The Learning Experience

Our faculty members are experts in using the right mix of learning methodologies for your executives, with a clear view on the ultimate goals of your organization. The result is a unique learning experience that transforms executives and delivers impact.

Executive education is a process of changing your organization. One of the key things we do for you to get your leaders to think differently.”

Peter Cappelli, DPhil Professor of Management, The Wharton School

Learning Methodologies: Designed for Executives

We understand how to deliver knowledge for long-term impact and that individuals learn differently. Combining multiple methodologies offers diverse groups an effective and stimulating way to learn and experience Wharton.

Click the three categories below to learn more about our methodologies.

Participants at flipboard

Action Learning

Team-based, multi-month projects designed to solve pressing challenges while building leadership capabilities.

Professor Michael Roberts teaching

Applied Learning

Faculty-guided practice in team-based workshops to apply new knowledge and tools to challenges facing your organization.

Professor Nancy Rothbard teaching

Teaching Tools

Tools to allow leaders to teach leaders, ensuring the learning becomes embedded and cascaded throughout the enterprise.

Prof. Harbir Singh teaching

Interactive Lectures and Learning Forums

Faculty-led lectures and exercises that draw on the observations and contributions of the participants.

Industry Experts

Industry Experts

Insights and alternative viewpoints from industry and subject-matter experts, analysts, executive speakers, and panels.

Executive coaching

Self-Assessment and Coaching

A range of options including 360s, benchmarking, and individual or team coaching with assessment milestones for ongoing feedback.

Peer to Peer Networking

Peer to Peer

Daily peer interaction changes mindsets, challenges assumptions, and increases communication.

Rowing activity

Experiential Learning

Insight through hands-on activities such as rowing, acting, cooking, art, ropes courses, and community service projects.

Wharton participants in China

Global Learning Journeys

Planned interactions with businesses, customers, government leaders, and communities to develop global and cultural awareness.

Company Site Visits

Company Site Visits

Access to leading firms, enabling direct conversations and exposure to best practices.

Networking

Internal Networking

The shared experience fosters new relationships and builds powerful internal networks with lasting impact.

Business Simulations: Changing the Game and Activating the Learning with Immersive Experiences

Action learning project approaches

Give your people exciting, hands-on learning experiences that transfer immediately to the business challenges they face. Our fast-paced simulations promote a plethora of capabilities that enhance team building, strengthen strategic decision making, and build overall leadership and critical-thinking skills.

Whether your executives compete in a business simulation that immerses participants in a race to commercialize one of Saturn’s moons or have to work to resolve a real-world business crisis scenario, the simulations that can be integrated into your Wharton Custom program are memorable and transformative.

Project Approaches: Designed for Impact

Project work is an important component of the program’s design. It provides organizations the ability to focus on current challenges and develop solutions that can be considered and tested while at Wharton. The approaches to project work include:

Participant-Driven Approach

This approach is for organizations that want to encourage innovation and entrepreneurial thinking:

  • Participants come to the program with their own project ideas, selected according to Wharton guidelines
  • Each project team reviews ideas and selects one to implement
  • Project topics are reviewed and approved by senior management
  • The projects follow the ideal process for innovation within the company, modeling the process for future innovation
  • Teams report outcomes to sponsors and senior team at end of program

Organization-Led Approach

This approach is for organizations with a clearly articulated strategy and a goal to accelerate achievement:

  • Projects and sponsors are selected by senior management team
  • Projects focus on advancing strategic initiatives or solving current business challenges
  • Participants work in teams of five to eight to implement solutions
  • Teams report outcomes to sponsors and senior team at end of program

Individually Strategic Approach

This approach is for executives who need to apply their new knowledge to current strategic efforts and/or with limited time for team projects:

  • Participants select their own individual projects, often in consultation with their managers
  • During and between modules, participants work in peer-consulting teams to monitor progress, brainstorm solutions, build networks, and facilitate cross-silo learning
  • Participants create executive summaries of results at end of program; managers assess their achievements and/or perform selective report-outs to senior executives
  • Allows Wharton knowledge and tools to be broadly cascaded throughout the company

Action Learning Project Approaches

Download a brief summary of how three companies from different industries put these approaches into practice.

  • Participant-Driven Approach: Global 300 Manufacturing Firm
  • Organization-Led Approach: Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical Company
  • Individually Strategic Approach: Global 20 Financial Services Firm

Seamless Delivery: A Flexible Team, Your Chosen Location

The Wharton Delivery Team is a team of 25 professionals with combined expertise in learning development, organizational dynamics, and hospitality management. Whether on one of our campuses or at a location of your choosing, Wharton Delivery ensures your program is a seamless and enjoyable experience from beginning to end.

Philadelphia Skyline

Philadelphia

The Wharton School is located on the beautiful Philadelphia campus of the University of Pennsylvania.

San Francisco skyline

San Francisco

Wharton’s San Francisco campus is located in the iconic Hills Bros. Coffee Building on the Embarcadero in San Francisco, California.

Beijing China skyline

Beijing

The Wharton Beijing campus is located in the state-of-the-art Penn | Wharton China Center in the heart of Beijing, China.

Contact us to learn more about a partnership with Wharton.

+1.215.898.1776

Request Consult