PCBS BUILDS BETTER BANKERS AND LEADERS
Our three-year resident program consists of three two-week resident sessions covering in-depth analysis of critical financial and economic topics, practical management tools and strategies, and integrated application of leadership skills, risk management, and financial performance. Most core courses have a related extension assignment to be completed between resident sessions. After completing all three resident sessions and related extension work, PCBS graduates earn a graduate-level certificate in the Business of Banking, as well as an Executive Leadership Certificate from the prestigious Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.
A BETTER PERSPECTIVE ON BANKING
Why do we offer three resident sessions? Because there is simply no shortcut to a great education. True mastery of a subject comes not from short seminars, but from longer, in-depth classes. PCBS classes include valuable face-to-face time with instructors, allowing students to ask questions and exchange ideas – stimulating analysis, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.
Program Details

Year 1
Delve into dynamic leadership skills and in-depth analysis of critical financial and economic topics including credit risk and financial performance management.
CORE COURSES (100% of Curriculum)
- Dynamic Leadership (1 week)
- Credit Risk Management (2 weeks)
- Managing Bank Financial Performance for Superior Results (2 weeks)
- Finance and Credit Analysis (2 weeks)
- Economics in the World of Banking (1 week)
Four extension assignments on the first four courses are completed between the first two resident sessions.

Year 2
Develop practical management tools and strategies in leadership, risk management, and financial performance. A broad range of elective courses are offered in addition to the core courses.
CORE COURSES (50% of curriculum)
- Strategic Innovation: Creating Competitive Advantage
- Leadership that Shapes the Future
- Asset Liability Management (ALM)*
- Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)*
Electives (50% of curriculum)
Students select four one-week electives. (See examples below.)
*One extension assignment covering materials from the ALM and ERM courses and an original management report are completed between the second- and third-year sessions.

Year 3
Apply and integrate learned leadership skills with credit and financial performance principles through our Bank Management and Leadership simulations. Students choose four electives in addition to the simulation experience.
CORE COURSES (50% of curriculum)
- Bank Management Simulation
- LEADERSIM®
- Leadership Speaker Series
Bank Management Simulation and LEADERSIM®
The in-depth PCBS leadership focus culminates with our exclusive LEADERSIM® program, which challenges students with active, hands-on exercises for learning and practicing essential leadership behaviors. With the help of trained facilitators – all of whom are experienced bankers – these student leadership teams create a vision for success, set challenging goals, then lead and motivate others to rise and shine in the competitive bank management environment. Our Bank Management Simulation program brings bank management theory dramatically down to earth. Students assume the roles of senior bank officers and make a variety of decisions regarding bank assets, funding, and staffing as they compete with others. Throughout the two week resident session LEADERSIM® teams integrate their leadership practices into this widely-acclaimed computer simulation program.
CHOOSE THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE PEAK PERFORMANCE
To supplement our rigorous required curriculum, PCBS offers a comprehensive selection of electives available to second- and third-year students. Students may choose from a variety of topics to enhance their individual career paths and expand their ability to run a financial institution more effectively.
The elective examples are listed below. New electives are added to each session as critical industry concerns evolve.
- Accelerating Retail Sales Growth through Leadership and Execution
- Artificial Intelligence
- Banking Innovation in the Era of Digital Disruption
- Banking on Leadership: Defining the Dynamic Leader Within
- Building Sustainable Success in Commercial and Business Banking
- Creating Powerful Business Presentations
- Cyber Security – What Every Banker Should Know
- Delivering Effective Business Presentations
- Deposit Management
- Emotional Intelligence Skills for Team Leaders & Managers
- Enhancing Shareholder Value With or Without Sale
- Estate Planning & Asset Protection
- Global Finance
- Innovation Part 2: Innovation Workshop – The Lab
- Law for Bankers
- Leadership: The Banker of the Future
- Leading High Performance Teams
- Leading Organizational Change
- Managing a Bank’s Investment Portfolio
- Marketing Strategy: Attracting and Keeping the Right Customers
- Mergers & Acquisitions Simulation
- Negotiate to Win
- Practical Financial Planning
- Race, Diversity, and Me
- Real Estate Credit & Investment
- Regulation & Compliance
- Retail Banking in the 21st Century
- Strategic & Capital Planning
- Strategic Planning: Integrating the Five Disciplines
- The Banker of the Future
- What Every Banker Needs to Know About Digital Marketing & Social Media