Vanguard University of Southern California

M.A. in Leadership Studies*
(36/39 units)


Today’s opportunities and challenges call leaders to be on the edge of continual learning in order to more fully understand how congregations and other organizations can be a transformative force in the world through mission and service. Leaders -- who know how to form authentic community, enlist teams that multiply individual efforts, make moral choices, and manage conflict -- will more likely move toward deep change that brings transforming results. Even more crucial, is our conviction that the heart of organizational transformation is deep change within the leader -- for Christian leaders this means deepening their spirituality.

This M.A. in Leadership Studies requires four core courses for a total of twelve units, eighteen units of elective courses, a comprehensive examination, and an exit option of thesis, project, or directed reading with the appropriate exit option design and proposal course for a total of six units. Total units: thirty-six (36). If the directed reading exit option is chosen, one additional elective course is required, bringing the program total to thirty-nine (39) units.

Students have the option of completing this program entirely in four-day intensive courses through the Leadership & Spirituality emphasis.

The objectives of this program are to:

  • examine leadership through the inner life realities of character, call, passion and spirituality of the leader;
  • develop a theological framework for leadership, mission and culture, globalization, ethics, spirituality, and other leadership issues;
  • review highlights of the historical development and theoretical overview of leadership;
  • learn a variety of research methods where participants formulate a problem statement, define terms, conduct a literature review, collect and analyze data, and arrive at a conclusion.

Program Requirements

1. Core Course Requirements

twelve units

Three of four core courses develop a theological and theoretical framework for understanding leadership, mission and culture, and ethics in order to reflect theologically on what it means to be in authentic community and to examine the impact of mission in the community. The research course provides practical opportunity for students to learn how to conduct inquiry through a variety of methods that will be used in coursework and in the final exit option.

  

 

 

CLSG 710

Mission and Culture in Theological Perspective

3 units

CLSG 715

The Church and Contemporary Moral Issues

3 units

CLSG 720

Theology and Theory of Leadership

3 units

RELG 788

Research Methodology: Leadership Studies

3 units

 

2. Elective Course Requirements

eighteen units

The elective curricula explore related subject areas of leadership and spirituality that includes the following: leadership and global issues; team building and conflict management; history of Christian spirituality; character formation; theology of spiritual formation; soul care of others; and spiritual direction.

CLSG 521 Disciplines of the Spiritual Life 3 units
CLSG 606 Spiritual Formation 3 units
CLSG 607 Spiritual Direction 3 units
CLSG 632 Team Building and Conflict Management 3 units
CLSG 623 Marketing in Christian Organizations 3 units
CLSG 624 Change and Strategic Planning 3 units
CLSG 625 Principles of Church Revitalization and Renewal 3 units
CLSG 642 Soul Care of Others 3 units
CLSG 635 Issues in Pastoral Leadership 3 units
CLSG 741 Biblical Exegesis and Expository Preaching 3 units
CLSG 646 Leadership and Character Development 3 units
CLSG 601 History of Spirituality 3 units
CLSG 638 Leadership and Global Issues 3 units

Special Topics, Seminars, and Individual Study

CLSG 640

Seminar in Practical Theology

3 units

CLSG 670

Special Topics

3 units

CLSG 680

Individual Study

1-3 units

CLSG 690

Seminar in Christian Leadership Studies

3 units

 

3.  Exit Option Requirements

six or nine units

The exit options provide the opportunity for the M.A. candidate to conduct guided research (including field studies) into an area of interest within the context of Leadership Studies.

  1. Thesis Option: (6 units)
    RELG 791 Exit Option Design and Proposal: Leadership Studies (3 units)
    RELG 798 Master’s Thesis (3 units)

  2. Project Option: (6 units)
    RELG 791 Exit Option Design and Proposal: Leadership Studies (3 units)
    RELG 797 Master’s Project (3 units)

  3. Extended Course/Directed Reading Option: (9 units)
    RELG 791 Exit Option Design and Proposal: Leadership Studies (3 units)
    RELG 795 Directed Reading (3 units)
    One additional course at the 600/700 level (3 units)

* This information is provided for ease of use, however it is not the official record. See the academic catalog for official course descriptions and requirements.