7 Executive Education programs you can take in 2025 to accelerate your career
Did you know you can learn in-demand leadership and management skills without earning a master's degree? Executive education programs can help you develop these and other skills in fewer than six months. Many also feature a fully online and asynchronous curriculum, meaning you can continue working while advancing your education.
Check out seven great executive education programs and learn more about choosing the right one for you.
What is executive education?
Executive education programs are designed for mid- and senior-level managers who want to develop the skills they need to become effective leaders. These programs are also great for entrepreneurs and other professionals wanting to switch fields.
Tailored programs taught by industry leaders and experienced postsecondary educators are available for professionals in different industries, such as marketing, finance, and healthcare.
How to choose an executive education program
Start your search by exploring programs in your field. Consider the time commitment and costs, as they will vary by program. You can use the following questions to narrow down the best program for you:
- What do former students say about this program's quality?
- Do instructors have relevant experience or a graduate degree?
- Does the school or institution offering this program hold proper accreditation?
- Is the tuition worth the potential return on investment (ROI)?
- Does the program require any in-person coursework?
Most in-demand executive education programs
These in-demand executive education programs emphasize the communication, management, relationship, and decision-making skills that effective business leaders need.
Innovation
Leadership
Negotiation
Corporate governance
Design thinking
Disruptive selling
Executive coaching
Innovation executive education programs help chief marketing officers and corporate innovators discover how to spark new ideas in their organizations.
Some programs may teach you how to optimize your company's purpose, performance, and employees for maximum growth. You also learn to identify and overcome typical challenges that may impact corporate innovation.
Leadership executive education programs help new and experienced managers develop in-demand skills to better lead their organization.
Coursework may cover service excellence methods, team-leading strategies, and coaching skills for leaders. Some leadership programs focus on ethical or strategic leadership.
Negotiation executive education programs train experienced executives in collaborative and multiparty negotiation.
Coursework may cover how to develop a personalized negotiation strategy and turn opponents into partners. Some programs may offer hands-on simulations with other learners to help you practice and develop new skills.
Executive education programs in corporate governance cover the skills board members and C-suite executives use to make organization-wide decisions.
Classes may cover topics like compensation and succession, crisis management, and stakeholder engagement.
These programs can prepare product managers, designers, and consultants to understand the design process and explore how design thinking can promote employee creativity.
Coursework can prepare you to turn observations into critical insights.
Disruptive selling executive education programs explore the external factors that impact a company's performance.
These programs appeal to senior executives wanting to better react to rapidly changing and unpredictable situations. Classes may teach you to harness innovation and disruption for your business, understand consumer behavior, and adopt a strategic mindset.
Executive coaching programs can help senior executives mentor the next generation of managers.
Programs explore topics like AI evidence-based coaching best practices, emotional and social development, and adult development frameworks.