Master of Science (MS) in Leadership Degree
Pursue High-Level Careers by Earning Your Master’s Degree in Leadership
The Master of Science in Leadership, offered by the Colangelo College of Business, provides an in-depth study of senior-level business skills combined with the ethical principles of servant leadership. This master’s in leadership degree program empowers you to gain self-confidence in your leadership style. It examines the core principles of communication, team-leading and ethical practices in business.
Explore the fundamentals of how to inspire and lead others through established, modern theories and research. You’ll benefit from the input of the diverse viewpoints of your professional peers, under the skillful guidance of instructors who are experts in their fields.
Develop Your Leadership Style and Management Skills With an MS in Leadership Degree
Leadership is at the heart of every organization’s success. It’s the fundamental driving force that shapes the vision of the company and motivates team members. Effective leaders understand how to provide direction and when to step back and let other team members take charge.
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The on-campus and online Master of Science in Leadership at GCU cultivates your leadership style. You will develop your ability to communicate the organization’s mission and vision to diverse audiences and key stakeholders. This MS leadership program also introduces advanced business leadership models and analytically examines management approaches. Educators at GCU place a strong emphasis on the value of servant leadership in this master’s degree in leadership. As a Christian learning community, GCU is invested in contributing to the greater social good by empowering future business leaders to become effective servant leaders.
Some of the learning objectives of the master’s in leadership degree include:
- The strategic management of human capital through best practices in talent management, workforce diversity and employee development
- Effective leadership across major organizational functions, including marketing, finance, information systems and operations management
- Models of ethical problem-solving and their application
- Business leadership models and theories as seen through diverse viewpoints
Careers for Master’s in Leadership Degree Graduates
The Master of Science in Leadership degree prepares you to pursue a wide range of senior-level positions within private companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. The skills and foundational knowledge you will acquire are readily transferable to a broad spectrum of career fields. Careers that may be related to this online Master of Science in Leadership degree include the following:
- Chief executive
- General or operations manager
- Human resources manager or specialist
- Sales manager
- Industrial production manager
- Facilities manager
- Administrative services manager
- Compensation and benefits manager
- Training and development manager
- Training and development manager
- Project management specialist
- Social and community service manager
- Cost estimator
- Logistician
- Entertainment and recreation manager
- Construction manager
- Compensation, benefits and job analysis specialist
- Postsecondary business teacher
An MS in Leadership degree can open doors in domestic and international corporations. You may pursue careers in management consulting, training and development, or you may decide to become an entrepreneur.
Master of Science (MS) in Leadership Degree Program FAQs
The MS in Leadership online and on campus program at GCU will help you accelerate your career and equip you to become a dynamic leader. This is an excellent degree path for anyone with an entrepreneurial pursuit looking to gain the skills needed to develop and run a successful business. Our MS in Leadership degree is very useful, as it prepares you with practical experience, both relevant and beneficial in a variety of careers and industries.
As with admission requirements into most master’s degree programs, this master’s degree in leadership requires you to have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.8 or higher.
Successful students in the MS in Leadership online and on-campus degree from GCU should:
- Be able to self-reflect
- Embody big-picture team management skills
- Support innovative change management techniques
- Demonstrate strong listening and communication skills
- Possess knowledge of data-driven decision-making, such as sales, overhead and profit margin line
This degree does not provide a teaching certification. However, with experience and proper leadership, this master’s degree in leadership may lead some graduates to become training and development managers who lead and teach new employees.
A Master of Science in Leadership degree from GCU helps professionals who would like to create change and impact others by identifying ways to become more effective leaders. Students who enroll in an MS in Leadership program take about one and a half to two years to complete. Most students enroll in an MBA program to acquire knowledge specifically in finance, accounting, management, marketing and entrepreneurship. An MBA typically takes an average of two to three years to complete.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the College of Business. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success.
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the College of Business, key concepts of leadership, and an overview of how the science of organizational behavior contributes to effective leaders and managers.
Course Description
This course explores the nature of business leadership models and theories, examines these models through a broad variety of insights and viewpoints, and provides a description and analysis of these approaches to leadership, giving special attention to how the models can improve leadership in real-world organizations.
Course Description
This course focuses on servant leadership, how a servant leader is different from other leaders, and how focusing on the needs of others can create interdependency rather than dependency in organizations.
Course Description
This course provides an understanding of various models of problem solving and the ability to apply them. It also introduces data analytics as a means to identify opportunities for innovative decision making as well as knowledge of various techniques, strategies, and skills appropriate for creative and innovative thinking.
Course Description
This course provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership development and succession planning within organizations through the exploration of essential coaching, influencing, and mentoring strategies for effective leaders. It includes all underrepresented populations with a focus on gender, race, ethnicity, culture, generation, disability, veteran status, and religion.
Course Description
This course is an exploration of the behavioral forces and relationships that influence organizational effectiveness and change. It also emphasizes the study of intervention strategy and application skills related to a foundational understanding of the role of project management in the context of leading change in organizations. The course provides insights into the leadership and management of people, processes, and best practices for successful change.
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare leaders for the cross-functional complexities inherent in organizational life. Students develop an advanced skill set enabling effective leadership in each of the major organizational functions (marketing, finance, human resource management, information systems, and operations management). The course explores methods of evaluating alternatives to make effective decisions.
Course Description
The effective strategic management of human capital is the differentiator of every successful organization. This course examines talent management, workforce diversity, succession planning, employee development and motivation, and performance matrix. This course addresses human resource competencies identified by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). Using the strong strategic human resource acumen provided by this course, students will be well-prepared for positions as senior human resources specialists or as general managers.
Course Description
This course serves as the culminating capstone experience for Master of Leadership students. Students lead an organization or community-based project and create a professional portfolio to demonstrate their leadership skills. Prerequisite: MGT-605, LDR-600, LDR-630, LDR-640, LDR-612, LDR-615.
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.
Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom.
* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.