Organizational and Strategic Leadership, M.S.

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Overview

The Master of Science in Strategic Leadership prepares individuals to assume greater leadership roles in the workplace and in their communities. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the curriculum offers a Franciscan, values-based, and global perspective to the study of leadership, organizational strategy, and effective management practices. Through intensive study, critical reflection, and experiential learning projects, students explore their personal philosophy of effective leadership and develop plans for mastering key leadership competencies. Consequently, graduates are better prepared to lead and develop healthy, productive organizations and make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Program Design and Required Courses

The Master of Science in Strategic Leadership is designed in a unique accelerated format which enables students to complete the entire program in 18 months. Students begin their studies as a cohort group and become members of collaborative learning teams in each subsequent course and throughout the program. All courses integrate work and learning experiences and are taught by faculty who are practitioners/scholars with significant leadership and management experience.

The program consists of 36 required credits, all of which are delivered as nine (9) 4-credit courses in intensive eight-week modules. All courses are taught in a cohort seminar style and are highly interactive, through both classroom and online discussions. Each course includes research, reflection, and experiential learning components. The final Capstone Seminar involves the completion of an individual strategic leadership reflection paper, a leadership portfolio, and an individual action research project that relates to a defined need of a sponsoring organization and includes strategic plans, business start-up plans, market assessments, program evaluations, or other approved organizational needs. For online cohorts, three (3) campus visits/meetings are required to satisfy the program’s Residency Requirement.

The Strategic Leadership Program is organized into three integrated areas of study, each f which requires a specific grouping of courses.

The first area of study, with the following group of required courses, enables the student to recognize the personal and professional competencies that are needed to be an effective leader.
The second area of study, with the following group of required courses, focuses on the development of organizations and the application of leadership competencies.
The final integrated area of study, with the following group of required courses, emphasizes the values of social responsibility, ethics, and civic engagement in developing a global perspective on major societal leadership challenges throughout the world. The program’s Capstone Seminar provides the students with an opportunity to synthesize knowledge and demonstrate mastery of key competencies in the field of strategic leadership.

Program Outcomes

Successful graduates of Neumann University’s Master of Science in Strategic Leadership will be able to:

Clearly describe their personal philosophy of leadership.
Apply the theories of strategic leadership to life and work situations.
Demonstrate leadership in working with groups.
Understand the strategy development and planning process for corporate and nonprofit organizations.
Understand the systemic forces that drive change in organizations and individuals.
Analyze public policy and legal issues in today’s global society.
Demonstrate a worldview of complex problems and their potential solutions.
Articulate the principles of the Catholic Franciscan Intellectual Tradition, with a particular focus on how those principles are applied to strategic leadership issues.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students are expected to follow the admission policies and procedures as outlined in the Admissions Information section of this Graduate Catalog. Students are invited to apply for admission to the Master’s degree program in Strategic Leadership who:

View themselves as leaders in organizations or in their communities.
Can demonstrate management and leadership skills.
Can undertake graduate-level work at an accelerated pace.
Have at least three years of documented leadership experience.
Are comfortable learning within Neumann University’s philosophy, Mission, and values-based environment.

In conjunction with the general admission requirements of the University, applicants must:

Submit a completed Graduate Student Application for Admission, or apply online through the Neumann University web site at www.neumann.edu.
Provide official transcripts from each regionally accredited, degree-granting institution attended, including that of the baccalaureate degree [a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required for the baccalaureate]. Outstanding applicants whose GPAs are less than 3.00 may be considered for conditional acceptance (please refer to the Conditional Acceptance Policy) in the Admissions Information section of this catalog.
Provide official transcripts of any additional post-baccalaureate or graduate-level course work with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.
Submit a résumé demonstrating at least three years of appropriate experience.
Provide three academic or professional letters of recommendation.
Write a 500-word essay on the importance of ethical leadership in today’s organizations and how you have demonstrated leadership abilities in your life.

Once all admission materials have been received and processed through the Office of Admissions, the graduate Program Director will arrange for an interview, if appropriate, following a review of all candidate credentials.

Progression/Retention/Graduation Requirements

To progress in the Master of Science in Strategic Leadership, all students must maintain an overall “B” average (cumulative 3.00 GPA) in all required courses and demonstrate satisfactory participation in the program. Completion of all degree requirements for the program must not exceed five years. Exemption to this time limitation must be applied for in a written request to the Director of the program. Graduation from the program is contingent upon the student (1) submitting a signed Application for Graduation form to the Registrar on or before the date specified in the Academic Calendar; and (2) successful completion of all course work, including reports of research and an effective formal presentation of his/her Master’s Project to a faculty committee.