
Henley MA Leadership
Master the art of exceptional leadership and be the driving force behind the team with the Henley MA Leadership.
At a glance
- Lead within rapidly changing organisations
- Inspire and instil leadership in others
- Understand how to make individuals and teams thrive
- Take decisive action in uncertain situations
- Lead across organisational and departmental boundaries
- Subject area(s)
- Leadership
- Attendance
- Part-time
- Fee
- £17,900 (Full MA - also payable in stages)
- Course length
- 24 months
- Suitable for
- Leaders (organisations, teams, people and projects) with at least 3 years' management experience and a good undergraduate degree or equivalent
Overview
The Henley MA Leadership is a part-time Masters programme that fits with your working commitments. You will develop your leadership capability and learn how to maximise the performance of your team. This enables you to become a leader who is analytical and self-aware, with a strong sense of responsibility; someone who understands how to make people thrive, and who has the confidence to take the organisation forward.
When developing the programme, we undertook extensive research and consulted with leaders from large and small corporates, the public sector, government departments and social enterprises. As a result, the MA Leadership is challenging yet rewarding and relevant, designed to have an immediate practical impact on both you and your organisation.
You can choose to commit to the full MA Leadership from the start or complete one stage at a time. At the stage you decide to complete your studies you will earn an internationally recognised qualification from a triple-accredited, global business school.
Key benefits
Earn a postgraduate qualification from a triple-accredited global business school without taking a career break
Access resources from our online learning portal including books and journals
Work with faculty who have practical experience of current organisational working practice and challenges
Alumni status: Ongoing networking and development through your Henley Business School and University of Reading alumni status
- Three years’ management experience
- A good degree or the equivalent professional or international qualification is normally required; however we do welcome applications from candidates with exceptional management experience who may not meet all the formal criteria for admission. If you have a minimum of 5 years’ experience at a senior or strategic level with no degree, we would be happy to consider an application. Our Admission Panel reviews all non-standard applications for suitability.
- Evidence of competence in English - English language requirements
Credit for prior learning
Candidates who have completed a Henley qualification programme within the last 5 years may be eligible for an elective exemption.
*Prior experiential learning: If you have previously attended other Henley Business School leadership development programmes, or equivalent, you may choose the Assessment of prior experiential learning elective in Stage 1.
Please see Credit for prior learning for more information.
How to apply
The quickest and easiest way to apply for postgraduate study is through our online application service.
You will be asked to:
- provide general application details such as your contact information and career history, including CV
- attach electronic copies of academic transcripts, certificates and other supporting information
- provide information to enable us to email your referees requesting them to send your supporting references directly to us.
£17,900 (Full MA - also payable in stages)
NOTE: In-person delivery will take place in accordance with, and subject to, the latest government guidance and measures put in place by the University of Reading.
To find out more programme details, including future dates, please contact us.
Programme fees (VAT exempt)
- Henley MA Leadership: £17,900
- Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership (Stages 1 & 2 only): £12,900
- Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership (Stage 1 only): £6,200
Applicants for the full MA Leadership can opt to breakdown their fee payments into three instalments:
- Stage 1: £5,700
- Stage 2: £6,200
- Stage 3: £6,000
The MA Leadership combines peer group learning, work-based practice, action learning and reflection – supported by a comprehensive virtual learning environment – to provide you with a deep, multi-faceted understanding of modern leadership. It offers a balance between highly interactive teaching sessions and practical experience.
You will learn from experienced faculty and business leaders, explore both classic and emerging leadership perspectives, and discover how to guide business units, teams and individuals through periods of change.
The programmme takes place over 24 months, as broken down below:
Programme content
Stage 1 – Postgraduate Certificate (Developing Yourself as a Leader)

Stage 2 – Postgraduate Diploma (Developing Leadership of the Team)

Stage 3 – MA (Developing Leadership in the Organisation)

Most modules are compulsory; Stage 1 and Stage 2 include one module with an elective choice, giving you the opportunity for deeper study of topics relevant to you.
Electives
We currently offer the following elective module options:
- Leadership of complexity and change
- Project and programme leadership
- Mobilising and maintaining organisational energy
- Coaching and mentoring for leaders
- Facilitation for leaders
- Neuroscience of leadership coaching
- Digital technology leadership
- Assessment of prior experiential learning*
The options offered for electives may vary and will be updated as required.
Meet the Programme Director
Jean-Anne Stewart has over 20 years’ international industry experience implementing complex IT and business change programmes. She specialises in leadership, action learning, SMEs, third sector leadership, management learning, technology-enabled learning, leadership development, and leadership and management across generations.
"There’s lots of scope with the assignments, so you can focus on what’s really important to you and your organisation. So you can decide what you want to achieve, and work towards that as part of the programme."
"My colleagues could tell when I’d been at Henley just by the way I’d apply new ideas. I found myself being able to see further, and clearer."
Read full case study - Mairi Brookes, Sustainable City Team Manager, Oxford City Council
"Henley provides the perfect location for reflective and applied learning and the staff have been very supportive of my goals - both for personal learning and applied leadership practice."
Jamie Dormandy, Head of Customer Service and Support, RNIB
Set in sweeping parkland on the banks of the River Thames, Henley Business School's Greenlands campus provides an inspiring and reflective environment for focused work and study.
Why choose Henley?
(Financial Times Executive Education open enrolment programmes rankings 2022)
(Executive Education 2022: Top 50 combined ranking and school profiles)
(Financial Times Executive Education programme rankings 2022)
For 75 years, Henley Business School has developed confident and resilient business leaders. Executive Education at Henley is:
- Practical: we combine academic rigour with a strong practical focus, so you can immediately apply what you have learned back in your organisation.
- Relevant: Henley faculty are experienced practitioners who can support you in exploring solutions to your organisation’s challenges.
- Collaborative: Open programmes enable you to expand your network, gain new perspectives and share ideas with peers from a range of backgrounds and sectors.
- Personal: deliberately small learning groups allow you to benefit from individual attention and a confidential environment. We encourage you to understand your unique strengths, leadership style, and areas for development.
Contact us
MA Leadership
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the programme, please contact us.
Email: jean-anne.stewart@henley.ac.uk“What I’ve learned has changed the way I work and given me the tools I need to develop my leadership skills. I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
Henley provides the perfect location for reflective and applied learning and the staff have been very supportive of my goals - both for personal learning and applied leadership practice.
My colleagues could tell when I’d been at Henley just by the way I’d apply new ideas. I found myself being able to see further, and clearer.