Master of Arts in Community and Organizational Leadership (MACOL) Program Requirements

Faculty

• Peggy Cain, Program Director
• Shawn Coon, Associate Professor

Master of Arts in Community and Organizational Leadership Courses

Admission to the Master of Arts in Community and organizational Leadership Program

This program prepares graduates for leadership positions in a variety of organizations and settings. Students learn and strengthen skills in developing deeper relationships with people, organizing grassroots efforts and organizational change, leading and managing non-profit organizations, business human resources programs, social service and community outreach programs, advocating in public policy arenas, and communicating with audiences through various media.

Students will be prepared to work in settings such as: non-profit organizations, advocacy groups, community organizing and outreach, government public affairs departments, social service agencies, business and nonprofit human resources, public education outreach, environmental organizations, public health, economic development, corporate foundations, philanthropy, arts organizations, religious communities, ethnic affairs programs, elected offices, and community planning.

Students have the option of selecting a specialized track within the program: Organizational Leadership with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Emphasis, which prepares graduates for organizational leadership positions including human resources, the Trauma and Wellness Emphasis, which prepares graduates to understand impacts of trauma and promote wellness through programming, organizational change, and policy, or the highly-customizable Comprehensive Track.

Philosophy Statement

Democracy is strongest when informed people participate actively in decision-making in their communities and organizations. This program aims to strengthen and improve the work of many types of groups and organizations working to build more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive futures.

The program structure models the collaborative philosophy that undergirds the program. The program is cross-disciplinary, incorporating faculty from various disciplinary backgrounds. The program also integrates the expertise of members of the community through an advisory board, class placements with local organizations, guest speakers, and team teaching with local experts.

Classes in the program build on the life and work experience that students bring to the program. Classes are highly experiential and active. Class assignments are often competency-based, incorporating real-life tasks similar to those students encounter in their jobs and community settings.

The Capstone Project integrates students’ learning from the entire program and provides an opportunity to design an in-depth research project tailored to the students’ interests and professional goals that also has value for  a particular organization or group. Graduates of the program will be equipped with specific skills and knowledge to serve the world  today, as well as the ability to learn, reflect, and adapt to the rapidly-changing contexts in which they will be working.

The program content is organized within the following program standards:

Leadership: Students will demonstrate skills in leading formal organizations (non-profit, business, government, philanthropy) and informal community efforts.

Management: Students will demonstrate skills in managing formal organizations (non-profit, business, government, philanthropy) and informal community efforts.

Social and Organizational Change: Students will demonstrate skills in conducting research, envisioning futures, and facilitating effectively and creatively participatory decision-making, community organizing, advocacy in policy arenas, and/or organizational change.

Communication: Students will communicate ideas to audiences in oral, visual, and written forms to establish knowledge, to increase understanding, or to advocate for a particular position.

Critical Thinking: Students will comprehensively explore issues, ideas, artifacts, events, and other positions, before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.

Collaboration: Students will demonstrate self-awareness, understanding of effective group dynamics, and project management skills.

Creativity: Students will combine or synthesize new ideas, practices, or expertise in original ways that are characterized by innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking.

Program Description

Program content is organized into core classes, elective classes, and a capstone research project. Students may complete the 21-hour core and receive a Certificate in Community Leadership. For those wishing to pursue the Master of Arts, elective options enable students to specialize in one of three areas, choose a mixture of courses, or to pursue Organizational Leadership with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Emphasis, Trauma and Wellness Emphasis, or Comprehensive Track. The capstone experience integrates knowledge and skills students have learned throughout the program and enables students to apply that knowledge and skill in an individualized way to serve their professional goals and an organization.

Program Requirements

Students must complete the 21-hour core to receive the Certificate in Community Leadership. A minimum of 35 credit hours is required for graduation with the Master of Arts degree. A maximum of nine credit hours of graduate-level transcripted credit may be accepted from another accredited college or university. The accepted coursework must fall within the guidelines of Westminster’s graduate programs. Courses completed at other graduate institutions must carry a grade of B or better to be eligible for transfer credit.

Although a minimum of 35 credit hours is required, students may desire, or need to complete, additional hours to enhance their graduate degree. Planning this graduate degree program is the responsibility of students in collaboration with their advisors.

Retention in the Program

School of Education courses may only be repeated once. The student must:

• Design and file an acceptable program plan with the Program Director.
• Maintain a grade point average of 3.0. Courses in which a grade of C- or lower is awarded do not count toward graduation requirements. A grade of C- or lower in two courses will result in dismissal from the program. School of Education courses may only be repeated once; a grade of C- or lower on the retake will result in dismissal from the program. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.
• Complete the program within six years, or begin to lose credit for courses older than six years.

Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for a master’s degree, students must satisfy the following conditions:

• Meet all credit hour and other course requirements.
• Maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 or above.
• Be enrolled at Westminster University during the semester in which they wish to graduate.
• Maintain good academic standing.
• Earn a grade of C or higher in all graduate courses.

Note: Only graduate-level coursework may be applied toward a degree or certificate requirements. The final responsibility for being informed about, and adhering to, graduation requirements rests with the student.

Graduate Certificate in Community & Organizational Leadership

Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership

Graduate Certificate in Trauma-Responsive Leadership

Master of Arts in Community & Organizational Leadership

Master of Arts in Community & Organizational Leadership: Trauma and Wellness Emphasis

Master of Arts in Community & Organizational Leadership: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Emphasis