Leadership, M.S. - CPS, CPSO

Graduate

Leadership

Learn to lead teams, cultivate a strategic vision, and communicate effectively to maximize your organization’s potential.
Degree
Master of Science
Location
Online
Courses
10*
Credit
30 hrs.*
Full-time
As few as 12 months
Part-time
Varies
woman singing at a desk

College of Professional Studies

The online Master of Science in Leadership at the University of New Hampshire is built for current or emerging leaders in any field. Learn to lead teams, cultivate a strategic vision, and communicate effectively to maximize your organization’s potential. Students focus on team leadership, strategic vision development, and effective communication to enhance organizational performance and can apply learned concepts directly to their workplace, aligning studies with professional goals. 

Graduates are prepared for leadership roles in sectors such as nonprofit organizations, education, public service, military and health care.

*Number of courses and course credit hours may vary, please reach out to your academic advisor for exact requirements.

College of Professional Studies

Click below to get more information about UNH graduate programs

01
Request Information Form
Open icon icon to open the summary

We use text messages to communicate important event and application information (msg and data rates may apply).




What is the Master of Science in Leadership?

The Master of Science in Leadership (MSLD) is designed to meet the needs of professionals in every industry who want to enhance their leadership skills in the 21st century.

Why study Master of Science in Leadership at UNH College of Professional Studies?

This leadership program was created for current or emerging leaders in any field. Learn many leadership skills, such as leading teams, cultivating a strategic vision, and communicating effectively. Available fully online, this ten-course program was designed for working professionals. It allows students to apply what they learn in a workplace setting, integrating their studies with their professional goals. This degree would help in almost any industry/field including Non-Profit worker, First responders, Military, Management, Human Resources, Childcare, State employees, University/College Employees, and Sales.

Potential Career Areas

  • Consultant
  • Education and Training
  • Education Administration
  • Federal Employment
  • Public Service Management
  • Health Care Management
  • Manufacturing Management
  • Military
  • Nonprofit Leadership
  • State Government

Curriculum & Requirements

01
Program Description
Open icon icon to open the summary

The Master of Science in Leadership (MSLD) is designed to meet the needs of professionals in every industry who want to enhance their leadership skills while also gaining a deeper perspective of organizational management.

02
Requirements for the Program
Open icon icon to open the summary

Degree Requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement: 30 credits
Minimum GPA: 3.0

Major in Leadership 1
LD 820Cultivating Your Leadership Capabilities3
LD 821Ethical Decision-Making3
COM 800Foundations of Organizational Communication3
LD 823Emergence of a Strategic Leader3
LD 804Leading Teams3
LD 810Change Management and Communication3
Electives
Select three courses from the following:9
APST 805
Grant Writing
LD 806
Fundraising and Resource Development
LD 825
Volunteer Leadership
LD 827
Leading and Governing Nonprofit Organizations
LD 831
Conflict Management & Negotiation
LD 832
Building Diverse & Multicultural Organizations
MGMT 805
Organizational Behavior
PM 800
Introduction to Project Management
PM 811
Project Chartering and Planning
Integrative Capstone
LD 850Leadership Integrative Capstone3
Total Credits30
1

Graduate credit is only granted for courses completed with a grade of B-­ or higher.

03
Accelerated Master's
Open icon icon to open the summary

Accelerated Master's Overview

Accelerated Master’s programs offer qualified University of New Hampshire undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate coursework in select graduate programs while completing a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated master's programs are designed to provide students with an efficient and cost-effective pathway to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree or graduate certificate, enhancing career opportunities and long-term earning potential.

Accelerated Master's Highlights

  • Begin studying advanced topics while an undergraduate student with the opportunity to complete a master’s degree or graduate certificate early.
  • Master’s degree program students: Earn up to 12* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
  • Graduate certificate program students: Earn up to 8* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate.
  • Students complete the bachelor’s degree, and then officially matriculate into the master’s or graduate certificate program to complete the remaining required graduate-level coursework.

*Some exceptions apply. 

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

  • A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.*
  • A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed prior to enrolling in graduate (800-level) courses.
  • Streamlined Graduate School Application (two letters of recommendation; most standardized tests and application fee are waived).*

*Some exceptions apply.

Accelerated Master's Requirements

  • Students must attend a mandatory orientation session.
  • Students must submit a special registration form each semester for dual-credit courses and note any DegreeWorks exceptions.
  • Students may defer graduate matriculation for up to one year after earning their bachelor’s degree in most programs.
  • See the Accelerated Master’s Catalog Policy and Accelerated Master’s Website for additional information and a list of programs. Note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher-grade expectations) compared to the general policy.

Leadership (M.S.) Accelerated Option

This graduate degree program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with the following undergraduate program(s):1 

Accounting and Finance (B.S.)
Business Management: Management (B.S.)
Computer Information Technology: Data Analytics (B.S.)
Human Resource Management (B.S.)
Marketing (B.S.)
Operations, Supply Chain and Logistics Management (B.S.)
Students select from the following approved 800-level courses that can be completed in the undergraduate senior year for dual credit:
LD 804Leading Teams3
LD 820Cultivating Your Leadership Capabilities3
LD 821Ethical Decision-Making3
MGMT 805Organizational Behavior3
Applied Studies: Management (B.S.)
Students select from the following approved 800-level courses that can be completed in the undergraduate senior year for dual credit:
LD 820Cultivating Your Leadership Capabilities3
LD 832Building Diverse & Multicultural Organizations3
MGMT 805Organizational Behavior3
Business Management: Leadership, Change, and Social Responsibility (B.S.)
Students select from the following approved 800-level courses that can be completed in the undergraduate senior year for dual credit:
LD 820Cultivating Your Leadership Capabilities3
LD 804Leading Teams3
MGMT 805Organizational Behavior3
Business Management: Nonprofit Management (B.S.)
Students select from the following approved 800-level courses that can be completed in the undergraduate senior year for dual credit:
APST 805Grant Writing3
LD 806Fundraising and Resource Development3
LD 825Volunteer Leadership3
LD 827Leading and Governing Nonprofit Organizations3
Public Administration (B.S.)
Students select from the following approved 800-level courses that can be completed in the undergraduate senior year for dual credit:
APST 805Grant Writing3
LD 806Fundraising and Resource Development3
LD 820Cultivating Your Leadership Capabilities3
LD 825Volunteer Leadership3
Undergraduate Senior Year:
LD 820Cultivating Your Leadership Capabilities3
LD 804Leading Teams3
LD 810Change Management and Communication3
MGMT 805Organizational Behavior3
Matriculation year term one:
Two 800-level courses6
Matriculation year term two:
Two 800-level courses6
Matriculation year term semester:
LD 850Leadership Integrative Capstone3
Total Credits27


 

1

If students wish to pursue a different accelerated master's pathway into the Leadership (M.S.) program, special permission from the undergraduate advisor and Leadership (M.S.) Program Director is required.

04
Student Learning Outcomes
Open icon icon to open the summary

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will have the opportunity to:
  • Assess and enrich their capacity to lead in today’s environment;
  • Identify the components of leadership practice and present ways to implement them;
  • Evaluate organizational relationships and their ability to contribute to organizational effectiveness;
  • Assess their ethical framework in the context of an effective leadership model;
  • Augment their ability to lead people and teams to excellence in projects and organizational settings;
  • Develop theoretically-grounded plans to manage change and actualize vision within organizations.
05
Application Requirements & Deadlines
Open icon icon to open the summary

Apply now

Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

  • Fall: Rolling Admissions. Final Deadline October 24
  • Spring: Rolling Admissions. Final Deadline March 20
  • Summer: Rolling Admissions. Final Deadline May 23
  • Special: N/A

Application Fee: Application fee waived for CPS Online applicants.

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

  • Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
  • Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of Recommendation: 2 Required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

  1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
  2. Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Key Benefits of UNH CPS Online

Our 30-credit master’s degree program is designed for leaders in any field who want to advance their career.

01
Advantages
Open icon icon to open the summary
  • Available 100% online
  • Five terms – eight-week courses
  • Among the most affordable online programs in New England and nationwide
  • Exclusive tuition benefits for employer partnerships
  • Nationally and regionally accredited
  • Military Friendly®
  • Regionally accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education, Inc. (NECHE)
  • Career counseling is available to all students and alumni. We also extend this service to those considering their college options
  • Faculty who are subject matter experts and share their real-world expertise, to help you apply what you learn to your personal goals and career

Tuition Savings for Alumni

Did you receive your undergraduate degree from the College of Professional Studies? If so, you may be eligible for our 10% alumni when you apply for a graduate degree from the College of Professional Studies.

Learn About Our Alumni Tuition Discount