Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Oxford Executive Strategy Programme

Enhance your organisational strategy by cultivating the skills necessary to guide your business through complexity.

Start date

29 January 2025

Price

$3,162 USD

Installment Plan

Request a call

Course duration

7 weeks

Excluding orientation

Language

English

Access resources from start date

Effort

7–10 hours per week

Self-paced learning online

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Programme overview

58%

The percentage of chief strategy officers who believe that strategy played a critical role in accelerating digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deloitte (Nd.) Accessed Apr, 2021.

30%

Less than a third of strategists believe that their execution efforts are effectively aligned with strategy.

Gartner (2020).

Duration: 7 weeks (excluding orientation)

In today's ever-changing business environment, traditional approaches to strategy are no longer sufficient to handle the pace of change. As a result, business leaders are required to ask themselves, "How can strategy adapt to better prepare us for the future?" The Oxford Executive Strategy Programme is designed to answer this question. Drawing on the research strengths of the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, the programme examines the evolution of strategy and emphasises the importance of thinking strategically with a broad perspective and a long-term vision. You will learn about strategy from Oxford's unique viewpoint, which centres on the four Ps: purposes, players, partnerships, and processes. With this innovative approach to organisational strategy, which considers rapidly changing environments, stakeholders, and digital transformation, you will be equipped to lead your organisation through any disruptive situations that arise.

The content of this programme also forms part of the six-month online Oxford Strategic Management Executive Programme, designed to help you advance as a business executive.

Is this programme for you?

This online programme is aimed at senior executives and business leaders responsible for making strategic decisions, driving digital innovation, and managing strategy within disruptive environments. It's suitable for individuals seeking to improve their performance in a competitive and digital business landscape by applying the Oxford approach to strategy to their unique context. Additionally, those seeking to advance their careers in leadership will gain practical guidance on improving strategies within their teams. Over the course of seven weeks, the Oxford strategy programme features a balanced mix of theory and practical global case studies from various industries to ensure relevance to traditional corporate spaces, finance, business development, healthcare, and IT.

This Oxford Executive Strategy Programme is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The programme has an estimated 70 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. Oxford Saïd and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Programme overview

Duration: 7 weeks (excluding orientation)

The content of this programme also forms part of the six-month online Oxford Strategic Management Executive Programme, designed to help you advance as a business executive.

What will set you apart

On completion of this programme, you’ll walk away with:

An evolved and competitive view of the disruptive forces impacting organisational strategy, based on the Oxford view of strategy, including its focus on breadth and its framework guided by the four Ps.

The skills to lead in complex environments and tackle the challenges of an uncertain, rapidly changing world.

A strategy playbook, informed by rich global case studies, and the groundbreaking thought leadership and research of Oxford faculty.

Unlimited access to both the official Oxford Executive Education Alumni group on LinkedIn and edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.

Programme curriculum

As you progress through the weekly modules of this programme, create your own customised strategy playbook.

Orientation module

Welcome to your Online Campus

Module 1

Unlocking strategy – The Oxford view

Module 2

Working with futures – Addressing changing environments

Module 3

Making strategy purposeful – Managing plurality

Module 4

Engaging players – Developing strategy statements that count

Module 5

Building partnerships – Collaborating and competing

Module 6

Broadening strategy processes – Designing new strategy processes

Module 7

Strategy into practice – Assembling your playbook

What past students
think

Alexander Ostermaier

Managing Director, Neumann&Müller GmbH & Co. KG

The programme has immensely deepened my understanding of strategic planning in a VUCA [volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous] world and provided me with a method to apply this new knowledge. The internationality and diversity, both in industries and roles of the participants, offered plenty of new perspectives, and significantly broadened my horizons.

Programme Directors

The design of this online programme is guided by Oxford Saïd faculty, as well as industry experts, who will share their experience and in-depth knowledge with you throughout the programme. View the prospectus to see all the industry thought leaders featured on this programme.

Richard Whittington

Professor of Strategic Management, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Trudi Lang

Senior Fellow in Management Practice, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

About the certificate

Explore a distinctive perspective on strategy and earn an official certificate of attendance from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the programme handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the programme.

Your digital certificate will be issued in your legal name and sent to you upon successful completion of the programme, as per the stipulated requirements.

Oxford Executive Strategy Programme certificate

YOUR INFORMATION

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FAQ

Want to know more?

GetSmarter operates as edX's partner for premium online short course products from the world's leading universities and institutions. With edX, we leverage our people, technology, and resources to power your education and your potential.

We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.

Read more about GetSmarter here and edX here.

Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.

You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.

GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.

At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.

By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?

Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.

If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.

As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.

To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.

The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.

On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.

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