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MBA – Leadership Emphasis

Leadership-oriented MBA programs are ideal for adults who aspire toward senior management positions, such as CEO or COO, or want to be successful business owners or ministry leaders. CCU's online MBA degree program's leadership principles and skills apply to students in both for-profit and nonprofit fields, as well as the military, law enforcement, and virtually any organizational setting. This is one of the top MBA programs in Colorado and around the U.S.

CCU's MBA leadership courses attract skilled professionals from diverse industries, giving you the opportunity to learn from your peers, as well as your professors. You'll have in common the desire to become more effective leaders who are grounded in Christian ethics.

Program Focus

Leadership theory and ethical practice; financial responsibility and control; markets and promotional strategy; problem solving and decision making; human resource management; international business; and research skills

Many of CCU's MBA graduates have found that an MBA degree with a leadership emphasis can open the door to:

  • Greater job responsibility and opportunities
  • Career advancement, and/or
  • New opportunities to give back
    • 39 total credit hours
    • Program Format: 100% online
    • Prerequisite(s) or applicable transfer credit required
    • MBA courses are taken one at a time and are typically completed in five-week and seven-week blocks
    • Designed for busy adult learners; complete in as little as 18 months of consecutive coursework, even with a full-time or part-time job
    • Students can transfer up to nine graduate-level credit hours
    • Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
    • Program Brochure   
  • MBA Courses

    CCU's MBA curriculum includes 13 online courses designed to develop effective, ethical leaders. Each course is typically taken over a five-week time period. Weekly assignments are required, but the course design generally allows participants to complete coursework at the times and places that work best for them (prior to scheduled deadlines).

    CCU students utilize Brightspace, a leading solution in electronic education, to participate in MBA classes that blend the latest in eLearning technology with the latest business theory and practice. Students in this master's in business program attend classes electronically, do research using the Internet, exchange email, and participate in online discussions. Assignments and tests are submitted online for in-seat students as well as those taking their program online.

    Leadership MBA Courses

    CCU's MBA in leadership courses integrate academics with moral principles from Scripture, so you can grow as a servant leader, strengthen your ethical framework, enhance and build valuable career skills, and responsibly influence your profession.

    The leadership MBA courses at CCU include:

    • Leadership and Management I. This course helps learners understand the theories and realities of the managerial functions and processes in organizations. The course also explores organizational leadership/"followership" issues with special emphasis on the Biblical principles related to organizational leadership.
    • Problem-Solving and Decision-Making for Leaders. This course provides students with rational analytical tools to facilitate handling of both routine and non-routine management functions. These tools are systematic techniques or processes designed to improve a manager's ability to gather, organize, and evaluate information in the areas of problem-solving, decision-making, and plan implementation.
    • Values Aligned Leadership. This course provides an overview of the classic historical and philosophical views of leadership and ethical theories within a framework for evaluating organizational leaders' decisions and actions. Case studies are integrated with a theoretical model for values-aligned leadership and provide relevant examples for effective ethical leadership practices within a Christian worldview.
    • Leading in Intercultural Business Environments. This course provides an overview of leading and conducting business in a variety of international business cultures including the impact of geography and cultural distance; how these differences impact markets, products, finance, and human resource management; why people around the world engage in different business practices; and the effect of the advancement of technology on international business.
    • MBA Capstone Course. The Capstone course has been designed to assist MBA students in assimilating and synthesizing all of the material covered over the course of their program at CCU. The final project in this course will be completion of the proposal that was created in Business Research.
  • Admission to the MBA Program

    Admission to the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Colorado Christian University is selective. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of previous academic performance, personal and professional accomplishments and goals, and strength of character. A strong desire to complete graduate-level work in a Christ-centered, biblically based community is important.

    Application Deadlines

    You can enter the MBA program at multiple points in the academic year. You should complete the admission process as early as possible so you will have adequate time to work with an advisor and qualify for financial aid.

    Prerequisite Coursework

    All applicants to CCU's MBA program are required to have fulfilled prerequisite courses for Accounting, Finance, and Statistics. Specific emphases may have additional prerequisites.

    Review the MBA Prerequisites prior to application submission.

    Admission Requirements
    • Complete the graduate admission application online (including essay and transcripts).
    • Provide a professional resume and employment record. It is expected that MBA candidates will have at least 5 years of professional work experience or the equivalent.
    • Submit an official transcript that reflects a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited higher education institution. For those seeking an emphasis in advanced accounting, a bachelor's degree in accounting is required.
    • Have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average between 2.0 and 2.49 will be admitted on a conditional admit (CAD) basis for the first semester. CAD students must maintain a 3.0 GPA or better in their first nine (9) credits to remain in the program.
    • Complete any needed prerequisite courses. Review the MBA prerequisites prior to application submission.
    • The Office of Admission reserves the right to request additional information as deemed necessary to make a selection decision.
    Transfer of Courses

    Students may transfer up to nine semester hours of graduate credit from an accredited college or university. The coursework must be comparable to that offered at CCU and fulfill the CCU MBA degree requirements.

    International Applicants

    If you are not a U.S. citizen, you are considered an international student. Learn more about whether or not you'll be required to submit TOEFL scores, and find additional information on our International Students page.


    To submit application-related materials that were not already submitted through the online application, email them to AdmissionsSupport@securemail.ccu.edu or mail to:

    Colorado Christian University
    Attn: Registrar's Office/Transcripts
    215 Union Blvd, Suite 600
    Lakewood, CO 80226

Who should get an MBA with a Leadership emphasis?

MBA degree students who select the leadership emphasis is designed for individuals who aspire toward senior management positions, such as CEO or COO, or want to be successful business owners or ministry leaders.


If you're interested in career development for business and leadership, fill out the form on the page today! Our enrollment counselors can answer your questions about CCU's MBA and Leadership graduate degrees.

State Exclusions for Online Students

Colorado Christian University is required by the U.S. Department of Education to be in compliance with state laws regarding where we can offer distance and/or online education. The College of Adult and Graduate Studies at Colorado Christian University offers courses to online students in all states with some exceptions for specific academic programs.

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