Frequently Asked Questions
Prospective Undergraduate Students
Our department offers a Bachelor of Science in Leadership, as well as minor in Leadership Science. The BS in Leadership prepares students for leadership roles across various sectors, including business, non-profit organizations, government, and education. Our curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and effective communication skills essential for today's workplace.
Students interested in the undergraduate Leadership program must meet APSU's general admission requirements. No additional program-specific admission criteria are required to declare Leadership as your major. We recommend meeting with a Leadership department advisor early in your academic career to develop a graduation plan that aligns with your goals.
Yes! The Leadership program pairs exceptionally well with other majors and minors. Popular combinations include Business, Communication, Psychology, and Political Science. Our flexible curriculum allows students to pursue complementary areas of study that enhance their leadership focus and career goals. Speak with your advisor about how to efficiently incorporate additional credentials into your academic plan.
Graduates of our Leadership program pursue diverse career paths including management, human resources, public administration, community development, and entrepreneurship. The program's emphasis on transferable skills such as problem-solving, team management, and organizational development prepares students for roles across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Many graduates also continue to graduate programs in leadership, business administration, public policy, or related fields.
Current Undergraduate Students
Current APSU students can declare or change their major/minor by completing the Change of Major form through AP OneStop. After submitting your request, you'll be assigned an advisor from the Leadership department who will guide you through program requirements and course planning.
The National Society for Leadership and Success (NSLS) is the student organization most closely affiliated with our department. The largest student organization on campus, NSLS provides excellent networking opportunities, webinars and a national virtual conference.
Prospective Graduate Students
A full description of the admission requirements for Leadership graduate programs are listed in the graduate bulletin. Students will need to request official transcripts form all undergraduate institutions and submit either GRE scores or an Admission Portfolio. Students who choose to submit an Admission Portfolio should include an up-to-date resume, two letters of recommendation, and a brief essay (300 – 500 words) outlining their goals as they relate to earning a Leadership graduate credential.
The MSL provides several flexible pathways to fit your lifestyle. For full-time students, the MSL can be earned in as little as one academic year. Working professionals tend to take one course at a time and graduate in about two years.
Graduate certificates are microcredentials that allow students to focus on a specific skillset by taking three courses in a concentrated area. Students can pursue these credentials as stand-alone programs or in addition to the MSL. All Leadership certificates are “stackable”, meaning the coursework taken for a certificate can be applied to the MSL and vice versa. Let your advisor know if you would like to earn a certificate in conjunction with the MSL so you can plan your schedule accordingly.
Our Master of Science in Leadership offers 3 concentrations which allows students to specialize their MSL to meet their interests and professional goals. The 3 concentrations are: Strategic Leadership, Community Leadership, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Each concentration consists of focused coursework that develops expertise in that particular area. Students in the MSL program can also design a customized plan of study with their advisor to align with specific career goals or interests.
Yes, our graduate Leadership programs are designed with working professionals in mind. The program is delivered 100% online, providing maximum flexibility for students to complete coursework on their own schedule. Many of our students successfully balance full-time employment with their graduate studies, accessing course materials and participating in discussions at times that work best for them. Our graduate coordinator can help you develop a course schedule that accommodates your professional commitments while keeping you on track toward program completion.
National Society for Leadership and Success
Students pursuing a graduate leadership program may be particularly interested in joining the National Society for Leadership and Success at APSU. This organization is co-sponsored by the Department of Leadership and Student Affairs. Benefits for members include learning from exceptional leaders during exclusive speaker broadcasts and networking both on-campus and virtually.
Learn more about the National Society for Leadership and Success
International Leadership Association
This organization provides opportunities for graduate students to network, attend professional development activities like webinars and virtual lectures, and participate in the International Student Case Competition. Students who attend ILA conferences can apply to share their own original work and explore the latest in leadership thinking, research, and practice from leadership scholars, practitioners, educators, program directors, consultants, students, and other leaders and leadership professionals. Students can apply for funding for opportunities to attend conferences through the Office of Student Research and Innovation.
Research Experiences
Feeling inspired to complete a scholarly research project? Ask your advisor if your idea could be appropriate for LDSP 5998 – Professional Project. In this independent study elective course (offered on an as-needed basis), students apply and synthesize course material by completing an approved applied project directed by their major advisor or other available faculty member. Examples for potential projects include, but are not limited to: data collection and analysis, application of course concepts through a consulting project that serves an organization or the community, creation of a scholarly research product suitable for presentation at a conference, etc.
Current Graduate Students
You can find information regarding textbooks on APSU's Bookstore website. Use the Textbook link (toward the top-left of the screen) to find your required course materials. All students are expected to have their textbooks in their possession on the first day of class.
We strongly encourage all new graduate students to submit their papers to the Writing Center in the library for review prior to submitting them in the course dropboxwhen needed/possible, especially if you are not used to writing in a proper APA-style format.Visit the Writing Center's page to learn how you can submit your papers online. Keep in mind that the lab will need time to read and review your paper, and you will need time to incorporate their feedback when they finish, so be sure to submit your work well in advance of the assignment due date.
Each term, students must be cleared to register by their academic advisor. You are welcome to select your own classes if you created a plan with your advisor as you were admitted to the program, or you can check in with them each term. If you want to check on your remaining courses, you can also refer to the graduate bulletin. Your advisor will welcome your questions, so don't hesitate to reach out if needed.
APSU uses D2L as our course management system. You can access D2L via OneStop or directly at elearn.apsu.edu. Our Department of Distance Education has compiled an overview of relevant information for students who are new to online learning, new to D2L, or who just want a refresher on some best practices in online learning. Additionally, you can find course start/end dates for all terms on the university's Academic Calendar. You will have access to your course content in D2L two business days prior to the beginning of the term.
Yes, students may transfer up to 9 approved graduate credit hours from another accredited institution into the MSL program. Transfer credits must be relevant to leadership studies, earned with a grade of B or better, and approved by the program coordinator. Students should submit official transcripts and course syllabi for transfer credit evaluation as early as possible in their program.
The Department of Leadership hosts a closed LinkedIn group for all APSU Leadership graduate students, past and present. We hope this will be an easy way for our students, faculty, and alumni to connect and stay in touch with each other. If you are on LinkedIn and would like to join, please click the link below to request to be added to the group. We frequently share opportunities for participation in professional development activities like workshops, webinars, etc.