Master of Leadership and Management
Location:
Online
Start dates:
Mar,
May,
Jun,
Aug,
Oct,
Jan
Scholarships:
50% scholarship to students in emerging markets
Overview
More than ever, organizations in all sectors need versatile leaders with high management acumen. The Master of Leadership and Management (MLM) is designed to deliver mastery in 21st-century leadership and management principles and practices. It prepares leaders to take on additional managerial responsibilities in global organizations or to make a career change across industries or sectors. This management program focuses on cross-cultural communication, finance, data analytics, marketing and working in diverse, global teams. The real-world curriculum combines Thunderbird’s prestigious tradition of graduate education with cutting-edge technology to deliver a transformative graduate degree.
Designed to empower graduates with well-rounded, future-ready skill sets, this transformational master's degree provides a strategically choreographed progression through every facet of international management. Courses span the gamut of Thunderbird's online offerings, from accounting and data-driven decision-making to global finance and marketing. Students also receive hands-on, experiential learning opportunities in practical, real-world situations through elective courses that allow them to apply their full range of professional skills acquired during their studies, preparing them to lead in all sectors: government, private enterprise, non-governmental organizations and nonprofits.
Who should attend?
- Leaders who want to drive growth and proactively respond to social, political, regulatory, and natural forces that impact their business and workplace.
- Mid-level managers who support and lead teams who are looking to gain advanced skills in leadership in order to achieve a promotion.
- Functional managers in HR, finance, marketing, supply chain, and operations who want to be more involved in their global business strategy.
- Professionals from the public and nonprofit sectors who want greater knowledge of global business and leadership development.
Student testimonials
Curriculum
Program curriculum
The Master of Leadership and Management's one-of-a-kind cutting edge curriculum features 30 credit hours and provides students with the flexibility to choose from a variety of instructional courses, as well as applied learning opportunities, including: Thunderbird's Global Challenge Lab, Global Organizational Consulting, and a Global Field Seminar.
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
|
TAM 505 Navigating Global and Regional Business Environments (Offered asynchronously online or one-week in-person in Phoenix) |
3 |
|
TAM 511 Global Accounting: Managing with Numbers |
3 |
|
TAM 521 Financial Value Creation for Leaders |
3 |
|
TAM 530 Data Analytics and Digital Transformation in a Global World |
3 |
|
TAM 541 Strategy in a Competitive World (Capstone Course) |
3 |
|
TAM 542 Global Leadership and Personal Development |
3 |
|
TAM 557 Global Marketing in a Digital Age |
3 |
|
TAM 582 Communicating and Negotiating in a Dynamic Global World (Core Course) |
3 |
|
TGM 586 Global Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Business |
3 |
|
Thunderbird Applied Learning (Choose 1) |
|
|
TAM 589 Global Field Seminar |
3 |
|
TGM 596 Thunderbird Experiential Practicum (GCL) |
3 |
|
TGM 507 Global Organizational Consulting |
3 |
|
TAM 534 Global Venture Creation |
3 |
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Specialization in AI, Analytics and FinTech Innovation in Business
The MLM program offers a specialization in AI, Analytics, and FinTech Innovation in Business designed to propel your career to new heights. This unique program equips you with the essential skills to harness the power of artificial intelligence, master data-driven decision-making, and drive innovation in the financial technology landscape. Learn from world-class faculty and gain hands-on experience with the latest AI tools and strategies. Whether you're looking to lead a startup, manage a global enterprise, or transform the public sector, our AI specialization prepares you to navigate and shape the future of business.Â
Career opportunities
The Master of Leadership and Management prepares leaders to take on additional managerial responsibilities in global organizations or to make a career change across industries or sectors. This management program focuses heavily on cross-cultural communication and working in diverse teams. T-birds work in multinational companies and transnational enterprises in all sectors.
Recent graduates have been hired by top organizations in the following roles:
- Chief of Global Sales
- Global Marketing Manager
- Global Product Manager
- Cross-Cultural Communication Officer
- Innovation Manager
Top global organizations recruiting Thunderbirds include:
- Adidas
- American Express
- Amazon
- The Boeing Company
- US Department of Defense
- US Air Force
- Starbucks
- Peace Corps
- UBER
- Ford Motor Company
- Google Inc.
- IBM
- Intel
- Microsoft
- Northrup Grumman
- Verizon Wireless
Applied learning
The Thunderbird Global Challenge Lab (GCL) program is a capstone course at Thunderbird that engages a team of four to five Master of Leadership & Management (MLM) candidates with a client in an advanced or emerging market. The team spends one week working on the project onsite with their client. Projects are tailored to the business needs of the client and provide sophisticated data and market analysis, strategy recommendations, and practical, effective plans for sustained growth. The Lab offers projects which are truly win-win propositions, creating value for companies and providing a unique, professional learning experience for our students.
Financial aid and costs
Financial aid
Scholarships
Financial assistance
Program Costs
Scholarships of 50% of the total tuition costs are available for students from emerging economies.
| Fees | USD$ |
|---|---|
| Application fee (domestic) | $70 |
| Application fee (international) | $70 |
| Program deposit | Not required |
| Total program cost | $39,000 |
Our faculty and online learning
Faculty highlights
Seigyoung Auh
Associate Dean of Research, Professor of Global Marketing & Research Faculty, Center for Services Leadership
Mansour Javidan
Najafi Chair Professor in Global Mindset and Digital Transformation and Executive Director of Najafi Global Mindset Institute
Online learning
Our custom-designed degree programs and courses are delivered online by the same award-winning faculty who teach on campus. These eminent professors design the courses using state-of-the-art technology and instructional tools, providing you with a direct connection to the knowledge and expertise of our renowned faculty. The degree awarded is the Master of Leadership and Management. Our diplomas don’t specify whether you earn your degree online or in person.
Requirements and deadlines
Application requirements
Overview
Work Experience
Application deadlines
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Recommended application processing time is 6 weeks.
| Deadline | Dates |
|---|---|
| January start | December 15 |
| March start | February 20 |
| May start | April 30 |
| June start | June 10 |
| August start | July 31 |
| October start | September 20 |
Connect with our admissions team
Apply to this program
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