Take the next Step in your Career
Strengthen individual skills, self-awareness, and confidence as a collaborative and agile leader. Embody dynamic leadership principles that prepare you for the complexity of challenges in ethical and professional demands of an increasingly inter-connected world.
The Augsburg Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL) is a cross-disciplinary program designed to help individuals transform into conscientious, self-aware leaders capable of positively influencing others and shaping organizational progress. Our hybrid model curriculum emphasizes a personalized course selection, helping students realize their career goals and unique interests. Students gain critical insight into today’s leadership challenges through community-centered collaboration with peers of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
Credits and Courses Required: 11 Total Courses / 33 Credits
- 4 Required Courses
- 1 Course from Requisite Area 1 (Personal Growth and Interpersonal Dynamics)
- 1 Course from Requisite Area 2 (Organizational and Global Context)
- 5 Electives
The MAL program promotes leadership as a process which:
1) inspires cooperation among people who must compete for limited resources,
2) promotes productivity within and beyond the organization, and
3) works toward progress for the individual and the organization.
To accomplish this, individuals aspiring to positions of leadership must possess three key attributes: a sense of vision, the ability to persuade, and the ability to direct action. Underlying these attributes is a broad range of abilities and awareness, outlined in the Augsburg Leadership Development Model, that serve as specific outcomes for the MAL Program. Augsburg’s model of leadership development is designed to assess, promote, enhance and refine these capabilities within the individual.
Degree Pathways and Dual Degree Options
Augsburg Masters students bring a diverse set of skills, talents, and backgrounds to our program ranging from healthcare, education, non-profit and corporate environments. Just as their careers take different directions, our students enter the program through different degree pathways and some choose to expand their graduate studies with a dual degree!
The certificate program is another attractive option for people who want to develop their leadership skills without undertaking a full degree program. A certificate is awarded after completion of three Augsburg MAL courses in leadership. Students pursuing this option take ML 505 – Foundations of Leadership and two additional electives. All three courses may count toward an MA in Leadership. No more than one course may be double counted in another Augsburg graduate degree program. Students who previously completed the Augsburg MBA degree are exempted from ML 505. Applicants to the certificate program follow the same admission process as those seeking the Master of Arts degree.
The dual degree program gives students the benefits of studying business administration and leadership in a coordinated program. This dual degree program leverages Augsburg’s long-standing tradition of graduate leadership training via the Master of Arts (MA) in Leadership with the demand for business education through our Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. This unique credential equips students with the skills to lead and manage an organization, preparing them to thrive in today’s interconnected world.
A BA in Accounting and an MA in Leadership can be earned in this five-year program designed for students who wish to qualify for CPA certification and obtain a master’s degree. By the end of the fifth year and successful completion of all requirements, the student receives both a BA in Accounting and an MA in Leadership and will have fulfilled the 150-hour requirement to qualify for the CPA certification. The MA in Leadership program offers a large number of courses on a Saturday and weeknight schedule. Refer to the MA in Leadership program schedule for the list of courses each year and to the accounting program coordinator for a detailed academic plan. Students should meet with both the MA in Leadership director and an accounting advisor to create an effective plan for successful completion of the five-year program.
The Leadership Studies minor is designed for students who are engaged in leadership experiences and to tie their experiences with the academic study of leadership. Successful completion of the undergraduate minor in leadership will allow the student advanced standing in the MA in Leadership program at Augsburg.
Nathan '21
"I appreciated the depth and breadth of the program and the diversity of perspectives brought by colleagues from a variety of industries from non-profits to hospitals, to technology, or even manufacturing."
Study Abroad
ML 577 Universal Responsibility: A Central American Perspective explores this concept both intellectually and through experience. This Master of Arts in Leadership course, organized through Augsburg’s Center for Global Education and Experience, is open to all Augsburg graduate students.
Faculty
Benefit from our faculty’s wealth of real-world experience, guiding you to success in and beyond the classroom.
Have Questions?
We are here to answer all your questions, provide guidance, and help you embark on a successful educational journey.
History
During a period of time when other higher education institutions offered programs that trained students to become managers, Augsburg saw the need for equity-minded leaders. From this observation, we developed a distinctive Master of Arts in Leadership degree and the leadership development model that drives the program. The program’s hundreds of graduates can attest to the transformational difference it’s made in their careers, lives, and communities. Augsburg’s Master of Arts in Leadership program includes various disciplines within liberal arts that—like Augsburg’s undergrad programs—build skills in communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking, as well as increasing students’ self-confidence and ability to take informed risks.