Mission and Vision

Welcome to the Master of Arts (MA) in Leadership and Community Engagement Program. 

Mission

To educate, enhance and transform the lives of our students.

Vision

We envision a society in which those in leadership and management positions affect changes that benefit individuals, groups, communities, and organizations through the application of time-tested practices, innovative problem solving, and the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to anticipate and embrace change.  

Target Population

• Emerging professionals who seek to develop key competencies and apply  them to a specific field of concentration.
• Mid-career professionals who already possess the requisite disciplinary or professional competencies and desire to enhance their careers.
• For both military and civilian students, as a means to view problems and solutions from broader perspectives. 

Program Goals

Provide students with the requisite knowledge base necessary for developing careers as leaders and managers. Graduates will possess a broad understanding of leadership and management concepts, know how to apply these concepts in a rapidly changing environment, and be able to adapt these concepts to their particular areas of specialization and content areas specific to their individual career goals and objectives. 

Objectives

• Engage in critical thinking and problem solving.
• Understand leadership, both its history and present day application, with respect to the professional, social, and ethical issues in the workplace, professional values, organizational policies, resource management, and potential challenges for the future.
• Understand the interrelationship and differences between leadership and management.
• Analyze the characteristics and leadership needs of organizations and individuals.
• Understand, analyze, and apply the principles of leadership and management to organizations undergoing change.
• Recognize the value of and be able to practice effective communication and interpersonal skills.  

Intellectual and Practical Skills

Critical and Constructive Thinking

Inquiry

• close examination of an issue or situation in a search for information or truth
• determining what questions should be asked
• recognizing opportunities
• formulating hypotheses
• seeking information and evaluating claims
• making discoveries and reaching new understandings
• making informed judgments

Examining Values

• observing carefully and critically to identify the values, principles, standards, or qualities considered worthwhile or desirable in a dilemma, situation, problem, or decision

Creative Problem Solving

• generating a solution for a problem through original, imaginative, innovative or artistic effort, including problems that are complex, ambiguous, and difficult to formulate

Communication

Writing

• communicate clearly and effectively to an identified audience
• include analysis of the target audience
• demonstrate reflection
• employ critical thinking
• make appropriate use of supporting argument and citation

Oral

• having the ability to present information clearly, succinctly, and effectively
• speak, show, demonstrate, exhibit, or perform for an individual or group
• effective presentation engages the intended audience, includes the use of non-verbal means of communication, and may employ a variety of media

Engage Others in Action

Participating

• active engagement in some activity, including shared effort
• understanding differing points of view, the lively exchange of ideas, compromise, and contributing to a group product

Leading

• guiding or influencing a group or individual to establish and achieve goals
• leading does not require formal authority or power, rather, it is a matter of influence, integrity, attitude, and mutual respect