The Master of Science in Leadership was designed to help students explore their own leadership styles and use them to motivate others and build high functioning and diverse work teams. The biggest difference from the Masters of Business Administration is the focus is placed on leading others across various functional teams in business as opposed to learning each of the different functional skills associated with the different areas of business, i.e. Marketing, Finance, Operations.
The normal backgrounds for students who choose the MS in Leadership are those who
- are comfortable with their existing knowledge/abilities with regards to functional skills in marketing, finance, accounting, etc.
- looking to take their own new or existing business to the next level and will be expected to provide leadership and vision as their business grows
- or they aspire to step into a leadership role in the very near future
To get in you'll need...- 2.5 or greater G.P.A.
- A bachelor's degree or equivalent from a US school accredited either regionally/professional/specialized or national accrediting organization
* And there is always an opportunity for a conditional admittance
* Articulation Agreements - SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) - Students who hold PHR, SPHR or GPHR professional designations may receive up to 8 credits in the HR Leadership Specialization
Project Management/Project Management Institute - Students who hold PMP or PgMP professional designations and students who have earned Master's Certificate in Project Management or Master's Degree in Project Management may receive up to 8 credits in the Project Management Specialization.
What it'll cost you???
- $705 per semester credit hour plus a technology fee of $45 per semester
- Total approximate cost of $24,765
How soon and what it takes to complete your degree
- 8 week courses, 2 courses per semester, and the courses are taken in sequence (lock step)
- 35 semester credit hours - 21 cr. core courses, 11 cr. specialization, 3 cr. Capstone (roughly about 22 months)
I determined that I want to run my own business within the next few years, and since I already have a bachelors in business I want to cultivate my own leadership skills and focus on how to become the best CEO possible. The MS in Leadership has allowed me to focus on my personal/professional growth and concentrate in depth on the areas of entrepreneurship. My dream of running my own business and being able to effectively push the people I have working with me and under me will be a reality.
So that path I chose looks something like this...
I'll take my core courses of- The Character of Leadership
- Building Organizational Culture: Leaders as Architects
- Leading Vibrant and Diverse Teams
- Leadership in a Global Landscape
- Framing and Analyzing Problems: Research Strategies for Leaders
- Developing and Communicating Solutions: Tools and Strategies for Leaders
- Taking the Long View: Systems Thinking and Tools for Sustainability
And what Im really looking forward to are my specialization courses in Entreprenuership that'll include
- Toward Sustainable Futures: Leadership in Complex, Crisis-Driven Environments
- Applications in Entrepreneurship
- Advanced Entrepreneurship
But if you don't want to follow my steps there are other specializations available
- General Management
- Human Resources Leadership
- Innovation and Technology
- Leader Development
- Project Management
- Self-Designed
- Sustainable Futures
I feel like these courses are the ones that will really give me the skill sets that I need to succeed in my own business.
But what really sold me on the program was the Capstone course which for this program was the Capstone in Leadership: The Social Impact Vision and Project.
In this final course I will have completed my own personal plan of action and will have come to the realization of how I can be an agent of change with the education I have received.
See the difference between Walden University and a lot of other schools is that they instill in you from day one the idea that you need to think of how you can use your education to impact the immediate environment around you. It's not enough to have the piece of paper framed and up on a wall, but to really put a plan in motion that will demonstrate how you've taken the knowledge you've gained and created a positive social impact dealing with something in the community that you work or reside in.
Also as apart of my Capstone I will have completed a community project with an action plan that details how I should implement "My Vision" of what social impact should be. Now since my business is centered around live music events and working with independent artists, I decided very quickly what I wanted to do for my Service Learning Proposal. I want to have music and art showings in under served urban communities that allow younger children to gain much needed exposure to different art forms and feed the creative sides of them that sometimes go unnurtured. I specifically want to focus on those that attend schools where arts programs have been cut due to budget restraints. Since I already have a rapport with many of the artist I work with I'd like to leverage those relationships and have them do workshops with the interested children on what type music or art they do and how the children can work on their own skill sets.
Then as the children become more involved in my program they will be able to attend whatever events I produce or promote for free as to further expose them to what perfecting a craft in the arts looks like and where it can take them in life. The Soulcialista
Most importantly when I have completed my degree I will be able to look back at my "Portfolio of Vision." This allows me to track and essentially chart the progress of my leadership capabilities as I complete my each course in my curriculum. Becoming a leader is about constant evolution and building upon the principles you learn and the experiences you endure. I'll know exactly where I have been and what I want to focus on moving forward with regards to always becoming a better leader.
Now there are a plethora of career opportunities for me since I am now done. I could look to grow within my own organization and start to assist others in developing their leadership skills. But as stated before I want to be the best leader in my own organization. So...
I now run my own company Gypsy Soul much more effectively, and now recognize what motivates each member on my team and how best to use their skill sets. Oh and if you didn't know what Gypsy Soul is, we are a music and events production company. Our aim is to bring independent and established artists to the Baltimore area since so many of them usually skip this market. We figure by doing so we expose potential fans to artists that they normally wouldn't have exposure to, allow the artists the opportunity to realize the true potential in performing in Baltimore, and bring to the city something they have been lacking. And that is real venues and outlets to experience great artistry of all forms on a consistent basis and an alternatives to the normal nightlife of the city. You can come and visit us at Gypsy Soul
So I guess when I look back on my decision to attend Walden, I'd have to say that it was the best first step I couldn't have taken for myself to get to where I am today.
Walden is an institution of Higher Learning that transforms student’s ideas of what learning is. It is a place that empowers students to not only acquire the knowledge they seek but to find ways to apply it so that they may impact their immediate environments. The university is now 40 yrs old and has successfully succeeded in becoming the industry leader in online education. They view their student professionals as not just people who work, but work to make a difference. 