2026-2027 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog [In Progress]

Master of Science in Business Leadership

Seidman College of Business

The Master of Science in Business Leadership (MS in Business Leadership) is designed for graduates from non-business undergraduate programs or those graduates with little to no work experience. This degree allows students to gain knowledge, skills, and experiences that will enable them to contribute to a variety of entry-level business roles in a variety of industries. MS in Business Leadership students bring diversity of academic backgrounds, making the classroom a dynamic environment for the exchange of perspectives and ideas.

Accreditation

The MS in Business Leadership is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

The Seidman College of Business seeks individuals who want to build a meaningful career. The Admissions Committee takes a holistic approach to candidate evaluation with consideration for career growth, academic ability, potential leadership abilities, communication and interpersonal skills, and motivation for success. Seidman purposefully maintains a relatively small class size and values candidates with diverse backgrounds, skill sets, cultures, and talents. An undergraduate degree in any major will be considered for students applying to the M.S. in Business Leadership.

To apply, students should

complete the M.S. in Business Leadership application (including essays/personal statement);
submit official transcripts;
submit a recent resume;
provide two references.

International students may be required to submit additional documents as part of their admission materials.

Individuals who submit all required documents may be selected for an interview if additional information is needed to render an admission decision.

Transfer Credit

Up to nine graduate-level credits may be considered for the M.S. in business leadership program.

Academic Review

A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required in all graduate level courses that fulfill graduation requirements for the M.S. in business leadership. A grade of C or better must be earned in all graduate courses that fulfill graduation requirements for the M.S. in business leadership.

Graduate Outcomes

The Seidman College of Business faculty has identified the following learning goals for M.S. in business leadership. Objectives related to each goal are assessed regularly to ensure that they are being achieved.

Communicating with Impact
Operating with Excellence
Envisioning the Future
Encompassing Global and Diverse Views
Dynamic Leadership and Self-Awareness

Program Location

MS in Business Leadership classes are offered in a variety of formats, including in person, online, or hybrid. In-person classes are held on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus in the L. William Seidman Center in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.

Website: gvsu.edu/seidmangrad

Requirements for the Professional M.S. in Business Leadership

The MS in Business Leadership program consists of 35 semester hours of graduate coursework.

M.S. in Business Leadership Courses

Students must complete all core courses, the culminating experience, and two focus areas for a total of 35 credit hours.

Core Courses: 16 credits

Focus area: Business Process: 8 credits

This focus area will show students how different business units and process interact with each other in an organization. It will follow by showing how to align and improve processes within an organization and finally how to communicate with the different stakeholders.

Focus area: Sales: 8 credits

This focus area will teach important soft skills such as negotiations and professional sales. It is designed to be experiential leveraging simulated real world sales and negotiations.

Culminating Experience: 3 credits

The M.S. in business leadership program culminates with a real-world, integrative project that takes place during the final semester of the program. Students complete this integrative project as part of BUS 693 Strategic Summit Project, which is facilitated and evaluated by the lead faculty member and supporting faculty.

BUS 693 - Strategic Summit Project (3 credits)

Suggested Order of Coursework

Fall:

Winter:

Summer:

BUS 611 - Business Communication (2 credits)