Why Westminster's Community Leadership degree?

 Leaders of community organizations wear many hats. The MACL program prepares you with the skills you need to:

• Manage and lead an organization 
• Work with budgets and make informed decisions 
• Work collaboratively with community members 
• Work effectively with nonprofit boards
• Advocate with governmental decision-makers
• Communicate your message in a variety of ways, using the latest technologies
• Understand how rhetoric works so you can communicate more effectively

"There has been a gap between the skills that community leaders need and the educational programs offered to them. Westminster College is bridging that divide and assuring quality with the Master of Arts in Community Leadership program." -Gary Daynes, Associate Provost for Integrative Learning

 What makes the Community Leadership degree unique?

• This degree is a collaborative program drawing on Westminster's outstanding graduate programs in the Schools of Business, Education, Arts and Sciences, and Nursing and Health Sciences.
• Classes are very hands-on and students are encouraged to share their experiences from the range of backgrounds they bring to the program.
• Coursework is connected to students' workplaces and community settings, with many options to customize projects and coursework.
• Courses are taught by Westminster faculty in collaboration with experienced community leaders.
• Small class sizes foster an extraordinarily high degree of personal attention.

"Nonprofit leaders need to be great. Good just isn't good enough when we are asked to make a difference or even change people's lives. People who understand the reality and nuance of community leadership and have the commitment to make a better life for people are unique. If it were easy, everyone would do it." -Don Gomes, Former Executive Director, Utah Nonprofits Association

Students can choose the certificate or degree programs:

The Certificate in Community Leadership program covers the three core areas with courses totalling 20-21 credits.

Students who wish to complete the Master of Arts degree complete an additional 14-15 credits (35 total), including a research or community service project designed around their professional interests and needs.

Program Standards

Leadership and Management: Students will learn and demonstrate skills in leading and managing non-profit and other types of organizations and community efforts.

Community Organization and Advocacy: Students will demonstrate skills in conducting research in communities, and use those skills to effectively and creatively organize communities and advocate in public-policy arenas.

Communication Skills: Students will communicate effectively orally, in writing, and through various media.

Critical, analytical, and integrative thinking: Students will demonstrate critical, analytical, and integrative thinking.

Critical reflection: Students will reflect critically on ethical issues, their role as leaders in the community, and their role as global citizens.

Collaboration: Students will work collaboratively with peers, faculty members, and community members throughout the program.

What classes will you take?