Application Tips

Individuals selected for the Executive Master's Program must have at least 8-10 years of work experience and must be able to demonstrate that continued education and training in change leadership would enhance their ability to work effectively in their formal organizational roles. Mid-career professionals and aspiring organizational leaders who wish to lead and manage future change efforts are especially encouraged to apply. 

Full-time employment, a recent resume, a personal statement, two recommendation letters, a letter of organizational sponsorship, a current work product and an undergraduate transcript are all required for admission. These requirements are summarized in the following chart and are discussed in detail below. 

Please note: The committee will review all completed applications holistically. That is, all materials will be thoroughly examined to determine applicant fit with, and potential to succeed in, the program. For this reason, we cannot provide decisions on applicants whose materials are incomplete or who have not submitted one of the above applicable requirements. 

Phone interviews may also be conducted with a subset of applicants considered for admission. 

Employment

In order to make the most out of the course content and program experiences, all executives are required to be employed full-time at the time of their application to the program. Additionally, 8-10 years of post-baccalaureate work experience is required. 

Resume

Personal Statement 

The personal statement should address why a continued education and training in change leadership would enhance applicants' ability to work more effectively in their formal organizational roles. It should be a clear and concise statement regarding the ways in which each applicant and sponsoring organization will benefit from the pursuit of an Executive Master's Degree and contribute to the field of change leadership. Personal statements should be approximately two pages in length.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must submit two letters of reference from individuals who can speak to their capacity to succeed in an intensive, cohort-based learning environment. These references can either be academic or professional. Please note, only two letters of recommendation can be uploaded (a third letter of organizational sponsorship must be uploaded in lieu of a third letter of recommendation; see next section). 

Organizational Sponsorship 

Because we believe that an organizational commitment is essential for individual learning and skill application, all applicants must submit an organizational sponsorship letter, written by either your immediate or area supervisor, that endorses your attendance in the Executive Program and commits the organization to supporting your learning. This means, at minimum, that the organization authorizes: 

(a) time off for all course modules 
(b) the use of an organizational change project for action learning 
(c) access to company information and data necessary to fully address this project (confidentiality maintained). 

In return, the organization will receive:
 
(a) data-based recommendations and interventions regarding this organization change project
(b) consultation and guidance from faculty and 
(c) transferable change leadership competencies that will benefit the entire organization. 

Organizational sponsorship may or may not include financial arrangements. That is, students may be self or organization funded. 

The letter of organizational sponsorship should be uploaded by the student applicant in the online application. 

Supplemental Program Application - Work Product

Applicants are required to submit a work project as part of their supplemental application materials. The work project should be an actual tangible work assignment that was prepared either as a part of your current or most recent employment. This may include but is not limited to a PowerPoint presentation, written report, off-site or training design and strategic plan or change management documents. All work products should be accompanied by a cover letter describing applicants'  rationale for the project, how they approached it, any critical decisions/tensions with which they wrestled and the principles, considerations and assumptions that guided their work. Cover letters should be between one and two pages in length.

Undergraduate/Graduate Transcripts 

The college requires that all applicants submit official copies of transcripts for any undergraduate or graduate work completed. Please consider the length of time it takes for transcripts to be sent and evaluated when applying to the program. For more information, please visit the website for the Office of Admission. 

For individuals who received their post-secondary credentials from outside the U.S. or Canada, additional action is required. Please review the website for the Office of Admission where requirements are further detailed before submitting transcripts.

Test of English Foreign Language Proficiency (TOEFL)*

TOEFL scores must be submitted for those applicants who received their bachelors degrees from institutions where the main language of instruction was not English. For more information, please visit the website for the Office of Admission.

If you have any questions about the requirements for admission and our selection process, please contact Amy Deiner at ad2158@tc.columbia.edu.