Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) Dual Degree

Overview

The combined Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) dual degree is designed to blend strategic leadership with business acumen, saving time by integrating coursework from both programs.  The program is available online for professionals seeking advanced skills in both areas for management and leadership roles. The degree is a powerful combo of broad business strategy (MBA) and deep people/organizational skills, creating highly versatile leaders who stand out, accelerate career growth in complex roles (like healthcare admin or tech management), gain unique cross-domain expertise, build broader networks, and achieve higher earning potential by merging strategic vision with practical, human-centered management. 

Key Aspects:

• Integrated Curriculum: This dual degree merges the focus of the MAL (leadership, ethics, organizational dynamics) with the core business principles of the MBA (finance, marketing, operations, analytics).
• For Working Professionals: The program is structured to accommodate busy schedules, often through online and accelerated formats.
• Career Advancement: It prepares graduates for high-impact roles requiring both strong leadership and business knowledge, common in healthcare, tech, and various corporate sectors.
• Customizable: The UJ MBA component allows for specializations in areas like Healthcare Management, Analytics, or Supply Chain, adding further depth. 

Requirements

The dual MAL/MBA program will fulfill the requirements for both a Master of Arts in Leadership and Master of Business Administration degrees through strategically selected elective credits. Students will complete 54 credits via this dual degree plan, as opposed to 66 credits if taking both degrees individually.

The MAL degree consists of:

• Completing 9 core courses (27 credit hours)
• Completing 3 track courses (9 credit hours, 6 credits of which overlap with an elective MBA micro-credential area)

The MBA degree consists of:

• Completing 6 core courses (18 credit hours)
• Completing 2 micro-credential areas (12 credit hours)
  • One MBA micro-credential (Organizational Leadership) is met through required courses from the MAL core (6 credit hours)
  • The second MBA micro-credential is an elective option with a leadership focus (6 credit hours, which overlap with MAL track courses)

MAL Core Courses

Course Number	Course Title	Credits
LDRS 500	Foundations of Leadership	3
LDRS 504	Leadership Communication, Conflict Resolution and Negotiation	3
LDRS 511	Initiating Critical Inquiry	3
LDRS 512	Organizational Systems and Change Management	3
LDRS 513	Ethical Discernment for Leaders	3
LDRS 515	Leading in a Global Context	3
LDRS 516	Organizational Culture: Mission, People, and Purpose	3
LDRS 633	Followership: Coaching & Mentoring	3
LDRS 699	Leadership Project/Practicum	3
Total Credit Hours:		27

LDRS 500 and LDRS 513 fulfill the MBA Organizational Leadership micro-credential.

MBA Core Courses

Course Number	Course Title	Credits
BUSN 510	Human Resource Management	3
BUSN 640	Innovation Ecosystems	3
BUSN 645	Applied Corporate Finance	3
ECON 650	Economic Analysis	3
BUSN 505	Advanced Business Research Methods	3
BUSN 699	Capstone: Strategy Formulation and Implementation	3
Total Credit Hours:		18

Choose one track:

Total Credit Hours:

9

Healthcare Management

Course Number	Course Title	Credits
LDRS 509	21st Century Health Care Systems and Policy	3
LDRS 621	Leading in Interprofessional Healthcare Teams	3
LDRS 622	Change and Innovation in Healthcare	3

Sports Management

Course Number	Course Title	Credits
LDRS 510	Sports Marketing, Promotion and Communication	3
LDRS 631	Sports Fundraising and Financial Concepts	3
LDRS 632	Current Trends in Sports Leadership	3

Total Credit Hours: 54

Admission

Applicants must have:

• 3.0 GPA from a nationally accredited university
• Transcript from a nationally accredited university
• Personal essay
• 2 letters of reference

Plan of Study

Outcomes

MAL Outcomes

• Theoretical Application: Students will apply theoretical insights and solutions to real-world leadership and organizational problems.
• Research-based Application: Students will analyze, develop, and implement research-based applications for leadership and organizations.
• Ethical Discernment: Students will analyze, evaluate, and apply ethical discernment to real-world leadership and organizational problems.
• Professional Development: Students will develop professional plans for leadership growth and learning for themselves and their organizations.

MBA Outcomes

• Students analyze the organization as a whole and describe and explain the systems concept.
• Students apply quality tools to solve a specific quality problem.
• Students analyze an organization on strategic management as it pertains to the long-term success of the organization.
• Students utilize innovative thinking and problem-solving to analyze an organization.