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 is to get your leaders is to think differently.”

Peter Cappelli, DPhil Professor of Management, The Wharton School

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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.

Action and Application

Action Learning

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

Applied Learning

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

Participants working on their simulation

Simulations

Faculty-guided digital simulations that test real-time decisions.

Teaching Tools

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

Ideas and Insight

Interactive Lectures and Learning Forums

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

Industry Experts

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

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

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

Immersion and Experiences

Experiential Learning

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

Global Learning Journeys

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

Company Site Visits

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

Internal Networking

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

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

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

Download PDF

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

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

San Francisco skyline

San Francisco

The Wharton 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
execed@wharton.upenn.edu