Master of Science in Leadership
- 100% Online & Asynchronous
- No GRE Required
- 36 Credits • Full-Time or Part-Time
- Applied Leadership Project
Build the confidence and judgment to lead people, navigate change, and make a meaningful contribution to your workplace or community.
“Leadership emerges in the moments that challenge us, the conversations that deepen our understanding, and the reflections that help us recognize our purpose.”
Leadership Beyond Titles: Activating Everyday Influence
Leadership often begins before the title: when others turn to you for direction, when a difficult conversation needs to happen, or when you see an opportunity to make things better. You may already carry that responsibility and want more confidence in how you meet it.
Mayville State’s MS in Leadership brings leadership theory, research, self-assessment, and applied practice together. Develop your judgment, strengthen how you work with people, and put your learning to use in challenges that matter to you, with personal attention along the way.
Leadership in Your Field
Find a familiar challenge. Explore what stronger leadership could make possible in your work.
Technical & Emerging Leaders
You know your work. Now others look to you for guidance, and the people side of the role can feel less familiar than the technical side.
Build confidence in giving feedback, addressing conflict, and helping people succeed. Bring the same thoughtful judgment to leading your team that you already bring to your work.
Business & Management
When urgent demands fill the day, it can be hard to step back, develop your people, and decide what deserves your attention next.
Strengthen your ability to see the larger system, weigh difficult decisions, and guide change. Lead with clearer priorities while building the culture and capability your organization needs.
Higher Education & Campus Staff
You understand the needs of students and your campus. Moving an idea forward can mean navigating competing priorities and building support across departments.
Develop the communication, collaboration, and systems thinking to connect people around a shared purpose. Bring stronger judgment and confidence to improving the institution you serve.
Coaches & Athletic Leaders
You care about performance and the people behind it. Difficult conversations, competing expectations, and team dynamics can demand as much of you as the game itself.
Strengthen how you build trust, develop people, and navigate conflict and change. Shape a team culture that supports accountability, growth, and a purpose beyond the scoreboard.
Military & First Responders
You know what it means to carry responsibility under pressure. A new role or transition can call for different ways to influence people, navigate organizations, and put your experience to work.
Build on your experience with leadership research, self-assessment, and applied practice. Strengthen your ability to communicate across perspectives, guide change, and contribute in the settings you choose to serve.
Nonprofit & Community Leaders
You see what your community needs. Turning that commitment into lasting progress can be difficult when resources are limited and people bring different priorities.
Strengthen your ability to build partnerships, align people around a mission, and make thoughtful decisions about resources. Apply your learning to an initiative that matters to your organization or community.
Grow as a Leader. Put Your Learning to Work.
Your development is personal. Your application can make a difference beyond you. Through the Applied Leadership Project, you will address a real challenge in a workplace, organization, or community; bringing research, thoughtful decisions, and leadership practice together. You will choose a project that is meaningful to you and designed to create measurable positive impact.
That might mean improving how a team welcomes new employees, helping an organization navigate change, or bringing partners together around a community need. These are illustrative possibilities; your project is developed with program guidance.
Talk About Your GoalsCurriculum Overview (36 Credits)
Business Core (15 Credits)
- BUSN 516: Business Statistics & Research
- BUSN 530: Leadership Theory & Development
- BUSN 541: Negotiation & Conflict Resolution
- BUSN 543: Business Ethics
- BUSN 554: Human Resource Management
Leadership Core (15 Credits)
- LEAD 610: Financial Leadership & Resource Management
- LEAD 620: Organizational Behavior & Systems Thinking
- LEAD 630: Building Culture & Leading Change
- LEAD 640: Emerging Tech and the Future of Leadership
- LEAD 650: Leadership Self-Assessment & Development
Focus & Capstone (6 Credits)
- LEAD 660 or 670: Non-Profit Governance & Leadership OR Business Leadership & Strategy
- LEAD 690: Applied Leadership Project (A meaningful project with measurable impact)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to complete the program?
The 36-credit MS in Leadership can be completed in as few as 4 semesters for full-time students. Because the program is 100% online and asynchronous, part-time students can discuss a course plan that fits work, family, and studies. Course availability and sequencing affect your completion timeline.
What is the total tuition cost and financial aid outlook?
Graduate tuition is $455.07 per credit plus mandatory fees of $63.67 per credit (totaling $518.74 per credit). For a standard full-time year (18 credits), annual base tuition is $8,191.26 plus $1,146.06 in mandatory fees, for a total annual cost of $9,337.32.
At these rates, 36 credits total approximately $18,674.64 in tuition and mandatory fees, before scholarships, books, and supplies. Rates may change in future academic years. See current university tuition and fees.
Ask Cheryl about scholarships and funding options that may apply to you.
Is the GRE or GMAT required for admission?
No. The GRE and GMAT are not required. A bachelor’s degree is required, and admission is based on your professional background and undergraduate record.
What is the Applied Leadership Capstone (LEAD 690)?
You will choose a project that is meaningful to you and addresses a real challenge in a workplace, organization, or community. With program guidance, you will design and carry out an initiative intended to create measurable positive impact, identify how you will measure that impact, and evaluate the results. The project brings your research, leadership development, and applied learning together around work that matters to you.
Wondering Whether You Fit?
You may be exploring a new responsibility, a future role, or a stronger contribution where you are now. A conversation can help you understand admission requirements, upcoming start options, course pacing, and the experience of studying online.
Cheryl Duvall, Program Coordinator
Let’s explore what you hope to do next and how the program might help.
701-788-5229 | MSLeadershipTeam@mayvillestate.edu
Request a Conversation