Leadership and Management Online Degrees: What's the Difference?

Management is just one component of the field of leadership, a broader discipline. Online management degrees are offered primarily at the bachelor's and master's levels, whereas online leadership degrees can be found mainly at the master's and Ph.D. levels.

Leadership vs. Management

Leadership can be broken up into key areas that include organizational culture, strategic thinking, ethics and management. Management is just one component of leadership, a more extensive discipline. In addition, online management degrees generally focus on management principles within a business environment. Online leadership degrees concentrate on applying leadership principles to a variety of areas.

Leadership vs. Management Curriculum

An online management degree curriculum consists of management and business courses. Typical courses include marketing, business law, financial management, economics, accounting, statistics, organizational behavior and management principles.
An online leadership degree curriculum concentrates on subjects directly applicable to the field of leadership. These may include courses in collective bargaining, conflict and negotiation, policy making, labor relations, employment relations, psychology of leadership, information technology and communications.

Leadership vs. Management Areas of Focus

When considering whether to take an online management or leadership degree, online leadership degrees offer a wider choice of concentrations than does a management degree. One may enroll in a leadership degree in organizational, strategic, community and workforce leadership. Institutions offer many online leadership degrees in various areas of education.
On the other hand, many online management degrees are offered as part of Bachelor of Business Administration or an MBA (Master of Business Administration). Possible focus areas include business, project, sustainable or information systems management.

Leadership vs. Management Online Degree Levels

Higher institutions offer bachelor's and master's level online management degrees. In contrast, the majority of online leadership degrees are offered at the master's and Ph.D. levels.
Students taking an online graduate leadership program are trained to lead educational organizations and businesses. An online graduate leadership degree can be viewed as a professional degree leading to CEO and administration positions. Students taking an online management degree (either undergraduate or graduate) take positions managing a department in a business or organization rather than the whole organization as with a leadership degree.