When does the Global Leadership Diploma program start?

You build your own path through the diploma based on the courses that most interest you, so there is no fixed ‘start’ or ‘end’ date. When you enroll, you will meet with one of our Program Specialists to talk through the courses and come up with a plan for your diploma journey. Yours will be unique, tailored to meet your needs, and you will start with the next upcoming course that makes sense for you. The required course can be taken at any point in the program

Do I go through the Diploma program with a cohort?

Because you pick all of your courses and build your own journey through the diploma, you’ll notice many of the same people throughout your program, but you won’t have precisely the same cohort in each class. All of our courses are also available to take individually, not as part of the diploma program, so throughout your 5 courses, you will have plenty of opportunities to meet interesting, like-minded people from all around the globe. You’ll create deep connections during each course, and our alumni tell us these relationships endure far beyond the end of the program.

You give 18 months to complete the Diploma - how long does it really take?

Although many diploma students complete the program much quicker than 18 months, we know that you’re busy and have things competing for your time! We’ve specifically designed the program to be flexible, so that you can take time off from coursework when needed. If you have a lot of time to dedicate and can take more than one course at a time, you can breeze through the program in as little as 6 months, but the average completion time is a little over a year, and feel free to stretch it to 18 months!

I work/study full time already. Will I have time for a Diploma program?

The diploma programs are made for busy professionals, and you are expected to have other things going on in your busy life. Time commitment varies a bit from course to course (which we can go over with you in your introductory call), but you can expect to spend approximately 5-10 hours on coursework per week, per course. If you think you can dedicate that amount, you should be able to participate fully in the program!

What are the coaching sessions all about, who are the coaches, and how will this compliment my Diploma experience?

At the outset of your diploma program, we’ll send you a questionnaire to get to know you and your goals better. Based on your response, we will personally match you with a coach that we feel will resonate with you and your profile, and be able to help you on your learning journey. All of our coaches come from the UPEACE network, so you may be matched with someone that will later be a course facilitator or pop up elsewhere in the program. They are not all certified coaches, but each and every one has been hand-picked based on their ability to listen empathetically,  their professional profile and their strong knowledge of the program itself. You can think of your coach as a mentor – someone who wants to understand your strengths and challenges, and help you find the best way forward. The coaching program will ensure that you get the very most out of your diploma experience and are able to put your learning into practice.

What is the difference between a live virtual workshop and a regular online course?

Live virtual workshops focus a bit more on the synchronous, or ‘live classroom’ component of learning. There are readings and videos to review between sessions, but attendance in the live sessions is required and is where most of the learning occurs. Session times are announced very early, and you can review the timing to make sure that it fits for you. These courses generally have less ‘homework’ and don’t include an in-depth final project, so the overall time investment is a bit lower.

Online courses, on the other hand, emphasize the asynchronous, or ‘offline’ learning. Weekly modules are opened in the online learning platform, Moodle, so that you can go through the materials on your own time. There are forum questions to respond to weekly, and you’ll build toward a final assignment that will generally show how you plan to implement what you have learned in your context. These courses include weekly live webinars that you are highly encouraged to attend to connect with your colleagues and facilitators, but these sessions are not mandatory. Webinar times are announced approximately 1 week before the start of the course, as we take into account the time zones of the participants to try to allow for the most participation possible.

For a full list of frequently asked questions about the diploma programs, please visit our website here!