Master of Arts in Leadership

Kelly Corey, Ph.D., Program Director Business Department

The Master of Arts in Leadership is a 33-credit hour program that leverages The University of Olivet’s relationship-focused, social justice-oriented, transformational character to empower graduate-level learners and advanced undergraduates to forever Be More and Do Good in leadership roles as they inspire colleagues to work together to achieve shared goals, find solutions to complex problems, and identify opportunities to create change by engaging in collective vision, collaborative strategy, creative problem-solving and inclusive renewal of organizations and communities. Students choose one of three concentrations for their studies: Creativity, Innovation and Change; Leading and Managing Nonprofit Organizations; or Sport Coaching Leadership. The concentrations may also be pursued as 15-credit hour stand-alone Graduate Leadership Certificate micro-credentials.

Admission Requirements

The Master of Arts in Leadership degree at The University of Olivet is a rigorous program of graduate-level study. To be eligible for admission consideration, applicants must meet the following requirements.

A. Master of Arts in Leadership Admission Requirements

The following requirements must be met in order to be eligible for admission into the Master of Arts in Leadership program. Admission will be offered twice per year, for the first term of both Fall and Spring semesters, Fall 1 and Spring 1, respectively. Each student must meet the admission requirements of the University.

1. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
2. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate coursework.
3. A personal essay of 1-2 pages detailing educational and career goals.

B. Graduate Leadership Certificate Admission Requirements

Students wishing to pursue the 15-credit hour Graduate Leadership Certificate must meet the following requirements. Admission will be offered on a rolling basis, aligned with scheduled course offerings.

1. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
2. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate coursework.
3. A personal essay of 1-2 pages detailing education and career goals.

C. Conditional Admission Requirements

Prospective students with an undergraduate grade point average between 2.5 and 2.99 may be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in Leadership degree program or Graduate Leadership Certificate program based on the following additional requirements:

1. A minimum of two years professional work experience
2. Current resume.

Application Requirements

Prospective graduate students are required to submit the following documents as part of their application package:

• A formal application through the university’s online application system.
• An official transcript indicating completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate institution with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• A personal essay discussing the applicant’s commitment to professional growth and development through the graduate program and their educational and career goals.

Applicants with a grade point average below 3.0 on a 4 scale must provide additional documentation:

• A minimum of two years professional work experience
• Current resume.

Course Scheduling and Structure

Courses are scheduled in five eight-week terms each academic year within the Adult, Professional and Graduate (APG) academic calendar (Fall 1, Fall 2, Spring 1, Spring 2, and Summer). This calendar provides clarity and structure for adults who are balancing school with work and personal responsibilities.

An annual course schedule including all required courses in regular rotation is developed and provided to students prior to each academic year. Students work with academic staff to develop an academic plan that accommodates their work and family demands and to schedule courses to facilitate efficient progression through the academic program.

The program faculty includes highly credentialed, proven organizational and academic leaders from a wide variety of fields as adjunct instructors located throughout the world, as well as University of Olivet graduate faculty.

This graduate program utilizes blended distance learning technology (synchronous and asynchronous) that allows students to interact weekly in real time with faculty and students online while completing much of their coursework at their own pace and on their own schedule via the University’s Canvas learning management system (LMS). The synchronous online class meetings are scheduled collaboratively and will be recorded and made available asynchronously to enable completion of courses by learners unable to attend live on occasion.

True to its nature as a relationship-focused program, the Master of Arts in Leadership curriculum requires students to attend a leadership colloquium featuring keynote speakers, skill sessions and community-building activities during the first semester they are enrolled in the program. The event is delivered on The University of Olivet campus and can be attended live, livestream or asynchronously through the Canvas LMS. All current graduate-level degree-seeking students and graduate certificate-seeking students and program graduates are eligible to attend the event every year at no cost, forever. The relationship-focused nature of the program also requires that all students participate in an online Leadership Learning Community, through which students, faculty, and practicing leaders will convene monthly for workshops and dialogues around social justice, leadership and transformational topics.

Graduation Requirements

The following are requirements for graduation with a Master of Arts in Leadership degree at The University of Olivet:

• The completion of 33 required semester hour credits, through seven leadership courses and four concentration courses.
• Completion of the first two leadership core courses completed during the first semester of study, and the last leadership core course as the last “capstone” course in the program.
• Completion of either (a) four required concentration courses defined in an established Master of Arts in Leadership concentration, or (b) a custom program consisting of the first two theory courses in an established four-course concentration series, and two additional courses from a University of Olivet MA or MBA program that align with the student’s professional goals, selected with the approval of a graduate advisor.
• Participation in one required leadership colloquium during the first semester of study, which can be attended live, via livestream or asynchronous recording.
• Maintenance of a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher with no course requirement having earned lower than a “C” grade.
• All requirements for graduation must be completed within seven years of matriculation into the program.

NOTE: Any course below a “C” must be retaken. Progress may be permitted when a student earns a grade lower than a C, they may continue and retake the course when it is offered again with approval of the core faculty. Successful completion of pre-requisites will not be waived to allow progress to proceed.

Master of Arts in Leadership Program Learning Outcomes

With the completion of the Master of Arts in Leadership program, the following student learning outcomes are expected:

• Students will apply foundational evidence-based leadership theories and practices within organizational structures, including businesses, governmental agencies, charitable and volunteer organizations and societies.
• Students will articulate a clear understanding of their personal leadership values, beliefs, motivations and aspirations as identified through self-reflection on their leadership identity development journey.
• Students will demonstrate the emotional intelligence and perspective-taking skills to develop, nurture and sustain effective relationships within and among organizational structures.
• Students will utilize collaboration, creativity, discernment, and critical thinking to envision, plan, implement and measure the collective impact of solutions in and across organizations and communities.
• Students will apply social justice-oriented ethical frameworks, strategies and tactics in communication, leadership, and decision-making.
• Students will strategically envision, inspire, and facilitate change within and among organizational structures.

Graduate Leadership Concentration Learning Outcomes

In addition to the Master of Arts in Leadership learning outcomes, each Master of Arts in Leadership concentration area will prepare students to inspire colleagues to work together to achieve shared goals, find solutions to complex problems and opportunities to create change in specific contexts. Accordingly, the concentrations will empower students to achieve learning outcomes that demonstrate leadership competencies related to each unique concentration disciplines.

Creativity, Innovation and Change Learning Outcomes

In addition to the Master of Arts in Leadership program learning outcomes, the following creativity, innovation and change specific outcomes are expected:

• Students will demonstrate creative confidence by choosing to take risks in order to grow perspective, skills, and leadership opportunities.
• Students will be able to apply systems thinking techniques including mapping, experimenting and iterating to spot opportunities and determine where to start.
• Students will be able to co-create change by involving the people it affects from the beginning and sharing big stories about early, small changes.

Leading and Managing Nonprofit Organizations Learning Outcomes

In addition to the Master of Arts in Leadership program learning outcomes, the following leading and management nonprofit organization specific outcomes are expected:

• Students will be able to integrate the responsibility for and commitment to ethical leadership and productivity among the board staff, volunteers, and community members.
• Students will be able to plan and achieve financial sustainability through integration of sound fiscal practices, fund raising, and earned income.
• Students will be able to champion strategic processes that maintain momentum, engagement, priorities, and mission focus.

Sport Coaching Leadership Learning Outcomes

In addition to the Master of Arts in Leadership program learning outcomes, the following sport coaching leadership specific outcomes are expected:

• Students will be able to critically analyze the role of sport coaching leadership through the domains of sociocultural, legal, and ethical issues as well as the various applications within the sport industry.
• Students will be able to develop sport coaching leadership standards, which reflect responsible, sustainable ethical practices within the sport world.
• Students will be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to become an effective visionary leader of a sport organization.