Master of Science in

Leadership

Thrive in a Changing Business World

You will learn leadership skills that are critical to harnessing and directing the talents of a diverse workforce — critical skills such as adaptive decision-making, designing and leading complex change, and leveraging business data — plus soft skills that help influence decisions, build emotional intelligence, and bring out the best performance in employees.

Online
San Francisco
Hybrid

1,090 /unit
(See other rates)

30 Total Units

Get Started Now

Are you a U.S. Veteran?

Yes

Do you plan to study on an F or J Student Visa?

Yes

Gain Cutting-Edge Leadership Skills

Attend an Online Info Session

Golden Gate University’s breakthrough leadership programs are based on extensive input from corporate partners, industry groups, leading scholars, and leverage the university’s decades-long successes in developing high achieving leaders in the innovative crucible of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Learn From Instructors Who Teach What They Do

Courses are taught by instructors who also work in some of the Bay Area’s largest and most successful organizations. They bring cutting-edge knowledge from the field to the classroom, teaching skills that are immediately applicable to the real world.

Future-Proof Your Career

The pace of change across industries is quickening. New technologies are disrupting established businesses at an accelerated rate. We are operating in an ever interconnected global world. Jobs once performed by professionals will soon be automated or outsourced. What was certain today well may be uncertain tomorrow. Are you prepared for how management and leadership will evolve as a result?

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US institution or the equivalent from a recognized foreign (outside the US) institution, and provide official transcripts.
Applicants whose native language is not English must meet the English Language Proficiency Admission Requirements.
Applicants are required to submit a statement of purpose and a resume.
Applicants should have at least 4 years of work experience.

PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

Writing Proficiency

Students are expected to possess proficiency in writing to ensure they can be successful in their course of study. Students may meet this requirement by satisfying one of the screening criteria listed under Graduate Writing Proficiency Requirement.

TOTAL UNITS — 30

CORE COURSES — 18 UNITS

It is strongly recommended that students take the courses below in the following sequence:

LEAD 300: Management and Leadership
LEAD 301: Personal Leadership
LEAD 303: Teamwork in Organizations
LEAD 304: Leading Complex Change
LEAD 305: Adaptive Decision Making
LEAD 306: Integrated Leadership Mastery

CONCENTRATIONS

Business Analytics Concentration

This concentration is designed for the student who must be able to apply data analytics tools and techniques to information that the organization can use for strategic decision-making. Students taking this concentration will be introduced to specialized analytics tools and technologies.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 3 UNITS

Take the following first:

MSBA 300: Foundations of Business Analytics

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 9 UNITS

Select three of the following:

ITM 304: Managing Data Structures
MSBA 301: Enterprise Performance Management and Metrics
MSBA 305: Business Intelligence
MSBA 328: Visualization and Communication
MSBA 330: Self-Service Analytics

Finance Concentration

This concentration is designed to prepare students for a finance specialty. Whatever goal students have in the world of business, from corporate management to consulting and entrepreneurship, the study of finance gives them the grounding in decision-making techniques that will help ensure the financial health of their enterprise in the competitive global market. Students learn capital budgeting, capital structure, investment management, and short-term capital management. Our unique method combines a theoretical knowledge of finance with extensive hands-on learning that uses real-life case studies and our state-of-the art computer labs to give students the abilities to be an effective and competent manager in any organization.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 3 UNITS

FI 300: Corporate Finance

ELECTIVE COURSEs -- 9 UNITS

Select any three ECON or FI 300/400-level courses.

Human Resource Management Concentration

In the competitive global marketplace, effective management of human resources is necessary for success. Students learn to understand the human resource issues brought about by technology and the international business environment, and how to apply their knowledge as a human-resources professional in organizations. Students will choose among courses to learn how to hire, train, develop, retain, compensate, and ethically manage a workforce.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 12 UNITS

Select four of the following:

HRM 301: Work and Workforce Trends
HRM 302: Acquiring and Retaining Human Resources
HRM 303: HR as Legal Partner
HRM 304: Technology Strategies for Human Resources Management
HRM 305: Total Compensation
HRM 306: Learning and Development
HRM 307: International HRM
HRM 308: Ethics in Managing People At Work

Individualized Concentration

Whatever the student’s goal in the field of leadership, the individualized concentration allows the student to tailor their MS Leadership program to their individual needs.

Note:

Graduates’ must contact the program director to have their individualized concentration titles added as footnotes to their transcripts.
Graduates’ individualized concentration titles will not appear on their diplomas.

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 12 UNITS

Select any four 3-unit 300/400 level courses.

Influence and Conflict Management Concentration

This concentration is designed for students who would like to further develop knowledge and skills in influencing and conflict management. Research suggests that the ability to manage conflict differentiates leaders who are most effective from those who are not.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 6 UNITS

MGT 348: Negotiating in Business
PSYCH 353: Conflict Resolution: Skills and Techniques

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 12 UNITS

Select two of the following:

PSYCH 345: Organizational Behavior and Development
PSYCH 349: Executive Coaching Theory and Practice
PSYCH 352: Structure, Theory and Ethics of Conflict Resolution
PSYCH 354: Consulting Skills
PSYCH 355: Diversity in Organizations

Information Technology Management Concentration

This concentration is designed to prepare students to work with or within the IT field. Students are introduced to the capabilities made possible by IT and to the challenges associated with being an IT manager. Students learn about selecting and planning IT initiatives, applying data analytics to business problems, and addressing issues of security and privacy within the business environment. Upon completion, students will also understand how to align IT with business needs and how IT enables business value.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 6 UNITS

ITM 300: Management & Digital Transformation in the Business Enterprise
ITM 304: Managing Data Structures
ITM 316: Software Engineering Leadership
ITM 323: Security, Privacy and Compliance

Marketing Concentration

Often considered the central discipline of business, the challenges and practices of marketing are evolving along with the changes in the contemporary business environment. This concentration prepares students to succeed in the marketing function inside a wide variety of organizations. Fundamental and advanced marketing principles, strategies, and tactics in an increasingly digital world are covered.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 3 UNITS

MKT 300: Marketing Management

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 9 UNITS

Select three 300-level MKT courses

Organizational Behavior and Development Concentration

This concentration is designed for students with a keen interest in delving deeper into the fields of human and organizational behavior and development.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 6 UNITS

HRM 306: Learning and Development
PSYCH 345: Organizational Behavior and Development

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 6 UNITS

Select two of the following:

PSYCH 349: Executive Coaching Theory and Practice
PSYCH 353: Conflict Resolution: Skills and Techniques
PSYCH 354: Consulting Skills
PSYCH 355: Diversity in Organizations

Project Management Concentration

This concentration gives students grounding in multiple skills including budgeting, conflict resolution, communication, project scope, developing and using resources, leadership, and team building. Students gain knowledge from faculty who are certificated by PMI®. The content of courses is integrated with the Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®, Guide), Project Management Institute, Inc. As students progress through their courses, they are preparing themselves for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) or the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification exam. The PM concentration provides an opportunity for those who wish to build on their MS Leadership degree work by obtaining project management skills. The certificate is for those who may be working and intend to apply project management skills in their present and future professional endeavors. PMP®, CAPM®, PMBOK®, and PMI® are registered trademarks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 3 UNITS

PM 340: Introduction to Project Management

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 9 UNITS

Select three of the following:

PM 342: Agile Management for Project Managers
PM 343: Advanced Concepts: Project Planning and Control
PM 344: Project Governance: Program and Portfolio Management
PM 348: Project Risk Management

Public Administration Concentration

A progressive graduate concentration designed to prepare MS Leadership students to navigate, lead, and serve citizens throughpublic sector and nonprofit organizations. A demanding and engaged citizenry has increased the need for leaders who understand how the government bureaucracy and nonprofits works. This concentration provides students with the necessaryskills and knowledge to be successful servant-leaders, whether they are coming from a public, nonprofit, or private sectormindset. Students will learn to manage finances from a nonprofit’s perspective, labor practices in the public sector, and runninga business amid all the legal red tape and compliance that can come along with public administration.

Any concentration course substitutions must be approved by the MS Leadership Program Director or appropriate academic Program Director.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 4 UNITS

EMPA 300: Theory, Ethics and Practice in Public Service

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 8 UNITS

Select three of the following:

EMPA 302: Public Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation
EMPA 304: Public Enterprise Management and Public Sector Business Relations
EMPA 305: Budgeting and Financial Management
EMPA 306: Public Service and the Law
EMPA 307: Personnel Management and Labor Relations
EMPA 320: Growth, Technology, and Competitiveness
EMPA 321: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility
EMPA 322: Resilience, Livability, and Sustainability

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students who graduate from the Master of Science in Leadership program will demonstrate the ability to:

Identify, understand, and differentiate between management and leadership.
Build and lead high performing teams.
Facilitate effective collaboration in the selection and application of appropriate business methods and tools.
Exercise emotional intelligence and implement adaptive leadership capabilities in dealing with diverse audiences and rapidly changing, complex, and chaotic organizational situations.
Identify ethical dilemmas and evaluate appropriate options using moral reasoning.
Identify and defend which decision-making methods to use in a variety of common scenarios.
Generate a thoughtful and rigorous self-assessment of their team, organizational leadership strengths, and areas of development.
Formulate a three- to five-year personal leadership / career / whole-life goal.
Integrate leadership and management knowledge, skills, and mindsets into an individualized leadership philosophy and toolkit.
Articulate benefits of their individualized specialization in a way that adds value to current and future employees.