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Online Degree Overview

Master of Science in Leadership

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Today’s dynamic organizations require well-educated and skilled leaders. South University’s Master of Science in Leadership online program can help you develop your natural leadership qualities and prepare you to effectively lead individuals, teams, and complex organizations.Through faculty guidance and online coursework, you can refine your leadership style so that you can more successfully manage, communicate with, and influence others. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to set an example others will follow, how to strategically solve difficult problems, and how to foster teamwork across diverse disciplines.

As a student in the Master of Science in Leadership online program, you’ll also build a working knowledge of the best practices for decision making in the global economy, and discover the most effective planning, process, and production strategies for achieving organizational goals.

Admission Requirements

Admissions criteria for the Master of Science in Leadership (MS)

Graduate Admissions - Masters level

Prospective students are required to submit the following:

  • Completion of application for admission
  • Official transcripts for bachelor or graduate degree within 5 weeks* of the class start date. (All credentials earned outside the United States must be evaluated by a NACES or AICE-member credential evaluation service). Please speak with an admissions representative for more information.

Note: See program notes and specific requirements below for each graduate - masters level degree program

*Effective August 14, 2023 – Students beginning classes at Online Programs will have five weeks to submit acceptable documentation.

Specific requirements for admission to classified graduate status are:

  • A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Completion of application for admission.
  • A 2.7 overall grade point average or higher on completed requirements for the baccalaureate degree, or, an earned graduate degree from an accredited institution with a CGPA of 3.0 or higher.

For additional admissions information please see the admissions section here.

Provisional Admission:

Applicants with an undergraduate degree CGPA of less than a 2.7, but not lower than a 2.3, or a graduate degree CGPA of less than 3.0, but not lower than a 2.7, will be considered for provisional admission. Students who do not attain a 3.0 GPA in the first quarter will be dismissed. Students cannot appeal the dismissal from the university as a result of failure to meet the conditions of provisional admission.

Admissions Criteria for MBA-HCA, MHA, MPA, MSHRM, MS

Prospective students are required to submit the following:

  • Completion of application for admission
  • Official transcripts for bachelor or graduate degree within 5 weeks* of the class start date. (All credentials earned outside the United States must be evaluated by a NACES or AICE-member credential evaluation service). Please speak with an admissions representative for more information.

Note: See program notes and specific requirements below for each graduate - masters level degree program

*Effective August 14, 2023 – Students beginning classes at Online Programs will have five weeks to submit acceptable documentation.

Specific requirements for admission to classified graduate status are:

  • A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Completion of application for admission.
  • A 2.7 overall grade point average or higher on completed requirements for the baccalaureate degree, or, an earned graduate degree from an accredited institution with a CGPA of 3.0 or higher.

Provisional Admission:

Applicants with an undergraduate degree CGPA of less than a 2.7, but not lower than a 2.3, or a graduate degree CGPA of less than 3.0, but not lower than a 2.7, will be considered for provisional admission. Students who do not attain a 3.0 GPA in the first quarter will be dismissed. Students cannot appeal the dismissal from the university as a result of failure to meet the conditions of provisional admission.

Course Requirements

Master of Science in Leadership: 48 Credits
Foundation: Personal Leadership: 12 Credits
Capstone: 4 Credits

Outcomes

Offered at Columbia, Online Programs, Savannah, and Virginia Beach.

Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.

The Master of Science in Leadership degree program is designed to provide students the opportunity to develop skills in leadership, communication, problem solving and teamwork for use in a broad range of organizations. These skills are critical for successfully managing and leading organizations in today's dynamic organizational environment.

The Master of Science in Leadership program is delivered in two modalities: fully online and blended. Students enrolled in the blended modality meet face-to-face in the classroom and asynchronously online on alternating weeks over the 11-week quarter.

The 12-course (48 credit hours) program is designed for experienced professionals seeking to advance in their careers and for individuals with limited professional experience seeking to develop skills that can prepare them to seek employment managing and leading individuals, teams, departments and organizations.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

  1. Assess how individuals, cultures, society, ethics, and psychological principles affect the actions and decisions of leaders as they influence individual and organizational stakeholders.
  2. Influence others through effective communication skills that present clear, scholarly, and persuasive arguments.
  3. Apply critical thinking to examine qualitative and quantitative data, including evaluation and synthesis of data for problem recognition and problem solving.
  4. Demonstrate information literacy, including the ability to determine the extent of information needed, assess the needed information, evaluate information and its sources critically, and use information effectively, ethically, and legally to accomplish a specific purpose.

Career Outlook

The Master of Science in Leadership online program will help you to develop the business, communication, and problem solving skills needed for leadership roles in public, private, and nonprofit organizations.

Online Classroom

Haven’t experienced online learning before or wondering what it’s like to earn your degree online at South University? While the mode of learning is different from the traditional classroom experience with added convenience and flexibility, we hold the same high standards of academic excellence in the online classroom. 

South University’s online programs combine a curriculum designed for student outcomes and a classroom designed for flexibility and engagement. Our online classroom learning platform, Brightspace, provides you with a host of features to enhance your learning experience, including:

  • Advanced media content
  • Personalized navigation
  • Simplified online learning atmosphere
  • Access to digital books
  • Emailing and instant messaging options

We provide more than just an online classroom, bringing a range of campus experiences and services online. In addition, the online classroom is accessible on the go via mobile devices and with tools like the Pulse App. Pulse helps you stay connected and on track with your course by providing a number of features such as course calendars, readings and assignments, feedback and grades, and announcements.

Read more about online requirements here. 

Request Information

Fill out the form and a representative will contact you today to better understand your academic goals plus answer any questions you may have.

Campuses offer flexible learning formats* including: on-campus, virtual instructions, and online courses.

*Clinical, practicum, and externship requirements exist in certain programs and require field experiences. Learning formats may not be flexible.

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Success Stories

Outstanding Education for Remarkable Careers

We're committed to helping our graduates make impact in their professional and personal lives. We applaud our business and technology alumni and the difference they make. 

Jennifer Hunter Atkinson null
Jennifer Hunter Atkinson Grad Alumni
Class of '16
Bachelor of Business Administration-South University, Savannah

“South has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in steering my life into a direction I’m proud of. Through the last two years, I have gained tremendous support from my professors and I feel part of a community that challenges me to achieve personal and professional goals.”

Jefferson Reid 2012
Jefferson Reid Grad Alumni
Class of '12
Bachelor of Business Administration-South University, Savannah

“I wanted to stay in project management, but I knew my associate’s degree in aviation technology wouldn’t allow me to get where I wanted to be. A business degree was most relevant to the experience I had gained in the workforce. South University professors do a good job of teaching the concepts and then combining them.”

Annette Tornberg 2013
Annette Tornberg Grad Alumni
Class of '13
Associate of Science in Business Administration-South University, Online Programs

“I feel that if I did not go back to school to further my education, my job search would not have come to this conclusion. I attended college twice in my twenties, but dropped out due to lack of enthusiasm. Going back to school and completing it online is why I am now finally employed. Don’t give up. You are never too old to learn.”

Lauren Elsberry null
Lauren Elsberry Grad Alumni
Class of '12
MBA in Healthcare Administration-South University, Atlanta

“This program has helped make me better. It improved my time management. It improved my organization. I think because of its accelerated pace, it created those unexpected benefits. The classes I have taken in the AMBA program are relevant to my new position. I know my degree was something they looked at. South University has a good reputation; people have heard of it.”

Endora Todd 2004
Endora Todd Grad Alumni
Class of '04
Bachelor of Business Administration-South University, Montgomery

“The organization serves a unique population of students who see value in small class sizes, individual attention and support before, during and after graduation”