Master of Business Administration - Leadership-Global Strategy Concentration

Program Overview

Woodbury University, located in Burbank, California, United States, offers a specialized Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Leadership-Global Strategy Concentration. This program is meticulously designed for professionals aspiring to lead organizations in an increasingly interconnected and complex global environment. It focuses on developing strategic thinking, ethical leadership, and cross-cultural management skills, preparing graduates to navigate international challenges and drive organizational success on a global scale. Woodbury's MBA is known for its intensive, practice-based format, emphasizing responsible leadership, sustainable business practices, and self-empowerment within a personalized learning environment.

ACBSP Accredited: The School of Business at Woodbury University holds accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). This accreditation signifies Woodbury's commitment to delivering high-quality business education with a focus on practical application and student-centered learning. ACBSP accreditation ensures that the curriculum of the Leadership-Global Strategy MBA is relevant to the needs of the business world, emphasizing teaching excellence and preparing graduates effectively for immediate professional contributions. Woodbury has maintained ACBSP accreditation since 1998, reflecting a sustained dedication to educational quality.

AACSB Accredited: In addition to its ACBSP accreditation, Woodbury University's School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This dual accreditation is a significant distinction, as AACSB is globally recognized as the most prestigious accreditation for business schools, achieved by less than 5% worldwide. Woodbury first earned AACSB accreditation in 2014 and has successfully reaffirmed it, most recently in February 2024. This signifies that the MBA program, including the Leadership-Global Strategy concentration, meets the highest international standards for academic rigor, faculty expertise, intellectual contributions, and impact on practice, providing graduates with a superior competitive edge in leadership and global roles.

Curriculum: The Leadership-Global Strategy MBA at Woodbury University is a 36-credit hour program, structured for efficient completion, often in as little as one year for students with an undergraduate business degree, or one and a half years for those without, by utilizing an intensive 7-week session format. The curriculum comprises 8 core MBA courses and 4 specialized electives within the Leadership-Global Strategy concentration. Core courses provide a strong foundation in areas such as Financial Accounting, Quantitative Methods for Business Decisions, Managerial Economics, Managing and Leading Organizations Ethically, Marketing Concepts and Strategies, Managerial Finance, Management of Information Technology, Entrepreneurship, and a capstone Strategic Management Consulting course. The Leadership-Global Strategy concentration specifically offers courses such as "Ethical Leadership," "Self-Leadership," "Creativity in Management," "Emotional Intelligence," "Comparative Management," "International Marketing," and "International Business Strategy," providing deep expertise in leadership and global contexts.

Research Focus: Woodbury University's MBA program, including the Leadership-Global Strategy concentration, integrates research into its practice-based curriculum. Faculty members, who are often "edu-preneurs" with both academic credentials and significant industry experience, bring current scholarly insights and real-world case studies into the classroom. The program encourages "design thinking," a problem-solving approach rooted in analysis and innovation, which is crucial for developing effective global strategies. Students are trained to critically analyze global business environments, competitive dynamics, and leadership theories, fostering an evidence-based approach to strategic decision-making. The capstone Strategic Management Consulting course often involves students applying analytical frameworks to solve real business problems for local companies, further strengthening their research application skills.

Industry Engagement: Woodbury University fosters strong industry engagement, which is particularly relevant for a program focused on leadership and global strategy. The university's location in the Los Angeles area provides access to a diverse range of industries and international businesses. The curriculum is developed with input from industry leaders to ensure its relevance to current market demands. Faculty members are not only academics but also practitioners, bringing invaluable real-world experience and networking opportunities to students. Woodbury's "influential Board of Advisors," comprised of leaders from various sectors, actively engages with students, offering mentorship, career advice, and facilitating connections for internships and employment. The program emphasizes "civic engagement," encouraging students to work on real-life consulting projects that prepare them for immediate contributions in the corporate world.

Global Perspective: The MBA with a Leadership-Global Strategy Concentration at Woodbury University inherently places a strong emphasis on developing a robust global perspective. The program's core purpose is to prepare leaders who "think globally" and can navigate "international, multicultural, and challenging" commercial landscapes. Specific courses within the concentration, such as "International Marketing," "International Business Strategy," and "Comparative Management," directly address the complexities of global markets, cross-cultural leadership, and international business operations. Woodbury's diverse student body and faculty, representing various countries, further enrich the learning environment with multicultural viewpoints and experiences, preparing graduates to lead multicultural teams, develop strategies for global expansion, and operate effectively in multinational corporations.