Academics

In the 1980s while other schools offered graduate programs to develop managers, Augsburg created a program to develop leaders.

The result was the distinctive Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL) degree and the leadership development model that drives the program. In fact, January of 2007 marked the MAL program’s 20th anniversary. The program’s hundreds of graduates can attest to the difference it’s made in their careers and in their lives.

The MAL program is a cross-disciplinary program of liberal arts that——like Augsburg's undergraduate program——builds skills in communication, problem-solving and critical thinking, as well as increases students' self-confidence and risk-taking. For companies, this means employees with vision and the ability to work across company divisions to make thoughtful decisions.

The goal of the program is not only the study of leadership, but also the development of leaders, which results in transforming the individual during the process.

Students enter the MAL program for many of the same reasons adult students enter other graduate programs—— enhancement of current job or career skills, improved opportunities for promotion, change of careers, or personal growth. What students experience in the program is often much less tangible—— increased self-confidence, greater willingness to take risks and the ability to communicate more easily in the workplace.