Board Director Program
Elevate your strategic impact in the boardroom.
- Understand corporate governance principles: Develop a deep understanding of governance structures, fiduciary duties, and the roles of board members in ensuring organizational accountability.
- Enhance strategic leadership skills: Learn to oversee corporate strategy, balance short-term performance with long-term growth, and navigate complex decision-making scenarios.
- Develop financial acumen: Gain proficiency in interpreting financial statements, evaluating key performance indicators, and assessing financial risks.
- Strengthen risk oversight capabilities: Identify and mitigate operational, financial, and compliance risks while understanding the impact of emerging financial technologies.
- Leverage digital transformation and AI: Understand the role of emerging technologies, cybersecurity threats, and data privacy regulations in corporate strategy and governance.
- Foster boardroom effectiveness: Enhance communication, improve decision-making processes, and implement best practices for high-performing boards.
- Succession planning: Learn how to build diverse board cultures, implement succession planning strategies, and foster inclusive leadership.
- Senior executives aspiring to serve on corporate or nonprofit boards
- C-suite leaders and senior leaders seeking to transition to board roles
- Current board members
- Investors or advisors involved in board governance matters
Board members play a critical role in guiding their organizations toward achieving their vision and goals in the dynamic business landscape. However, to succeed in this role, senior executives require multidisciplinary skills, including industry knowledge, strategic thinking, governance expertise, financial acumen, and ethical judgment.
The Board Director Program from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan empowers senior executives like you with the strategic insight and governance skills needed to excel in board roles across diverse industries. The program provides a deep understanding of the complexities of boardroom dynamics, corporate oversight, and values-driven leadership, preparing you to navigate the challenges and opportunities faced by corporate boardrooms.
This immersive five-month program is designed by thought leaders and experts from Michigan Ross with backgrounds spanning corporate governance, strategic management, and board-level leadership. It offers a unique blend of online and on-campus learning, real-world case studies, interactive discussions led by world-renowned faculty and seasoned board members, and networking opportunities with global peers navigating similar responsibilities.
Upon completion of this program, you will emerge with the hands-on skills and credibility required to perform successfully on a board and add value at the highest level of an organization.
Comprehensive Curriculum
The program’s curriculum is delivered through live online, in-person sessions, and asynchronous modules. Through engaging core modules, you will learn the best practices in corporate governance, hone your strategic management skills, understand how to navigate boardroom dynamics, and foster a culture of integrity within the boardroom. An immersive, in-person module will give you further insights into governance challenges as well as provide networking opportunities.
Immersive Learning Experience | On-Campus Sessions
The final module of this program is a five-day in-person experience on the Michigan Ross campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. During this immersive experience, you will participate in simulations and apply the strategic concepts learned during the program. This module will allow you to participate in engaging and interactive sessions on governance challenges and opportunities. Additionally, on-campus networking will provide opportunities to build lasting connections with industry leaders from around the globe.
The Ross School of Business is collaborating with online education provider Emeritus to offer a portfolio of high-impact programs for working professionals. With over 350,000 students from more than 80 countries, Emeritus delivers management education programs with a live-teaching model and graded assignments. Through this collaboration, we are able to offer broad access to the world-class knowledge for which Michigan Ross is known, in an engaging and interactive digital environment.
Every aspect of our in-person and online programs is designed to deliver you a truly world-class experience.
World-renowned Ross faculty experts will guide you through the latest tools and frameworks to enhance your individual and team leadership capabilities while you engage with global participants across diverse industries.
Program directors work closely with faculty before, during, and after the program to ensure you achieve your objectives. Through dynamic, immersive learning experiences–including assessments, simulations, expert panels, and action-based applications–you’ll leave with an actionable plan to implement meaningful change in your organization.
Program managers facilitate a seamless transition between classroom and off-site activities and assist with anything you might need–ensuring your focus is on learning, not logistics.
For more program details, including topics and structure, download the program brochure here.
An online orientation session will be held approximately 4 weeks prior to the program start.
Learn from the same faculty who teach in our highly-ranked degree programs
- Receive a digital badge to showcase on LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
- Earn credit(s) toward the Distinguished Leader Certificate (DLC) for qualifying in-person or online programs. (Only one eligible online program can be counted toward the DLC.)