Woodbury University to Roll Out New Master of Arts in Leadership Program in San Diego for Fall 2016

    SAN DIEGO, CA, October 28, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Expanding the graduate curriculum at its Barrio Logan campus, Woodbury University today announced a new Master of Arts in Leadership program, commencing in Fall 2016. The Leadership degree joins the 2016 masters programs in Interior Architecture (MIA) and Landscape Architecture (MLA) in San Diego, and represents Woodbury San Diego's first offering outside of the field of architecture.

According to program head Dr. H. Eric Schockman, Chair of the Department of Leadership and Director of the Center for Leadership in the College of Transdisciplinarity at Woodbury, the Masters in Leadership curriculum will focus on bi-national leadership development, drawing faculty from the university's campuses in San Diego and Los Angeles. Built around case examples and simulations, courses will be conducted in English with distinguished bilingual guest lecturers periodically. The program will tackle issues in leadership development on both sides of the border, from environmental policy to corporate governance to community activism.

Aimed at mid-career level managers and supervisors in the public, non-profit and for profit sectors, the Leadership masters program will welcome its first cohort of some 25 students in September 2016. The field of study will span 20 months, consisting of two 7-week courses per semester - predominantly evening classes -- over a total of five semesters.
The program is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and applicants must possess a B.A. from an accredited university in the U.S. or Mexico. Mexican nationals are encouraged to apply.

"This is truly a pioneering effort in the bi-national region," Schockman said. "We anticipate students across a mix of disciplines, backgrounds and nationalities, and that diversity will bring a richness to this program. We're training new leaders to move up and, certainly, leadership doesn't stop at the border. We see the program as a tremendous opportunity for emerging leaders from Mexico to connect with their counterparts in the U.S."

Next fall, the Center for Leadership will also introduce its non-degree certificate for working professionals interested in intensive leadership development and whose organizations agree to sponsor them through the university. As part of this effort, Woodbury will focus on the South Bay of the San Diego County municipalities of Imperial Beach, National City and Chula Vista in such areas as conflict resolution and community leadership development.

In Los Angeles, Woodbury's Master of Arts in Leadership program attracts professionals with diverse backgrounds who want to position themselves for success in leadership in a variety of roles. Students learn the principles of effective leadership including:

 How human beings work and interact at the individual and instructional level
 How organizational structure and communication affect workplace dynamics
 The requirements and principles for ethical behavior and decision-making
 Critical thinking and communication skills

The program is designed for working professionals with flexible evening programming. By employing a cohort model, students can develop new professional relationships while balancing their responsibility to work, family and the community.

"Our mission is to develop ethical leaders with an ability to think critically and act effectively," Schockman said. "Students study and examine practices to guide strategic change and leadership at all levels in both the public and private sectors, enabling them to respond to the needs of organizations today and propel them into tomorrow."

About Woodbury University
Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. With campuses in Burbank/Los Angeles and San Diego, the university offers bachelor's degrees from the School of Architecture, School of Business, School of Media, Culture & Design, and College of Transdisciplinarity, along with a Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Media for Social Justice, Master of Architecture (MArch), Master of Interior Architecture (MIA), Master of Science in Architecture (MSArch), Master of Leadership, and Master of Arts in Media for Social Justice. The San Diego campus offers Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees, as well as an MSArch degree with a concentration in Real Estate Development and Landscape + Urbanism. Woodbury ranks 15th among the nation's "25 Colleges That Add the Most Value," according to Money Magazine and is a 2014-2015 College of Distinction. Visit woodbury.edu for more information.

Media Contact
Ken Greenberg
Edge Communications, Inc.
(323) 469-3397
[email protected]

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