Program Description
The 36-credit Masters of Arts in Leadership helps individuals develop leadership skills to enhance their current work, launch innovative new projects, retool into new areas of management, or practice leadership in their community. Designed around a distance-delivery model, this MA can be taken by on-campus participants as well as participants at a distance. It has been adapted to varying personal, organizational or regional contexts. It is designed to integrate well with other leadership programs in the department or university, and serves as a bridge to both the undergraduate leadership program and the doctoral leadership program.
Recent college graduates transitioning into employment who want to further their leadership development as well as experienced employees who want to target specific areas of leadership for development will find the design of this program flexible to meet their leadership needs.
The overall goal of the MA Leadership program is to develop leaders with a strong sense of personal mission, the ability to work in teams, and experience in leading change that can provide better services and professional solutions in varied local, regional and global situations.
Participants work with advisors to plan their course work in their LLP and have two options: the job-embedded design or the “core + concentration ” design. The job-embedded design is created with an official Andrews University partner organization to attract a cohort of professionals that want to work together to develop competencies useful for their organization or region. Competencies are developed and documented in a digital or hardcopy portfolio, and presented to a faculty panel.
The “core + concentration ” design allows individuals to work at their own pace to develop specific competencies that are aligned with their area of concentration and specific areas of leadership development. Both designs are 36 credits and require the completion of a portfolio and research work.
Program Delivery
This program is offered only as an interactive online program (see School of Distance Education Definitions). The online courses follow fixed enrollment with semester start and end dates. Participants interact with each other and with instructor throughout all courses. The online program requires two week on-campus attendance in the first year; and three day on-campus attendance in subsequent years. Students are also encouraged to come to campus for graduation.
Portfolio of Competencies
All MA in Leadership programs require the development, presentation and successful approval of a portfolio that documents leadership development in 8-10 areas of leadership. Those in the job-embedded cohorts will have competencies set by their cohort. Those in the “core + concentration” must select competencies required in their concentration that align with the Department of Leadership competencies. All participants must have either one of these portfolio developing courses: EDAL680, LEAD675, or LEAD696 to facilitate portfolio development.
The MA in Leadership has a four year time limit for completion.
