Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching
The Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching is a triple-accredited, part-time course that empowers you to develop and practise key coaching skills.
At a glance
- Become a resilient, confident coach who excels in diverse situations
- Progress towards individual coach accreditation with the ICF, AC or EMCC
- Choose from a variety of study formats to suit your personal and work commitment: weekdays or weekends, in-person or live-online
- Foster a professional network of coaching peers
- Learn how to manage your coaching relationships professionally and ethically
- Subject area(s)
- Coaching
- Attendance
- Part-time
- Fee
- £6,950 VAT exempt (live-online or in-person). Excludes accommodation.
- Course length
- 9 months
- Suitable for
- Individuals with some formal or informal knowledge and experience of executive coaching, including independent coaches and those wishing to develop coaching skills in an organisational context
- Delivery
- In-person weekend, In-person weekday, Live-online weekday, Live-online weekend
Start dates
Looking for a date?
No problem. Get in touch with our team to be kept in the loop on future course dates.
Contact our teamNOTE
Download a full list of dates from the additional dates section.
Overview
The Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching offers a broad foundation in a range of best practice, coaching competencies and models. This empowers you as a coach by developing your confidence, ability and credibility. Whether you're new to the field, or several years into your coaching career, the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching is designed to support a range of competence levels.
You will learn in a highly practical and interactive learning environment, with ample opportunity to apply your learning. From the very start of the programme, you will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge within the classroom and with external coaching clients. Upon completion of the programme, you will be able to coach clients in a professional context, at all levels of experience and in any industry sector – either within your organisation or as an independent coach.
This part-time course is typically studied over nine months, and it is accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Association for Coaching (AC) and the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC). The programme attracts a diverse range of participants, from those wishing to start a new career in coaching to senior leaders aiming to embed a coaching culture within their organisations. By the end of the course, you will have a firm grasp of the fundamentals of coaching, and a better understanding of your own abilities as a coach.
You can choose between in-person and live-online delivery. You will also need to undertake a minimum of 20 hours of coaching practice outside of the workshops and online learning. You can also be confident in the fact that all of our tutors and mentors are accredited, including several at ICF Master Certificated Coach and EMCC Master Practitioner level.
Key benefits
Understand your role as a coach and gain awareness of your coaching style
Become a resilient coach who can function effectively in a diverse range of business situations
Gain a professional coaching qualification from an internationally-respected business school, with the option of individual coach accreditation from the ICF, AC or EMCC
Experience coach mentoring, to further enhance your skills and abilities
Learn key coaching interventions to become a reflective coaching practitioner
You will have a minimum of 5 years' management experience, and may have a prior degree. We also welcome applications from candidates with substantial knowledge, experience and skills in a relevant field who do not meet these requirements*.
The programme is conducted in English. An excellent level of English is therefore essential and proficiency testing may be requested.
*A good degree or the equivalent professional or international qualification is desirable; However we do welcome applications from candidates with exceptional management experience who may not hold a degree-level qualification. If you have a minimum of 5 years' managerial-level experience without a degree, we would be happy to consider an application. All applications will be reviewed by the Programme Director for suitability.
The Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching is offered in a choice of study formats:
- In-person
- Includes full-day workshops followed by virtual supported study, mentoring and supervision
- Mostly delivered at our Greenlands campus, but also available at our international campuses
- Weekday and weekend intakes available
- Live-online
- Includes full-day live-online workshops followed by virtual supported study, mentoring and supervision
- Weekday and weekend intakes available
For all formats you will need to undertake a minimum of 20 hours of coaching practice outside of the workshops, and self-directed online learning and reading.
Programme content
The Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching runs over a total of nine months part-time, as broken down below:
PCEC: Pre-ProgrammeBefore your course starts, you will complete around 2-3 hours of activities including background reading and self-reflection exercises |
PCEC: Pre-Workshop Study 1
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PCEC: Workshop/Part 1: Self-awareness as a coachExplore your skills, attributes, beliefs and values around coaching. A basic framework for coaching is introduced.
Topics include:
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PCEC: Pre-Workshop Study 2
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PCEC: Workshop/Part 2: Tools and techniquesTry out different tools and techniques and understand the underpinning psychological concepts. Topics include:
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PCEC: Pre-Workshop Study 3
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PCEC: Workshop/Part 3: IntegrationContinue to develop your coaching competencies, take part in observed sessions with feedback, and integrate what you have learned into a coherent approach. Topics include:
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PCEC: Post-Workshop Virtual Supported StudyAfter Workshop 3, you will follow a programme of virtual study that includes:
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PCEC: AssessmentAt the end of the course, you will submit a 2,500-word assessment reflecting on your development as a coach and a 30-minute recording of a coaching session. |
PCEC: Post-ProgrammeYou will have ongoing contact with Henley Business School through:
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Further study
Those with a Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching will already have completed Module 1 of the MSc in Coaching for Behavioural Change. (Please note: exemption from this module is available for participants who have previously completed the PCEC no more than five years prior).
Alternatively, you could develop your career with the Professional Certificate in Team, Board and Systemic Coaching, which together with your PCEC forms Henley's ICF-accredited ACTP programme.
Accreditation
The Certificate is accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF at Level 1), Association for Coaching (AC) and the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC at Senior Practitioner level). This recognises the quality of the learning experience and provides the option for individual accreditation with any or all of these bodies following successful completion of the programme.
Find out how the PCEC can lead to individual accreditation >
*The module or course content descriptions set out on this page are correct for those being taught in the current academic year. Modules or course content marked as optional are indicative and may be subject to change. Please note, constraints in timetable scheduling may mean you are unable to take some optional modules at the same time as others.
Programme Director Karen Foy has extensive experience as a coach and holds an MSc in Coaching Psychology from the University of East London and a degree in Psychology from the University of Sheffield. Karen is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) with ICF and is a certified coach mentor. As a past UK ICF Board Director she has led the professional development for UK Coaches and supported the local coaching groups around the country. She has worked with aspiring coaches from global organisations to support their development and learning towards becoming accredited coaches, providing training, mentoring and supervision.
"I’ve certainly gained a great deal of self-confidence, and I think that understanding why the things I do work, has made me – and my coaching – more effective."
Graham Roberts, Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching
"Henley’s tutors are exceptional, and the setting is conducive to powerful learning and interaction ... I gained more from the course than I could possibly have imagined."
Read full case study - Emma Higginson-Smith, Barnbow Consultancy
"It was even more practical than I'd expected, with lots of opportunities to use various tools and techniques in real life coaching situations."
Read full case study - Claire Kerswill, Head of Human Resources, South Gloucestershire Council
"The tutors have complementary styles, so they were able to spark different elements of progress; the way they work together is outstanding ... eight months after the programme finished, I’m still quoting things they said on the first day, which is a testament to the impression they made."
Read full case study - Julie Smith, Leadership Development Manager, LV
Alumni
- 10% discount for Henley alumni
This applies to
- Henley Business School alumni*
- University of Reading undergraduate and postgraduate alumni
(Where 120 plus credits have been awarded).
The Henley Partnership
- 10% discount for THP members
Charities
- 50% discount
Henley Business School is pleased to offer up to two discounted places for employees of UK registered charities** on each intake of the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching. Places are allocated on a first-come first-served basis, with a maximum of one place per charity on each intake.
Applicants will need to provide:
- Proof of paid employee status of a UK registered charity
- Confirmation that this role is their main employment
- The UK registered charity number
- Confirmation that charity can be invoiced directly
To apply, applicants should complete and return the charity place application form. This form should be provided at the point of application, charity places may not be applied for retrospectively.
Certified B Corporations
- 50% discount
A discounted place on the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching is also available to B Corporations. Please contact us to discuss eligibility and availability.
Multiple bookings
The following discount is available on programme fees when multiple bookings are made by applicants from the same organisation. Payment is required in advance and this offer is subject to eligibility***.
- 10% 2-4 people
- 15% 5-9 people
- 20% 10+ people
MOD Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme
The Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching is approved under the MOD's ELC scheme and can be part funded using Enhanced Learning Credits.
Please note:
* Alumni discount is available to Henley Business School alumni (as part of University of Reading), not to graduates of Henley Management College.
** Excluding exempt charities.
*** Please contact us for eligibility criteria, availability and terms.
Only one discount can apply.
For more information
Please contact exec@henley.ac.uk
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.
View all live-online cohorts (PDF) >
View all in-person cohorts (PDF)
Full attendance at all workshops and webinar sessions is mandatory for successful completion of this accredited programme. Candidates should be confident they will be able to attend all sessions when they confirm their place on their chosen cohort.
Why choose Henley?
(Financial Times Executive Education open enrolment programmes rankings 2023)
(Executive Education 2023: Top 50 combined ranking and school profiles)
(Financial Times Executive Education programme rankings 2022)
The Henley Centre for Coaching
The Henley Centre for Coaching is a global leader in coaching research and coach training. The Centre is home to a wealth of resources, including the National Coaching Resources Centre, and is a proud recipient of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) Coaching Award.
Executive Education at Henley
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
Open Programmes
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the programme, please contact our programme advisors.
Email: exec@henley.ac.ukTelephone: 01491 418767
“Henley’s tutors are exceptional, and the setting is conducive to powerful learning and interaction ... I gained more from the course than I could possibly have imagined.”
It was even more practical than I'd expected, with lots of opportunities to use various tools and techniques in real life coaching situations.
I’ve certainly gained a great deal of self-confidence, and I think that understanding why the things I do work, has made me – and my coaching – more effective.