Program General Information
The Leadership program represents a new concept in graduate education. It is offered by the School of Education as an international and interdisciplinary collaborative graduate program.
It is designed to meet the needs of mid-career leaders and to provide an innovative and highly flexible program allowing self-motivated learners the opportunity to pursue an MA, EdS, EdD or PhD degree in the context of a learning community, without requiring a move of their families or a break in their careers. Participants in this interdisciplinary program come from a variety of professional backgrounds including healthcare, business, education, pastoring, the military, and government.
Defining the Program
The Leadership Program:
• Is established on the idea of developing and demonstrating competency in several key areas.
• Gives each participant the opportunity to design and carry out a Leadership and Learning Plan (LLP) in order to fulfill competency requirements.
• Allows participants to demonstrate competence through the oral presentation of a portfolio, which includes a written synthesis paper.
• Fosters collaboration and cooperation among its participants.
Characteristics of the Program
The program allows the self-directed learner to participate in a dynamic-action agenda devoted to service. The program’s strengths are evident in several ways:
The Leadership Program is learner-driven. The participant works with an advisor and develops a plan of study with course work and directed activities to fit his/her needs. An extraordinary amount of personal ownership by the participant is critical for satisfactory completion of the program.
The Leadership Program is life-embedded. Participants are encouraged to use their work and life experience as the basic context to demonstrate the Leadership competencies.
The Leadership Program is competency-based. Although not listing a prescribed set of courses, the program is designed around a set of competencies, including both skill and knowledge-based areas necessary to demonstrate competence.
The Leadership Program builds a learning community. The participants collaborate in study groups and learn through various media.
The Leadership Program is flexible. The flexibility allows the educational needs, career goals, and past experience of the participant to play an important part in the development of an individualized plan of study and development.
The Leadership Program builds important bonds among its participants. The participants become partners in learning, both with faculty members and other participants. This process is enhanced by involvement in orientation activities, seminars, learning groups, and through continued contact and discussion via the Internet, and other forms of telecommunication.
The Leadership Program evaluates achievement.
• Throughout the course of study, individual achievement is evaluated on the basis of demonstrated competencies.
• The program is completed when the participant has demonstrated achievement of at least 15 competencies (see below).
• Demonstration of achievements is documented in a portfolio that is assembled throughout the program. The portfolio is presented for validation to a faculty team at the end of the program.
• For the MA and EdS degrees, a research project is completed and approved.
• For the EdD and PhD degrees, a doctoral dissertation must be completed, defended, and approved.
Applying to the Program
Applicants should read the Graduate Admissions Requirements section of this bulletin.
Additional recommendations and interviews may be requested prior to formal admission to the program. Only a limited number of participants are admitted each year, so applicants should apply early.
Specific Admission Requirements
• A completed bachelor’s or master’s degree (an MA degree is recommended for the doctoral programs).
• A sample of your best writing (could be a research paper).
• A successful interview with one or more members of the Leadership faculty.
• A minimum of five years of professional work experience in a leadership setting for the doctorate and three years for the MA.
• Must be currently employed in a leadership position in which competencies can be demonstrated. This environment, which is the participant’s place of employment, provides the “laboratory” for developing and demonstrating expertise in the competency areas and for preparing the portfolio.
• Applicants must commit to participate in:
1) The initial Leadership orientation.
2) Regularly scheduled Leadership and Learning Group meetings, preferably on a monthly basis but at least seven times a year.
3) The annual Leadership Conference.
4) Regular online communication. The participant is responsible for keeping abreast of announcements and program updates presented by faculty and staff via e-mail and the Leadership website.
Maintaining Active Status
To maintain active status in the Leadership program the participant must:
• Make appropriate progress in fulfilling the LLP.
• Meet regularly with a Leadership and Learning Group, usually on a monthly basis but at least seven times a year.
• Maintain contact with the advisor.
• Register every semester.
• Attend the annual Leadership Conference.
• Meet financial obligations to the university.
• Maintain employment throughout the program.
• A EdD/PhD participant must maintain active status a minimum of six years of their allocated seven.
Time Limits.
A Leadership participant must complete the requirements for the MA degree within four years and the EdD and PhD degree within seven years from the beginning of the first semester of class work. Participants granted advanced standing must complete their requirements within five years. |
