Master of Science in Leadership
Is a Master of Science in Leadership for Me?
The greatest demand in the world today is not for managers, but for leaders. Southwestern College’s master of science in leadership (MSL) program prepares people in any industry for leadership positions. 
Learn relationship management and leadership skills to become more effective in any organization, whether military, corporate, government, health care, small business, education or non-profit.
The emphasis is on practical application of key leadership principles in contemporary organizations.
The MSL program is available completely online.
Program Outcomes
The greatest demand in the world today is not for managers, but for leaders. Southwestern College’s Master of Science in Leadership (MSL) program prepares individuals in any industry for leadership positions. Southwestern College’s Master of Science in Leadership program is a 36-hour degree program. Courses are six weeks long and are available completely online. The degree may be completed in 1.5 years of continuous part-time study. Learn relationship management and leadership skills to become more effective in any organization, whether military, corporate, government, health care, small business, education or non-profit. The emphasis is on practical application of key leadership principles in contemporary organizations.
- The learner demonstrates s/he has gained breadth and depth of understanding of key leadership concepts.
- Learners demonstrate that they are recognized by their current employers as excellent candidates for advancement and/or are qualified for key leadership positions within their chosen field.
- The learner demonstrates an understanding and appreciation of the ethical implications of leaders.
- The leaerner exhibits poise and confidence in verbal and written communication.
- Learners demonstrate that s/he has been and will continue to be a life-long learner.
Required Courses
LEAD 500 Leadership Styles and Theories
LEAD 505 Organizational Leadership and Ethics
LEAD 510 Leadership in Context
LEAD 515 Leadership Communication and Conflict Resolution
LEAD 520 Leadership Coaching
LEAD 560 Leading Change in Organizations
LEAD 565 Knowledge Based Leadership
LEAD 570 Leadership for the Future
LEAD 575 Organizational Structures & Behavior
LEAD 580 Practical Problem Solving for Today’s Organizations
LEAD 585 Leading Quality Improvement Initiatives
CAPS 600 Graduate Project
Course Descriptions
LEAD 500 Leadership Styles and Theories
The course will cover fundamentals of leadership, definitions of leadership, and an introduction to the tools available for research in leadership. Emphasis is on the application of theoretical concepts to actual organizational settings and situations, culminating in the determination of participants’ dominant leadership style and articulation of a personal leadership profile.
LEAD 505 Organizational Leadership and Ethics
The course will provide an understanding of the distinction between leadership and management in organizations. Theory is mixed with contemporary examples of the ethical challenges facing today’s leaders. Participants consider ethical frameworks (e.g., individual ethical competency, organizational system as an ethical agent) in organizational decision making.
LEAD 510 Leadership in Context
Participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how economic, social and/or political events and relationships, whether local, national or worldwide, affect organizations as well as impact on culture and community. Participants will develop a plan of action for dealing with that impact.
LEAD 515 Leadership Communication and Conflict Resolution
The course will teach leaders to hone and refine important communication and conflict resolution skills including interpersonal and small group communication, persuasion, media communication, and crisis communication.
LEAD 520 Leadership Coaching
The course will help learners coach, mentor and empower future leaders. The course will review coaching theories and models as well as the theoretical and applied aspects of teamwork. Participants will focus on building the skills of collaboration. Participants will articulate a personal leadership development plan.
LEAD 560 Leading Change in Organizations
Participants will learn to navigate the world of needs assessment tools in order to build an organization’s ability to operate on the consistent generation of information. Systems used to analyze information and implement change resulting from data will be covered through case studies, individual and group exercises. Participants will develop practical tools for engaging people at all levels of an organization through inevitable change.
LEAD 565 Knowledge Based Leadership
The course will cover the integration and alignment of strategic planning, mission, vision with goals and objectives to position organizations to transition to a knowledge based environment. Participants will develop a plan for capturing tribal knowledge, and using that knowledge to create and communicate a shared vision.
LEAD 570 Leadership for the Future
Participants will learn to identify trends, implement change initiatives, maximize resources, and develop a response to changing workforce dynamics. This course provides a thorough foundation in the methods used when leading project initiatives.
LEAD 575 Organizational Structures and Behavior
Participants will learn decision making models, principles of organizational hierarchy, and how organizations are impacted by leadership styles. Participants will analyze how their own leadership behavior impacts others through 360 degree feedback.
LEAD 580 Practical Problem Solving for Today’s Organizations
Working from current and relevant case studies, learners will develop the skills to make real world, real time decisions.
LEAD 585 Leading Quality Improvement Initiatives
The course will address the importance of implementing quality principles integral to leadership which will benefit stakeholders, provide an understanding of the philosophies underlying quality, emphasize the importance of employee empowerment, deal with issues surrounding teams and group dynamics, and develop an awareness of process improvement and its role in building solid, effective organizations. Learners will be qualified to earn the credential of Certified Quality Improvement Associate.
CAPS 600 Graduate Project
All learners in graduate MBA, Management and Leadership programs will be required to submit a professional electronic capstone portfolio as a graduate requirement in this course. This course includes an applied leadership project designed to demonstrate how to plan, implement, and integrate progressive initiatives for highly successful organizations by using the five practices of exemplary leadership based on Kouzes & Posner’s international research on leadership. Learners’ projects from this course are included in the final capstone portfolio submitted. The capstone portfolio is a tool for learners to document and demonstrate they have met specific institutional and program learning outcomes. ‘Prerequisite: Completion of all courses in the learners’ program.’
Admission Requirements
To be admitted into the Master of Science in Leadership program, candidates must submit the following:
Southwestern College Professional Studies Graduate Program Application form – Application forms are accepted on an ongoing basis. No application admission fee is charged. Complete the online application.
Official transcripts of all prior college/university coursework – Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).
Print a copy of the transcript request form and mail the request to the institution which awarded your bachelor’s degree.
Two confidential letters of recommendation – using the Graduate Recommendation Form (at least one from a current or former employer).
A one page Admissions Essay – submit your written statement electronically to graduate@sckans.edu or via mail or fax to 316.688.5218.
Resume- Applicants should have at least three years of professional work experience.
All international learners must show evidence of their English language ability by providing the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) report. A score of 550 (paper test) or 213 (computer-based test) on the TOEFL is considered the minimum acceptable for admission to the MSL program.
Applicants who hold bachelor’s degrees from a U.S. institution or from an institution in another English-only speaking country will receive a waiver of the TOEFL. Applicants who are from native English speaking countries are not required to take the TOEFL.
Admission requirements may differ for international learners, or for learners whose undergraduate degrees were awarded outside of the United States. Please contact an admissions counselor for more details.
In addition to the above, it is recommended that candidates have a working knowledge of word processing and presentation software.
A candidate’s file must be complete before an admissions decision may be made. It is the responsibility of each candidate to provide all of the information requested above. Candidates will receive a letter of admission to the program.
Meta
The greatest demand in the world today is not for managers, but for leaders. Southwestern College’s master of science in leadership program prepares people in any industry for leadership positions.
