Leadership Coaching Certificate
Uphold integrity, excellence, collaboration, and respect through leadership coaching.
The Leadership Coaching Certificate Program provides students an opportunity to complete the requirements necessary to earn both an international (ICF) and a national (BCC) credential in an emerging field. These credentials acknowledge the high standard of coach training that students have received and increase their credibility as high-quality coaches in the field.
The University of San Diego’s Leadership Coaching Certificate is a comprehensive program that uses proven approaches to prepare established and aspiring coaches with the skills needed to advance their professions.
These approaches are unique in helping coaches become reflective practitioners who are able to bring quality and depth to their work in a range of professional settings. An emphasis is placed on developing the coach as an instrument of practice, where the relationship with the client is at the center.
Professionals with established coaching practices, those who are new to the field, human resource officers, and those from related careers are ideal candidates. Consultants and clinicians can also benefit greatly from the program. Managers who find that coaching is increasingly an expectation in their work will also find value in completing these courses. USD graduate students can use these courses towards their MA or Ph.D. course requirements.
Explore our digital resource, Graduate Certificate Programs at SOLES: Expand Your Reach, if you want to learn more about how a graduate certificate at SOLES can help you develop your expertise and increase your career potential.
Graduate-Level Credit
- Earn 12 units of graduate-level credit, transferrable to the Department of Leadership Studies' degree-granting programs.
- Work with highly qualified professional faculty with advanced degrees and years of experience.
- Cost: $1555 per unit
Professional Development
- Earn a professional certificate from the University of San Diego
- Complete 5 courses over 12 months
- Units not transferrable to degree-granting programs
- Total cost: $8,350 (5 courses)
The Leadership Coaching Certificate Program is an International Coaching Foundation (ICF) Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP). It is also a Board Certified Coach (BCC) founding CCE-approved coach training program for the Executive Leadership Coaching certification preparation. Participants who successfully complete all five courses and pass the final live evaluation of coaching will have the training and mentor coaching hours required to apply for an ACC or PCC credential through the ICF via the ACTP Path. Details about the required client experience hours and the Coach Knowledge Assessment can be found on the ICF’s website www.coachfederation.org. In addition, participants successfully completing the program will be eligible to apply for a BCC credential and to take the BCC exam through the Center for Credentialing and Education.
The Leadership Coaching Certificate offers a total of 150 hours of coach-specific training that is conducted in person on campus. It comprises five courses and takes place over three semesters, lasting approximately twelve months. In addition to providing coaching-specific learning modules, the program offers experiential and applied learning opportunities for students through peer-to-peer and client-based coaching practice. Assigned reading and reflective assignments assist participants in further integrating their learning. Throughout the program, students’ development is supported through mentor coaching provided by credentialed coaches. Successfully completing all the courses in the series, as well as the passing of a final evaluation of demonstrated coaching skills, is required in order to receive the Certificate in Leadership Coaching from the University of San Diego.
The five required courses must be taken in sequence, with the exception of Human Relations for Leaders, which may be taken either in January or July of an academic year.
The course sequence, by semester, is as follows:
Click below for a detailed schedule and additional credit information. Contact Beth Garofalo at bethg@sandiego.edu if you have additional questions about the schedule.
Linda Braun-Leibowitz MA Clin. Psy., Certified Integral Coach, PCC
Linda is an adjunct professor and lead instructor for the Leadership Coaching Certificate program at, University of San Diego. She is a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation, as well as a Certified Integral® Coach. She has 25 years of experience in the fields of coaching, facilitation, and training. She has previously served as faculty for the Center for Coaching in South Africa and as adjunct faculty for New Ventures West in San Francisco. Linda practiced as a licensed Clinical Psychologist for several years before transitioning into organizational consulting and executive and leadership coaching. As a coach practitioner, Linda co-founded her own coaching business in San Diego where she coaches senior leaders and their teams in a wide range of for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Zachary Green PhD, BCC
Zachary is a professor of practice in Leadership Studies and the Director of Leadership and Diversity Initiatives at the Nonprofit Institute, University of San Diego. He is lead faculty for the RISE Urban Leadership Fellows and founding faculty of the USD Leadership Coaching Certificate Program. A clinical psychologist by training, Zachary teaches courses on organizational behavior, coaching, human development, dialogue, negotiations, mindfulness, and love. As a practitioner, Zachary’s clients include multinational corporations, government agencies, NGO’s, universities, religious institutions, and nonprofit entities. He has coached top leaders at the World Bank for the better part of two decades. Zachary holds certification as a Board Certified Coach (BCC) and is a member of the International Coach Federation. Zachary was instrumental in founding the leadership coaching program at USD.
Upon successful completion of the certificate, participants will be able to:
- Coach individuals, teams, and groups
- Consistently demonstrate coaching skills aligned with ICF core competencies
- Self-observe and self-correct to avoid situations that compromise coaching
- Use a holistic, developmental approach to coaching
- Apply performance/situational coaching practices where relevant
- Recognize and deal with cultural differences and assist clients in doing the same
- Co-create fieldwork tailored to support and stabilize client development