SMU's Certificate Program in Executive Coaching

Executive Coaching is one of the fastest-growing fields of management consulting in America.  SMU's Certificate Program in Executive Coaching provides students with a comprehensive, classroom-based, learning experience that gradually builds on skills and knowledge throughout the program of study..  In doing so, the CPEC provides students with the theoretical grounding and applied practice needed to enter the field of executive coaching as a consultant or internal practitioner.  The program offers several distinctive features:

• Students participate in 120 contact hours of study

• All courses are conducted on weekends to support participation by working professionals and out-of-state students

• The program includes classes in the areas of Assessment and Interviewing, Transitional Coaching (focusing on leaders who are attempting to adapt to new work environments), Developmental Coaching (focusing on accelerating the development of high-potential leaders), and Performance Coaching (focusing on leaders who are attempting to overcome performance issues)

Courses of Study

1.  Assessment and Interviewing Skills for Executive Coaching

    Students obtain a basic introduction to coaching, including its purpose, applications, and how coaching differs from counseling or mediation.  Students learn how to conduct in-depth assessment interviews with those being coached, and with other organizational stakeholders.  The course also introduces student to the use of 360° tools, and shows how to integrate 360° and interview data into a consolidated assessment report.

2.  Transitional and Developmental Coaching

    This course provides an introduction to transitional coaching, which is designed to help leaders make fast and successful transition to new work cultures and settings.  Developmental coaching focuses specifically no the needs of "fast-track" or high-potential leaders.  Students learn the unique skills required of transitional and developmental coaches and the challenges that each is likely to face.

3.  Performance Coaching

    Performance coaching is focused on helping managers who are encountering performance issues related to ineffective leadership styles and behaviors.  Students are introduced to the most common performance coaching situations, and the unique challenges that are faced by performance coaches.  They learn how to address client resistance, and how to meet and identify such resistance.  They also learn the intricacies of client contracting, with particular attention to establishing clear and detailed expectations for performance improvement.