Athabasca University

Programme overview

The Graduate Diploma in Leadership and Management (GDLM) is a professional graduate-level program built to extend and formalize the leadership capabilities of managers and experienced professionals. It focuses on increasing awareness of personal leadership style, improving self-evaluation and coaching skills, challenging leadership assumptions, and explaining the leader’s role in organizational change. Note: the program is closed to new admissions; current students must complete all requirements by Dec. 31, 2025.

What you'll study

The GDLM comprises 18 credits delivered as fifteen 1-credit Leadership and Management Development (LMD) courses plus a single 3-credit capstone. To satisfy residency, students must complete at least 9 credits through Athabasca University.

• Program structure: 15 × 1-credit LMD courses + 1 × 3-credit capstone = 18 credits.
• Core required courses (6 credits): LTLC 553 – The Leadership Challenge – Exploring the Leader Within (1); LMOC 551 – Leading People Through Organizational Change (1); LTDV 570 – Team Development (1); LLCP 598 – Capstone Course (3).
• Electives (choose 12 credits from): LCCL 569 – Cross Cultural Leadership for Global Advantage (1); LSCM 550 – Strategic Supply Chain Management (1); LNCR 565 – Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (1); LRKM 575 – Risk Management (1); LSMI 571 – Strategic Management I (1); LSLF 510 – Strategic Leadership and Foresight (1); LSCI 572 – Strategic Communications (1); LDMF 595 – Decision Making Using Financial Information (1); LTIN 576 – Technology and Innovation (1); LCHP 554 – Coaching for High Performance (1). Note that not all electives are always available for registration.
• Assessment standards: A minimum grade of 60% is required for both assignment and participation components in each course unless otherwise specified; the capstone requires an overall grade of 70%.
• Timelines and repeats: Students are expected to finish the program within five years. A course may be repeated only once without special permission; full tuition for a failed course is payable when repeated. Permission of the dean (or designate) is required to take a course more than twice.

Entry requirements

Admission requires one of the following: an undergraduate degree from an accredited university; permission from the dean or LMD program director based on prior learning (including credentials or certifications); or professional experience plus a letter of support from your employer confirming readiness to complete the program. Applicants must meet Athabasca University’s minimum English language proficiency requirements for graduate programs. Students must submit a completed application package including an application form, a current chronological résumé, official transcripts and/or professional designations sent directly to the Faculty of Business, and pay the non-refundable application processing fee. Degrees obtained outside North America may require independent assessment unless the program is from an AACSB-accredited international institution.

Non-program (LMD non-program) applicants may take individual LMD courses without GDLM enrollment if they meet admission criteria or obtain a special exemption, demonstrate suitable professional experience to contribute to online group work, and satisfy course prerequisites. LMD courses previously completed may be evaluated for credit toward the GDLM if the student later gains program admission; transfer credit evaluation fees are normally waived in such cases.

Transfer credit: Graduate-level credits not previously applied to a degree may be considered for transfer if from a fully accredited institution. Applicants must submit a transfer credit form, pay an evaluation fee, and provide official transcripts plus detailed course outlines. Executive education credits may be accepted at the dean’s discretion; the program director and Faculty of Business decide on transfer credit and will provide a study plan if credit is awarded.

Career prospects

The GDLM is intended to deepen leadership and management capabilities that support advancement into senior supervisory, team-lead, change-management and people-development roles. The curriculum emphasizes coaching, team development, change leadership and applied business disciplines—skills commonly used in mid- to senior-level management and organizational development positions. Successful completion may also make students eligible for transfer credit into other AU graduate programs.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The course text does not list specific scholarships. Prospective students should check Athabasca University and Faculty of Business pages for available bursaries, scholarships or employer-sponsored options. Corporations may arrange to use AU offerings for internal development and provide employees with an open study option at AU; such organizational arrangements can be a pathway to funding course fees.