Though an MBA in Leadership is a less tangible degree, it is also an extremely versatile one. Any professional who wants to take on a greater leadership role at work can benefit from this type of degree, which stresses business management skills like organizational behavior; the ability to work with, direct and understand different groups of people; farsightedness; critical thinking; and the intelligence, ambition and organization to propel a company into the future. Whether you want to run a small business, become a manager at your current job, or help a nonprofit or government organization succeed, a leadership MBA can improve your chances of getting a promotion and starting a new career path. Online programs are ideal, as they let professionals continue to work full-time while getting the training they need to prepare them for the next step.

Accelerated online programs let professionals earn their degrees and begin to apply their knowledge in the workforce at a much faster rate than those in traditional MBA programs. Applicants hoping to enroll in an MBA Leadership program will ahve to prove that they have a bachelor’s degree and some work experience. Though leadership is a general field, some schools may want their applicants to have experience in business or managing groups. Those choosing to specialize in Leadership will take courses in organizational leadership, team building, leadership assessment, intervention, group dynamics, business ethics, effective communication, power and influence, networking and other areas. Generally, leadership degrees are designed to help students and professionals learn as much as possible about the people side of a business and how to encourage employees to perform at their highest potential, instead of focusing on a company’s operations systems or the technical side of a business.

Graduates of an MBA in Leadership program have many different career opportunities to choose from, including small business management, entrepreneurship, senior management positions at large corporations, managing government departments or nonprofit organizations, consulting, and more. A Leadership MBA is also a good start to becoming a CEO or head of a company. The expected salary for graduates is varied, according to the exact field he or she enters and the size and type of company. Those working at large businesses will typically earn more than someone working at a very small company or in a government office, for example. Top executives at companies can earn over $100,000, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as do marketing managers. Consultants and management analysts typically earn between $50,860 and $92,390, depending on their geographic location and clientele.