The Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business at the University of Dallas has recently added a new graduate program to the college this semester: a Master’s of Leadership program.
Dr. J. Lee Whittington, dean of the COB, said, “The idea is that leadership is a skillset that transcends many different environments, so the Master’s of Leadership is designed to equip people for leadership positions. It’s designed to enhance people that already have leadership skills…and to expand their capacity as leaders. It would serve anybody, not just corporate people, but it would serve not-for-profits, education, faith-based institutions; it’s a broad degree.”
According to Dr. Whittington, this program has been in the works for a long time. He first had the idea about 25 years ago when he arrived at UD. He and Dr. Brett Bourbon, professor of English, tried to establish the program a few years ago, but unfortunately, it didn’t succeed.
“We tried to get it up and running a few years ago,” said Whittington. “We didn’t market it, but now we have support. Now, we have graduates. But I think there is a need for leadership. I think there’s a need for leadership in organizations, in schools, in churches, in government, at every level. We need leaders.”
While other leadership programs are typically offered by one school, the program provided by UD’s college of business will focus on what Dr. Whitington calls critical multiple-ism.
“By integrating the four pillars, the social sciences, the virtue ethics, liberal education, [and leadership competencies], [we are trying to] get people to see leadership in its full complexity. And I don’t think any other school does that,” said Whittington. “I want us to see phenomena like leadership from several different perspectives, to understand that there are not just the organizational issues – it’s more complex.”
A key focus of the program is the cultivation of character. Dr. Whittington said, “In my mind, if you don’t have character, nothing else matters. We’re going to be intensely intentional about cultivating character. We’re not running away from that. And so it’s not just a skill set. It’s about transforming people and changing their lives and helping them cultivate their character and cultivate those virtues. And we do that really well at the University of Dallas.”
UD is hopeful that the program will find success among the student body.
Dr. Brittany Landrum, the program’s social psychology professor and assistant professor of psychology, said, “The master’s program in leadership is unique as it aims to cultivate ethical leaders who are grounded in strong moral principles and who understand the importance of virtuous behavior in their decision-making. My hope is that students will learn how these virtues promote positive group dynamics, shared responsibility and appreciation and respect for others’ contributions as they learn to lead with integrity.”
UD’s undergraduate curriculum is already tailored to cultivating virtue and responsibility. The Master’s of Leadership program offers the next step in developing ethical leaders.
“Historically, the University of Dallas has always been a school for leaders. Even if we didn’t have a program, the kind of education you get at the University of Dallas prepares you to lead,” said Whittington. “I think we’re going to do a really good job of cultivating virtuous leaders who are equipped to lead in a variety of organizational contexts.”