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Graduate Certificate

Enhance your leadership capabilities through our online program.

The first graduate certificate in leadership in the state of West Virginia offers working professionals innovative, research-driven courses with practical applications that will propel you to the next stage of your career. No matter your professional experience, our 12 credit graduate certificate will meet your needs. Offered entirely online, our program provides a flexible curriculum that can be completed in as little as 16 months.

OUR CERTIFICATE WILL EQUIP YOU TO:

  • Enhance your leadership capacity at work and in your daily life
  • Manage conflict and change
  • Analyze organizational ethics and leadership practices
  • Assess a variety of leadership types and approaches
  • Critique the role of leadership and followership in shaping organizational culture and climate

PERFECT FOR PROFESSIONALS IN:

  • Academia
  • Business
  • Government
  • Healthcare
  • Law enforcement
  • Nonprofit organizations

Popular program courses:

  • Applied Leadership in the Workplace
  • Leading Contemporary Organizations
  • Intersections in Leadership
  • Women and Leadership
  • Operationalizing Leadership

Building better leaders

Students can now enhance their leadership capacity at work and in their daily life with the new graduate certificate in leadership. The first of its kind in the state of West Virginia, the program offers working professionals innovative, research-driven courses with practical applications.

Read more in Eberly Magazine.

Student spotlight





Jennifer Knight Davis

Hometown: Morgantown, WV | Occupation: Trauma surgeon

Jennifer Knight headshot
Dr. Jennifer Knight Davis, a 2021 graduate of the Leadership Certificate program, is a Professor of Surgery at The Ohio State University. Previously, she served as director of the Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center at WVU, an American College of Surgeons level one center.

As a leader, her goal is to maintain excellent care for all patients. Dr. Knight Davis says the Graduate Certificate has helped her become a more aware and capable leader.

In June 2020, Knight led a "White Coats for Black Lives" demonstration of more than 200 WVU Medicine workers. Read more and see photos in the Dominion Post.

“Leadership skills are essential to the job I do every day. As physicians, we are taught how to care for people but not necessarily taught the skills needed to be leaders. This program has provided me with valuable knowledge that has had an immediate and direct effect on how I function each day.”

Jason Kapcala

Hometown: Morgantown, WV | Occupation: Captioning and interpreting coordinator for accessibility services

Jason Kapacala headshot
For Jason Kapcala, a perk of the graduate certificate in leadership is its flexibility and nimble curriculum, making it ideal for professionals working full time.

“This graduate certificate is great for working professionals who cannot afford to take two to three years away from their current jobs to go back to school but who still want to expand their leadership knowledge and training.”

He has also benefitted from learning from fellow students who represent a wide variety of professions, including business, government, healthcare, law enforcement and nonprofit organizations.

“Studying alongside my classmates, many of whom hold leadership positions in a variety of interesting fields, has given me a lot to think about.”

Take the next step

Contact: Dr. Lisa DeFrank-Cole
Director and Professor, Leadership Studies
304-293-8781 / Lisa.DeFrank-Cole@mail.wvu.edu

Apply.  Request information.