I apply?

You can apply online here.

Is there an application fee?

No.

What materials are required to complete my application?

  • Online application (first step)
  • Official academic transcripts (from each institution through which a degree has been conferred)
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Professional résumé
  • Objective statement (part of online application or can be submitted separately)

Do I have to take the GMAT?

The GMAT is not required for admission.

What is the minimum GPA required?

Applicants must possess a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.85 or have earned a master’s degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher.

What if my GPA is below the requirement?

Such applicants may receive provisional or probationary admission depending upon review of their file. 

Do I need to submit all my materials at the same time?

No, we recommend you first complete your online application. You may then submit all materials as you receive them.

Where do I submit my materials?

Official transcripts must be mailed to:
Office of Graduate Admissions and Student Services
7400 Augusta St., Addison Hall 158
River Forest, IL 60305

Other materials can be mailed, faxed (708-209-3454) or emailed (Grad.Admission@CUChicago.edu).

After submitting all application materials when will I receive a decision?

Admissions will mail its final decision to you within two weeks of your file being complete.

When can I start the program?

You can start your MBA in the spring (January), summer (May) or fall (August). The full-time Comprehensive MBA program begins only in the fall term. All applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

If I am accepted, what do I need to do to register for a class?

We ask that you complete a Course Registration Form. This is the final step to complete your admissions file.

Who can I contact with specific MBA Admissions questions?

Email Rowena Abrahams at Rowena.Abrahams@CUChicago.edu.

Academics

Do I need to have taken prerequisite coursework?

We ask that our candidates have 12 hours of prerequisite credit at the undergraduate or graduate level in a discipline appropriate to the MBA program (i.e., any business, finance, or economics courses).  If an applicant does not have these credits, however, admissions will review work experience. If work experience relates to the major emphasis of the selected program, admissions will waive such prerequisites.

Can I transfer credits from another program?

Coursework completed as an undergraduate does not count towards MBA credits. Graduate coursework from another institution will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by our graduate admissions staff. Such coursework must have been completed within a ten-year time frame and reflect a grade of B or better. Transcripts and course descriptions are required for review.

Is Concordia’s MBA program accredited?

The College of Business is a member and actively involved in the ACBSP and is currently undergoing the accreditation process. Concordia University Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

Classes

When do classes meet?

  • Full-time on campus:* Tuesday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.; during one term students also meet Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
  • Part-time on campus:* Wednesday evenings 6:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. (Part-time students will have one Saturday class during the course of the program, which meets in the morning.)
  • Part-time online: Assignments and discussions are completed on your own time.

* Although the majority of classes are on campus, all concentration courses are taken online.

Where do classes meet?

On-campus classes meet at Concordia’s River Forest campus, located at 7400 Augusta St., River Forest, IL 60305. The campus is 10 miles west of downtown Chicago.

What is the format of the online MBA?

Our online professors are very involved with their students. We cap our enrollment for online courses to a smaller number of students. Our professors add additional resources (videos, presentation, articles, etc.) to reinforce topics covered in the textbook. The professors participate in group discussions. They will add additional thoughts and information when needed and/or recap the important concepts of the discussions.  Our professors are willing and available to speak with students one-on-one to further discuss material or answer questions. Some of our professors also hold optional group conference calls or chat sessions.    

Can I complete my MBA in one year?

You can complete the Comprehensive MBA in one year. Our specialized MBA programs can be completed in two years. The Accounting MBA can be completed in just under three years.

What is a cohort?

Concordia believes that an important aspect of your graduate learning experience is peer interaction. To promote interactive relationships, Concordia utilizes the cohort model. Cohorts consist of classmates who proceed through the MBA program in the same sequence as a group, either on campus or online. As a member of a cohort, you will quickly discover the benefits of sharing ideas and experiences. Students complete coursework with an enhanced feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Tuition and Financial Aid

What is the tuition for the Concordia MBA?

MBA courses are $690 per credit hour. Most courses are three credits. There are 39 total credit hours required to complete the MBA program. (The accounting concentration includes 54 credit hours.) Please Note: Fees are subject to change.

Are there any other fees I should be aware of?

There is a technology fee of $10 per credit hour, and students pay for their own textbooks.

When is payment due?

Payment is due before the start of each course.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. A financial aid advisor will be happy to discuss your options and review the process. Please contact Ethan Muench for more information at Ethan.Muench@CUChicago.edu or (708) 209-3234.

Are there scholarships available?

Currently, there are no university scholarships available for MBA students. Students are sometimes able to obtain scholarships from an outside party.

Are there graduate assistantships available?

Graduate assistantships are available for the academic year. The assistantship begins in the fall and ends in the spring semester. Applications are available in April and can be obtained through the Office of Graduate Admission.

International Applicants

What are requirements for international applicants?

In addition to the above admission requirements, International applicants must provide:

  1. Proof of English Language Proficiency (International students who have earned an advanced degree from an accredited institution in the USA are exempt.)
    1. You may submit either a score of at least 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 72–73 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) OR successful completion of Level 112 at an ELS Language Center and a qualified recommendation from an ELS program director.
    2. Declaration of Finances
    3. Transcripts
    4. Transcript Evaluation

My transcript is from a university outside the US. What should I do?

Any foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a Concordia-approved international credentialing service. Concordia accepts evaluations from WES (World Education Services) or ECE (Educational Credential Evaluators).

Is financial aid available to international students?

No. Financial aid is only available to US citizens.

Do you need proof of my financial eligibility and how so?

Funds may come from any dependable sources including: scholarships, sponsors, or family savings accounts. All funds must be documented by banks, the sponsors or the school before the I-20 form can be issued.

What kind of visa do I need to be a student at Concordia University Chicago?

You will need to obtain an F-1 Student Visa from the American Consulate in your country.

Who can I contact with further questions about I-20, visa status or housing?

Student Services can assist you. Please email Magdalena.Adamowska@CUChicago.edu or call (708) 209-3005.

Who can I contact with international admissions questions?

Email Lin Wang at Lin.Wang@CUChicago.edu or the Office of Graduate Admission at Grad.Admission@CUChicago.edu.