Management

Bachelor of Business Administration in Leadership and Business Strategy

 

Leadership and strategic thinking are the skills every employer wants—and among the hardest to develop early in your career. 

WMU Haworth's leadership and business strategy program is designed to change that, giving you two internship-level consulting experiences with real companies, real CEOs and real stakes before you graduate. 

The program pairs with any other major, deepening whatever field of study you're already pursuing with the leadership and strategic problem-solving skills that accelerate careers across every industry. And 100% of leadership and business strategy graduates working full time have a job related to their degree—proof this program will help you get the job you want. 

Statistics

100%

of leadership and business strategy graduates are working full time quickly after earning their degree

—2024-25 Career Outcomes Report
Explore the data

100%

of leadership and business strategy graduates working full time have a job related to their degree

—2024-25 Career Outcomes Report
Explore the data

99%

of WMU Haworth undergraduate students had instructors who made them excited about learning

—2024-25 Career Outcomes Report
Explore the data

Pursue a B.B.A. in leadership and business strategy

WMU Haworth's leadership and business strategy program is built on a core premise: Leadership and strategic thinking are skills that apply to any job, which is why the program is designed to complement any other major rather than stand alone. 

At the center of the program is a partnership with Sleeping Giant Capital, a place-based investment firm with a focus on West Michigan companies and preserving local ownership. Led by Dr. Doug Lepisto and Dr. Derrick McIver, WMU associate professors of management, Sleeping Giant Capital's operating businesses become real clients for the Leadership and Business Strategy Practicum. 

The business consulting that you’ll do in the leadership and business strategy program isn't a job and isn't an internship; it is a structured, iterative process that allows you to go far beyond the entry-level work you might encounter in your first job. Over 16 weeks, students work as analysts and lead business analysts to develop strategies for growth, innovative business models and potential new markets for Sleeping Giant Capital’s operating businesses. 

You’ll explore leadership best practices, gaining communication skills and self-assurance throughout the program. Whether your second major is marketing, finance, supply chain or anything else, this degree makes you more competitive in your field.

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What you’ll learn

The leadership and business strategy curriculum is centered on the skills most in demand among top employers: leadership, strategic problem solving and teamwork. You'll build these through coursework and two intensive consulting experiences that put you in real professional settings, working with executive leaders on challenges that have genuine business impact. 

You'll also develop interpersonal skills including self-awareness, communication and the ability to lead and motivate teams, competencies that complement any field of study and translate across industries. Personal growth and professional development are core to the program, with executive mentorship, peer leadership opportunities and structured self-reflection woven throughout, building the confidence you need to thrive after graduation. 

Browse leadership and business strategy coursework

Quote

This program really prepares you for the business world. The real-time feedback, combined with the opportunity to continually refine a project, has been the most valuable experience I've had. It has taught me lessons I'll carry with me both as an individual and as a professional.
— Teague Shipka, leadership and business strategy minor, finance major

Where you’ll be after graduation

Leadership and business strategy graduates from WMU Haworth go on to careers as business consultants, lead innovation associates, staff technology consultants, sales development representatives and senior associates, among other roles. Recent graduates are working at some of the most recognized companies in the world, including Amazon, Dell Technologies, Ernst and Young, General Motors, JP Morgan Chase and Southwest Airlines. 

WMU Haworth's Zhang Career Center connects you with career coaching, internship opportunities and employer recruiting events throughout your degree. According to the recent WMU Career Outcomes Report, 100% of leadership and business strategy graduates are working full time quickly after earning their degree. 

Explore Zhang Career Center

What others have achieved

What others have achieved

WMU leadership and business strategy graduates are already making their mark—here's a look at how the program gives you the skills you need to succeed.

Student group meets at Sleeping Giant Capital

Leadership and business strategy: The stakes are high, the recommendations real

Daniela Padilla poses for a photo outside in her graduation regalia.

Daniela Padilla is expanding creative horizons with TikTok, Disney and Hulu

Making the most of your learning experience

The leadership and business strategy program puts you inside the actual work of Sleeping Giant Capital's operating businesses, as you develop data-driven recommendations to present to real executive leadership with real consequences. A downtown shuttle transports leadership and business strategy students between WMU’s campus and Sleeping Giant Capital for courses and events, and the program's community of hard-working, ambitious peers is one of its most cited strengths. 

You’ll benefit from executive mentors who work alongside you throughout the program, providing the kind of professional insight and advice that can accelerate your career after graduation. The Zhang Career Center supports leadership and business strategy students with career coaching, job search resources and recruiting connections tailored to their second major and career goals.

Learn more about Experience-Driven Learning
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Students at Sleeping Giant Capital Practicum

What scholarships are available for a leadership and business strategy degree?

WMU Haworth offers a range of scholarships for leadership and business strategy students, awarded based on academic merit and financial need. Admitted students can explore and apply for scholarships, including department-specific and college-wide awards through WMU's Scholarship Universe matching tool. Paying for your education shouldn't be a barrier, and WMU's financial aid team is here to help you find every resource available. 

Explore scholarships at WMU
Explore Haworth College of Business scholarships

Frequently asked questions

Earning a B.B.A. in leadership and business strategy from WMU Haworth prepares you for careers in consulting, business development, innovation and leadership roles across virtually every industry. You'll graduate with the strategic thinking and leadership skills that employers across corporate, nonprofit, government and entrepreneurial settings actively seek. Recent graduates have been hired by Amazon, Dell Technologies, EY, General Motors, JP Morgan Chase and Southwest Airlines.

Yes, because leadership and strategic thinking are skills that apply to any field, the program requires you to declare a second major or take leadership and business strategy as a minor. This structure is intentional: It ensures you graduate with deep expertise in a specific field alongside the leadership, interpersonal and team skills that make you stand out across industries. The combination gives you a genuinely differentiated credential compared to graduates with a single-focus degree.

Sleeping Giant Capital is the lynchpin of WMU Haworth's leadership and business strategy program. A place-based investment firm focused on West Michigan companies and preserving local ownership, Sleeping Giant Capital is co-led by Dr. Doug Lepisto and Dr. Derrick McIver, WMU associate professors of management. Its operating businesses become real clients for the Leadership and Business Strategy Practicum, where students spend 16 weeks diving into primary and secondary research to develop strategies for growth, innovative business models and potential new markets.

You'll complete two consulting experiences through the partnership with Sleeping Giant Capital, working with real executive leadership on actual business challenges. This isn't a job or an internship, but a structured, iterative process with mentorship support that allows you to go far beyond entry-level work. In one of those experiences, you'll lead a team of peers through the engagement, developing the practical leadership skills that most people don't gain until years into their careers.

Yes, hands-on experience isn't a supplement to the program, it is the program. Two consulting experiences are required, and both involve working with real organizations on problems that have genuine business impact. The program is designed so that student recommendations directly affect the companies they work with, making it one of the most experiential undergraduate business programs at WMU Haworth.

Yes, students in the leadership and business strategy program are eligible for scholarships through WMU Haworth's Department of Management based on academic performance and financial need. Learn more about department scholarships and Haworth College of Business scholarships. 

Once you’re admitted to WMU, you can search and apply for available awards, including department-specific scholarships, through WMU's Scholarship Universe tool. You’ll just need your WMU ID to log in.