Executive Master of Global Management: Space Leadership, Business, and Policy
Location:
Phoenix
Start dates:
Aug
Scholarships:
Available
Overview
Degree program overview
Thunderbird’s Executive Master of Global Management with a concentration in Space Leadership, Business, and Policy (EMGM-Space) is a one-of-a-kind degree for professionals seeking executive management expertise in the booming space sector.
Designed and taught by industry-leading faculty and experts, this 12-month graduate program is tailored for individuals pursuing careers in commercial spaceflight, defense and civil aerospace, AI and big data, and next-generation manufacturing. Being a graduate will open doors across the aerospace and technology sectors.
The cutting-edge curriculum prioritizes industry immersion and focuses on modern practices, principles, and case studies for corporate, startup, nonprofit and governmental organizations operating in space. To build cross-disciplinary skills, select courses feature renowned practitioners and scholars from ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration (in addition to our stellar Thunderbird faculty).
Class profile
Average age:
42 years old
Average experience:
16 years
Women:
33.3%
Prior Degrees:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Business
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Master of Business Administration
- Juris Doctor
- Industrial Engineering
- Mathematics
- Political Science
- English
Employers:
- Blue Origin
- ISRO Aerospace & Defense
- NASA contractor
- NASA Endeavor
- U.S Space Force
- KPMG
- U.S. Air Force
- Raytheon Technologies
- U.S. Department of Defense
- Bank of America
Who should attend?
- Professionals who want to keep up with their rapidly changing industry in a flexible master's degree program while continuing to work full-time.
- Engineers aspiring to advancement in the aerospace sector and supplying industries.
- Professional managers and executives looking to enter the booming space economy.
- Industry, policy, and military leaders looking for insight and connections to the space sector.
Career Opportunities
Our graduates are leaders across a wide range of organizations in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors around the world. The EMGM-Space degree will prepare you to assume managerial responsibilities in global organizations, or to make a career change across industries or sectors. Our top-ranked global management program will prepare you with the problem-solving skills needed in order to leverage the tools of the digital age to manage change and disruption in your organization.
Recent graduates have been hired by top organizations in the following roles:
- Chief of Global Sales
- Global Marketing Manager
- Global Product Manager
- Cross-Cultural Communication Officer
- Innovation Manager
Top global organizations recruiting Thunderbirds include:
- Adidas
- American Express
- Amazon
- The Boeing Company
- US Department of Defense
- US Air Force
- Starbucks
- Peace Corps
- UBER
- Ford Motor Company
- Google Inc.
- IBM
- Intel
- Microsoft
- Northrop Grumman
- Verizon Wireless
Curriculum
Curriculum
The EMGM-Space Leadership curriculum consists of 31 credit hours, including nine (9) 3-credit courses, a 1-credit professional development course, and a 3-credit global field seminar to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
*Students must complete an applied learning experience during the first academic year of their program. To fulfill this requirement, students may choose one of the following: (1) Global Field Seminar, (2) Global Challenge Lab, (3) applied learning-based academic course or (4) Internship registered for academic credit. Each of these options will satisfy the applied learning experience for the program.
There are additional program expenses associated with (1) and (2) as they require travel.
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| TGM 598 Global Technological Leadership/Global Personal Leadership | 3 |
| Specialization course #1: Space for Future Global Leaders | 3 |
| TGM 598 Global Technological Strategy | 3 |
| Specialization course #2: Global Space Policy and Law | 3 |
| TGM 506 Navigating Global and Regional Business Environments/Communicating and Negotiating Across Cultures | 3 |
| Specialization course #3: Space and Global States and Markets | 3 |
| TGM 557 Data in the Global Economy/Global Marketing | 3 |
| Specialization course #4: Global Space Entrepreneurship and Sustainability | 3 |
| TSGM 517 Global Finance and Accounting | 3 |
| TSGM 597 Global Personal Leadership Development | 1 |
| TSGM 596 Global Field Seminar or Global Challenge Lab | 3 |
Financial aid and costs
Financial aid
Scholarships
Financial aid
Program costs
Apply early for priority admissions and financial aid consideration.
| Fees | USD$ |
|---|---|
| Application fee (domestic) | $70 |
| Application fee (international) | $115 |
| Non-refundable deposit | $250 |
| Program cost | $67,207 |
Faculty and campus
Faculty
David E. Thomas
Director, Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy and Business and Professor of Practice
Kevin M. O’Connell
Faculty Associate
Our campus
The EMGM-Space Leadership degree is delivered in Phoenix and online. There will be excursions to Los Angeles, California, and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
One Global Place
Thunderbird's new global headquarters on ASU's Downtown campus is the world's most technologically-advance management and leadership building. With over 100,000 square feet, 31 million pixels of LED content, 1,600 square feet of displays, a VR language lab, a global decision theater, and a roof-top pub, just to mention some highlights.
Haas Digital Global Forum
The Haas Digital Global Forum at One Global Place serves as the center of the building and a convening space for our global community, in-person or remotely, boasting the latest technology anywhere in the world. Over 14 million pixels of high-resolution LEDs wrap the entire 360 degrees of the circular Global Forum, in addition to the 8-foot LED globe hanging from the ceiling.
Global Forum Events
The state-of-the-art 26 feet wide and 10 feet tall video wall in the Global Forum allows for stunning displays. During events, it can be used for presentations, live camera feeds, and data visualization.
Innovation Lab
Thunderbird's innovation lab houses the School's VR Language Lab, as well as other state-of-the-art technology such as the table-top computers that allow for collaborative working on custom-made touch-screen, interactive surfaces. There are nine multi-touch tables across the campus, each comprised of 55-inch ultra-narrow bezel optical touch LCDs that allow for next-generation collaboration.
Haas Digital Global Forum Globe
At the center of the Haas Digital Global Forum is the interactive globe. This globe has an impressive diameter of 8.2 feet and can be controlled via motion-responsive technology at the 18 foot wide control screen below.
Global Forum
Relax and socialize in One Global Place's global forum which can be transformed to host events, host a convocation ceremony, a student-led Regional Night, or host a World Cup match.
Classrooms
Our state-of-the-art classroom feature flexible layouts, multiple LED and projection displays, in-ceiling mics and video cameras to facilitate remote learning, and the latest technologies to enhance the classroom experience.
Innovation Lab
The innovation lab on the first floor of Thunderbird's global headquarters provides a comfortable space for members of our global community to come together to collaborate and socialize.
Africa and the Middle East Heritage Lounge
Each floor of One Global Place is connected by a regional Heritage Lounge. The second and third floors are connected by our Africa and the Middle East Heritage Lounge featuring comfortable furniture and relics from the Thunderbird archives from both regions.
Asia Heritage Lounge
The 3rd-floor Asia Heriate Lounge serves as yet another area for students and alumni to come together and socialize in a climate that reflects the school's global focus and heritage.
Latin America Heritage Lounge
Connecting the faculty offices on the 4th floor to the Dean's office and pub on the 5th floor is the Latin America Heritage Lounge. The space serves as a gathering space for faculty, students, and staff to socialize, study and celebrate.
2nd Floor Reception Area
One Global Place serves as a convening spot, not only for the global Thunderbird community and larger ASU community but also the Phoenix business, non-profit and diplomatic community. Our 2nd floor reception area welcomes visitors from around the world and provides great overviews of the Global Forum.
Meditation and Prayer Room
T-birds can take time for personal reflection in our Meditation and Prayer room on the 2nd floor. Two adulation rooms are available across the way for our Muslim students to prepare for daily prayer.
The Pub
Our Global pub located on the 5th floor is open to students, staff, and the public allowing them to build their networks by furthering connections beyond the classroom.
The Pub
The Pub at One Global Place pays homage to the original and icon pub at the original campus in Glendale Arizona at the site of Thunderbird Airfield, where the school was founded 75 years ago. It incorporates original elements such as the licenseplates from around the world along the bar.
The Pub
The 5th-floor pub serves as a great gathering point for socializing and fun and includes a shuffleboard underneath the iconic marlin from the old pub.
Roof-top Balcony
The Pub features a roof-top deck offering spectacular views of downtown Phoenix and comfortable dinning tables and lounge furniture to enjoy the Phoenix weather.
Classrooms
The flexible format of our classrooms allow for various types of layouts, including study group modules that facilitate collaboration with dedicated LED screens and whiteboards for each group.
Global Forum
When not being used for events, Thunderbird's global forum welcomes students, faculty, and staff with casual lounge space fit to enjoy the nearby Thunderbird Coffee shop.
2nd Floor Lounge
Nestled between the building's glass facade and 2nd-floor balcony sits a comfortable lounge area where students and visitors can socialize, collaborate, or hold meetings while enjoying the views.
Alumni Balcony
Serving our 45,000-strong global alumni community is our second-floor alumni suite which includes dedicated conference room space, alumni services and staff, and the alumni balcony overlooking the One Global Place courtyard.
3rd Floor Student Lounge
Students have ample spaces to meet and work throughout the building. From private study rooms, heritage lounges, and the pub, to public lounge areas such as the S-couch on the 3rd floor.
3rd Floor Student Lounge
The third-floor student lounge area offers a variety of spaces to relax, study and socialize. Whether you want to meet as a group, or ready in a quiet space, the lounge area can accommodate you and all of your electronics
Global Community Suite
One Global Place serves as a convening space for many global organizations across sectors. Our Global Community Suite on the 1st floor provides workspace to global partners who in turn provide internships and jobs to T-birds, and partner with the School on thought leadership and global solutions.
Requirements and deadlines
Application requirements
Admission requirements
Transcripts
Global leadership and management potential
English proficiency requirements
Application deadlines
Apply early for priority admission and financial aid consideration.
| Deadline | Dates |
|---|---|
| Early consideration | October 30 |
| First round | November 30 |
| Second round and international student deadline | January 30 |
| Third round and international student deadline | March 30 |
| Final deadline | July 30 |
Program calendar
Program calendar 2024-25
| Course | Week 1 | Location | Week 2 | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space for Future Global Leaders | Aug 26-30 | LA | N/A | N/A |
| Communicating and Negotiating Across Cultures | Sept. 14-15 | PHX | Sept. 28-29 | OL |
| Global Leadership and Personal Development | Oct. 12-13 | OL | Oct. 26-27 | PHX |
| Global Accounting and Financial Management | Nov. 16-17 | PHX | Dec. 7-8 | OL |
| Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation | Jan. 11-12 | PHX | Jan. 25-26 | OL |
| Global Marketing and Data Analytics | Feb. 1-2 | PHX | Mar. 22-23 | OL |
| Global Field Seminar: Space Coast Excursion | Feb. 9-15 | KSC | N/A | N/A |
| Global Space Policy and Law | Apr. 12-13 | PHX | Apr. 26-27 | OL |
| Global Space Entrepreneurship and Sustainability | May 17-18 | OL | May 31 - Jun. 1 | PHX |
| Space and Global States and Markets | June 14-15 | PHX | July 7-8 | DC |
| Global Personal Leadership Development: Space Capstone | July 9-12 | DC | N/A | N/A |
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