Leadership Study at Mountain State University
A great leader knows who they are, where they're going and how to get there. If your destination is success in your career, leadership studies at Mountain State can equip you with the insight, knowledge, skills, and practice you need to get there.
For over a decade, MSU has offered innovative leadership programs. Today, the Charles H. Polk School of Leadership and Professional Development develops leaders through three degrees specifically for working professionals. Explore our programs and consider how a leadership degree will get you where you want to be:
- Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, an accelerated degree completion program with optional concentrations in criminal justice administration and hospitality leadership.
- Master of Science in Strategic Leadership, designed to hone ability to plan for the future and implement organizational change effectively.
- Doctor of Executive Leadership, which combines the highest level of academic achievement with practical application.
About Leadership Study at MSU
The leadership competencies defined by the Charles H. Polk School of Leadership and Professional Development reflect a review of current literature on leadership, social sciences, and business; competency lists developed by government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations; and analyses of the impact of societal changes on organizations and their challenges for leadership in the future. The tenets and beliefs about leadership below shaped the selection of the competencies:
- We understand organizations and communities need leaders at all levels. Hence, we believe a set of competencies can be identified that is required of leaders across all levels of organizations and communities even though the specific actions and interactions will differ.
- We believe leadership can be taught and competencies must be developed which prepare leaders to adapt in a volatile, uncertain, changing and ambiguous environment. Therefore competencies which provide a solid foundation for learning-in-action, sensing the environment, and acting in the face of unknown circumstances should include not only adaptive skills, but moral and emotional development.
- We believe leadership is primarily relational. Leaders accomplish results by working with and through others. Leaders must be able to address people's interests in order to engage them fully. Leadership is a dynamic process and as unique as the people involved. No single leadership approach applies to every situation or personal style.