FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions


General Questions


A: The primary difference between the Executive Master’s Program in Change Leadership and an MBA is that the XMA is grounded in organizational psychology and focuses on competencies related to leading organization change in a business context, whereas an MBA is grounded in business and focuses on competencies related to leading a business, of which organization change are only one component.

Both degree programs offer some of each. That is, the Change Leadership program blends business and psychology and includes business courses such as strategy in the curriculum, whereas MBA programs are usually focused on finance and offer some courses in organization behavior.

Admissions


A: After you submit your application, it will be reviewed by the Admissions Office to ensure it meets all standards required for admission.  It will then be reviewed by the faculty of the Executive Master’s Program in Change Leadership.  The next step in the process is a 30-minute interview with the program’s faculty director.

A: Should you have a question on where your application is in the process or whether any materials are missing, please contact the Admission Office directly at admission@tc.edu.

A. We take the concept of an inclusive learning community seriously.  We experimented with rolling admissions in the past, but what we learned is that because the cohort experience is so central to the program, it is hard to make decisions on a one-off basis without having a full sense of who might be in the cohort. For that reason, we make all decisions after the admission deadline. If you believe you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact Amy Deiner (ad2158@tc.columbia.edu) and we will try our best to work with you.

Cost


A: The cost for the Executive Master’s Program in Change Leadership consists of the 39 credit tuition fee, all College fees, plus a student fee for XMA of approximately $5,000 per semester ($15,000). This student fee covers the costs associated with the residential weeks of the program and all books, materials, assessments, coaching, on-campus meals, and cultural event attendance. Housing and accommodations for modules based in New York City are not included in the program fees.

A: If you would like to apply for financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid immediately (financialaid@tc.columbia.edu).   XMA students are not typically considered for TC scholarship funds in the initial round of scholarship disbursements.  However, some of our students have successfully received scholarship aid upon appeal.  You are welcome to appeal whether or not you applied for scholarship funding as part of your application.  To learn more about the process, please reach out to the Office of Financial Aid, and they can walk you through the process. US citizens are also eligible to apply for aid from the federal government to attend the program.  Please contact the Office of Financial Aid to learn more.

Lodging


A: Unfortunately, we are unable to provide housing for the on-campus modules.  We recommend visiting the Guest Housing page on the Office of Residential Services’ website.  There you will find information about accommodations on the TC campus as well as area hotels. 

Credits


A: Because the program curriculum is fixed and there are no elective courses, individuals will not be able to transfer credits from other programs or from the Organizational Psychology Master’s Program.

A: Each module will range from 12-15 credits. One full content area/course is typically 3 credits.

Learning Modules


A: The sessions will begin approximately at 8 a.m. and will last into the evening. This does not take into account the cultural events that may take place in the late evening. There is one cultural event per module.

A: During the modules, students will be in session from morning until evening, with the exception of meals and small breaks. This includes weekend days that happen to fall within a particular module (e.g., Saturdays and Sundays).

A: In between the modules, we anticipate individuals will be working approximately 10 hours a week on course-related assignments and action learning projects. However, the number of hours per week varies depending on students’ individual working style and proximity to the modules.  Because Modules 1 and 2 are foundational, they are scheduled closer together and there is post-work for Module 1 and pre-work for Module 2.  The space between Modules 2 and 3, and 3 and 4 afford students more time to complete pre-work and post-work, and focus on their applied change projects. 

While executives are free to manage their own time, there will be monthly virtual check-in sessions in between the modules in order to provide scheduled time for project supervision, teamwork, information sharing, and additional lectures on emergent topics. A schedule for all check-in meetings will be provided to executives during the first module.

A: No. The curriculum has been designed so that each module builds off of experiences and content from the previous module. In addition, to ensure cohesiveness and continuity among each cohort, we require executives to attend all four modules in one year, in their anticipated sequence and with their original cohort. Executives are required to attend each module in its entirety and to participate fully in all independent and online learning activities that occur in the liminal spaces between the learning modules.

Cultural Events


A: As the educational philosopher Maxine Green once observed, "The arts, it has been said, cannot change the world, but they may change human beings, who might change the world." The cultural events are not cultural with respect to national culture, but rather are opportunities to engage in arts and creativity-based experiences that are meant to illustrate the course topics from a different perspective. These might include but are not limited to attendance at a leaderless orchestra or jazz/improv participation. Our research indicates that people learn best when both the left and right sides of their brain are engaged.

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