A Student reads a leadership textbook

Professional Leadership Studies

The Professional Leadership Studies emphasis is for future leaders in non-profit organizations, higher education, and public agencies that prefer to create their own course-pathway to the Master's of Science degree. Both the very directed and the unsure candidate have the opportunity to explore options and create specific experiences related to their needs. Candidates will have a better understanding of how organizations wrk and the tools that leaders use to guide groups of people to accomplish their goals.

This specializations permits the student, in cooperation with their academic advisor, to select courses and experiences that they believe best prepare them for the leadership role they foresee themselves having.     

Graduates work in higher education in Alumni Affairs and as Residence Hall Directors; in private industry in probation and marketing and in non-profit organizations as program directors.

This emphasis requires the candidate to complete the Core Education Leadership program for 15 credits, two required courses for 6 credits, and twelve additional credits of their choosing for a total of 33 Master credits. 

Course Number & Name Credits Brief Description
EL 660 - Field Experience/Master's Internship
 3 Conducting an action leadership project at a site chosen by the student, in which to actually do various activities related to their future career. 
Internships provide a meaningful educational experience in which to see how theory and practice relate, develop real-world connections with a possible job environment, and to make connections in the field
EL 705 - Partnership Formation 3 Creating partnership has become a significant activity for successful non-profit/public organizations. This course provides models and leadership strategies for developing mutually beneficial collaborations.  
Electives  12 In cooperation with the student's academic advisor additional course work, focused on the student's needs, will be established.  
Core Education Leadership Curriculum 15 5 courses required of all EL Master's of Science Degree candidates: EL 612, EL 614, EL 615, EL 616, and EL 616       

         A detailed description of the courses and additional information can be found in the course catalog.