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Understanding how to manage diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations is not only a business advantage, but also a moral imperative. Now more than ever before, being an effective and successful leader requires gaining the tools to have difficult conversations about diversity, build a diverse workforce, and foster an equitable and inclusive experience for all employees from different backgrounds. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) pathway offers you a map to curricular resources for understanding how to integrate empirical research and DEI best practices into your managerial and leadership activities. The selected courses build on the core MBA curriculum as a foundation and offer extensions that allow you to develop deep expertise in the application of varied functional and multi-disciplinary approaches. The pathway combines different learning approaches, including conceptual frameworks in academic courses, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities. It is also supported by a rich set of co-curricular activities. The DEI pathway prepares you for a career in any industry where diverse talent and perspectives reside.

Faculty sponsors: Nicole Stephens (MORS).

Foundational courses
  • Leadership in Organizations: MORS 430
  • Beyond Diversity: The Fundamentals of Inclusive Leadership: MORS 462-5
  • The Science and Strategy of Bias Reduction: MORS 964-5
  • Leading with Empathy: Enhancing Your Emotional Intelligence to Lead in Diverse Settings: LDEV-965-5
In-depth courses

Leadership Track


  • Personal Leadership Insights*: LDEV 461-5
  • Leader as Coach*: LDEV 462
  • Leader Development Models and Practices: LDEV 930-5
  • Moral Complexity in Leadership: An Exploration Through Literature*: LDEV 460-0
  • Moral Complexity in Leadership: An Exploration Through Literature*: LDEV 460-5
  • Leading and Managing Teams: MORS 460
  • Ethics and Leadership: PACT 460

Driving Change Track



Specialized Topics Track


  • People Analytics and Strategy: STRT 440
  • Managing Firms for Shareholders and Society: Thought Leadership Seminar: FINC 484-5
  • Impact Investing and Sustainable Finance*: FINC 946
  • Understanding Healthcare’s Global Marketplace: HCAK 928-5
  • Public Economics for Business Leaders: Federal Policy*: PACT 470
  • Public Economics for Business Leaders: State and Local Policy*: PACT 480
  • Big Data Advanced Analytics Workshop: MECN 935
  • Intellectual Capital Management: STRT 441
  • Venture Equity: SSIM 962
Experiential courses

Experiential Track


  • Social Innovation Practicum: SSIM 452
  • Board Governance of Non-Profit Organizations: SSIM 453-5


* Courses marked with an asterisk are complementary courses that do not necessarily contain DEI content, but are likely to be of interest to students with interests in the specified area.

Last edited January 26, 2024. For any questions regarding this page, please email kellogg-registrar@kellogg.northwestern.edu.

Contact us about the Evening & Weekend MBA program

Evening & Weekend Application Deadlines

Spring 2024: Jan 3, 2024
Summer 2024: March 27, 2024
Fall 2024: June 5, 2024
Winter 2025: Sept 25, 2024