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Leadership Executive, MBA

Discover Seattle University's Albers Leadership Executive MBA program, a top-tier MBA for experienced professionals aiming to elevate their leadership skills.

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About this Program

Explore One of the Best Leadership Executive MBA Programs in the Northwest

Join a top-tier leadership executive master's in business administration program. Designed for holistic development, our intense emphasis on personal leadership is woven into everything we do.

For more than 20 years, we've drawn savvy business leaders from all over the Northwest looking for an Executive Master's in Business Administration program that not only delivers results through a top-ranked education, but also provides transformative leadership education and experience.

Our Leadership Executive Master's in Business Administration degree helps leaders cultivate their vision and skills to make a profound impact on their companies and communities in fresh and invigorating ways.

Our Leadership Executive MBA at a Glance

Learn how this degree from the Albers School of Business and Economics will contribute to your career goals, explore course requirements and see how impactful a Seattle University MBA can be.

Embarking on an Executive MBA journey positions you at the intersection of experience and advanced leadership education. Tailored for seasoned professionals like yourself, this program is designed to sharpen your strategic thinking, enhance executive decision-making, and deepen your understanding of global business dynamics. With a focus on practical application, you'll immediately integrate newfound knowledge into your current role. The cohort, comprised of accomplished peers, becomes a powerful network for collaboration and insights. Balancing work commitments and intensive coursework, an Executive MBA not only elevates your leadership capabilities but also propels your career forward, equipping you to navigate the complexities of executive-level responsibilities.

Thoughtfully designed with courses grouped into five broad themes, our Leadership Executive MBA curriculum will expand your perspective through multidisciplinary and multi-industry exposure, as well as through coursework, reflection, rigorous application, and—unique among Executive MBA programs and top business schools—ongoing, dedicated one-on-one executive coaching.

Seattle University's tradition of educating the whole person means that the Leadership Executive MBA program delivers more than just the increased level of business acumen you'll find at top business schools. The rigorous instruction in core business concepts together with a highly personal exploration of leadership means you'll graduate with:

  • A deepened awareness and sense of yourself as an authentic leader.
  • Superior leadership acuity with the insight to influence and inspire others and orchestrate organizational change.
  • Strong knowledge and strategic perspective of business concepts and disciplines.
  • The ability to inquire/source quality information and synthesize knowledge via situational analysis and risk assessment.
  • Superior and integrative analytical competence in strategy and decision making.
  • The ability to lead with conscience, competence, and wisdom to impact both your community and the greater good.

What You’ll Learn

Learn about the classes you’ll take as a student here.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The cost of the Leadership Executive Master of Business Administration (LEMBA), a 20-month cohort program encompassing 60 credits over six quarters, is $111,114 ($18,519 per quarter) for 2024. LEMBA tuition is guaranteed for the duration of the program and includes tuition, fees, textbooks and course materials, meals and lodging at residential sessions, continental breakfast and lunches on class days and food and refreshments at various hosted events.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

There are two sources for loans for the Leadership Executive MBA which are not based on financial need:

  • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan (up to $20,500 per year)
  • Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate or Professional Students (up to the full cost of attendance less any awarded financial aid)

To qualify for a loan, you must submit a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Eligibility criteria, verified through the FAFSA process, include but are not limited to citizenship or eligible non-citizen, no default on a prior federal student loan and for the Direct Unsubsidized Loan remaining aggregate loan eligibility.

The FAFSA is the application for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan does not require a credit check. The Federal Direct PLUS Loan requires a separate application and a credit check. If you are admitted to the program and your FAFSA demonstrates eligibility, Student Financial Services will send you a financial aid offer letter. Your initial offer letter will include any known Seattle University financial aid and the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, if eligible. If you apply and are approved for the Federal Direct PLUS loan you receive a revised financial aid offer that will include the Federal Direct PLUS loan approved amount.

For more information on financial aid options, please contact Student Financial Services at financialservices@seattleu.edu or 206-220-8020.

Healthcare and Non-profit Professional Discount

Executives working in the healthcare or non-profit industries may be eligible for up to 30% off the LEMBA program's cost, applied at admission. The discount cannot be combined with other scholarships managed by Seattle University.

Veterans

Veterans planning to use GI Bill benefits can find information on our Veterans Education Benefits page. For details and additional information, please contact our VA School Certifying Official at 206-296-5833 or va@seattleu.edu.

 

#21

In the Nation

Seattle University’s Leadership Executive MBA degree — U.S. News & World Report, 2025

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Top 5% World Business Schools & AACSB accredited 

Albers School of Business and Economics

30

Consistently Ranked Among Top 30 Since 2016

Top 30 Executive Programs — U.S. News & World Report

Academic Excellence Designed for You

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A Business Curriculum You Can Take to Work

Our applied approach means you’ll be required to use the management and leadership skills you’re learning in your own work environment, adding value to your employer while making you a more valuable employee.

A group of EMBA students with former Ford CEO Alan Mulally

Small Class Sizes and Easy Access to Exceptional Faculty

Our expert faculty with both industry and research experience, skillfully merge theory with practice in the classroom. Because of our small class size, you get to know your professors—you’re not just another student with a name card.

A man in a graduation cap and gown holding flowers and a woman in a cap and gown.

A Schedule That Works for You

To accommodate even the most demanding schedules, Seattle University's Leadership EMBA degree program meets once a month in compact, three-day modules. The compressed schedule allows you to graduate in two academic years.

Cohort of Executive MBA graduates

An Expanded Professional Network

In Seattle University's Leadership Executive MBA program, you'll learn as much from your peers as you will from your instructors. You'll broaden your network while our active alumni and social events help you maintain the rewarding and lasting relationships you built in the program.

An MBA Degree With a National Reputation for Leadership

Seattle University’s Leadership Executive MBA degree program is ranked #21 nationally for 2025 by U.S. News & World Report and is the only Executive Master's in Business Administration program in the Pacific Northwest to be recognized in the Top 25 programs nationally.

Our program ranks because we believe there’s more to leadership than effective application of tactical managerial tools, and it starts with knowing who you are. Seattle U’s Leadership Executive MBA degree program begins with reflection and personal exploration to help you uncover and develop your voice as a leader.

Our Executive MBA curriculum includes dedicated one-on-one executive coaching to broaden your perspective and develop the confidence, insight, and self-awareness necessary to influence and inspire others with authenticity.

Built With Everything You Need to Lead

Picture this: A seven-month deep dive into leadership with one-on-one executive coaching throughout the program.

Small cohort-based classes that provide an intimate, high-impact learning environment.

A convenient schedule that allows you to continue working full-time and combines in-person classes with online work outside class.

A talented, accomplished peer network that becomes a lasting source of personal and professional support.

A focus on the social impact of business and organizational decisions.

Projects that put your leadership into action.

From Our Alumni

Ashley Carson, LEMBA ‘20

“The LEMBA program is transformational. It’s not just about the credential on your resume. This program forces you to flex and adapt, and become a better version of yourself. I will be forever grateful for the experience and what I learned from my classmates. We all can and will make a difference.”

Chief People Officer, Vera Whole Health

Featured Faculty

  • Viviane S. Lopuch, EdD
    Viviane S. Lopuch, EdD

    Executive Director, Center for Leadership Formation
    Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Management

  • Marc Cohen, PhD
    Marc Cohen, PhD

    Program Director, Professional MBA and Online MBA
    Professor, Department of Management
    Professor, Department of Philosophy
    (shared appointment with College of Arts & Sciences)

  • Meenakshi Rishi, PhD
    Meenakshi Rishi, PhD

    Professor, Department of Economics
    Howard J. Bosanko Professor of International Economics and Finance, 2023-2026
    Past Director, International Development Internship Program

  • Jeffery Smith, PhD
    Jeffery Smith, PhD

    Chair, Department of Management
    Professor, Department of Management
    Boeing Frank Shrontz Chair of Professional Ethics

  • Erin Vernon, PhD
    Erin Vernon, PhD

    Associate Professor, Department of Economics
    Eva Albers Professor, 2022-2025

Learn More

Albers Graduate Admissions Office