Overview

This one-year Master of Science degree in Leadership Education and Development program provides graduate education and preparation for Junior Officers to serve as Company Officers at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) and for continued future service in the Navy and Marine Corps.

Specialized courses address the knowledge, skills and abilities essential for leading organizations and developing leadership in others, such as mentoring, counseling and teaching subordinates, leading teams, leader communication, ethical leadership, and serving as positive role model at the United States Naval Academy.

Courses Required

Learning Outcomes

1. MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS - LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND ORGANIZATION: Officers will have the ability to apply basic management and leadership practices to organizational operations. Officers will understand the fundamental principles of leadership and management in military organizations. They will be able to implement appropriate structures for organizations and jobs; they will understand state of-the-art information technologies and planning and budgeting tools; they will become skilled in spoken and written communications; and they will understand the higher-level leadership skills and the systems perspective of organizations in which day-to-day organizational operations and strategy formulation occur.
2. EVALUATING AND IMPROVING GROUP PERFORMANCE: Officers will become skilled at analyzing and improving group morale, cohesion, and performance. Graduates of the program will have the ability to analyze and improve group effectiveness through leadership practices that also develop the leadership abilities of subordinates. This ability will be based on knowledge of managing people from diverse backgrounds, teambuilding, conflict management, group dynamics and management of change. Officers will be exposed to varied approaches for building strong shared values within the military.
3. MOTIVATING SUBORDINATES: Officers will effectively motivate subordinates to achieve high standards in all military endeavors. Program graduates will have the ability to motivate subordinates in order to provide focus and encouragement as they face the rigorous requirements and goals of the military. This ability requires an understanding of how effective leaders use goal setting, equitable discipline, reward systems, analysis of individual needs, empowerment, coaching, and high expectations to achieve peak performance from individuals. 
4. EVALUATING AND IMPROVING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE: Officers will become skilled in analyzing and improving the performance of individuals. The officers will have the ability to evaluate the performance of subordinates and provide appropriate feedback and counseling. This includes activities that range from formal performance appraisal to informal assessment on an ongoing basis. These skills require knowledge of basic performance measurement and giving feedback, as well as knowledge of how to deal with performance outside of the norms that may lead to violations of military rules and regulations.
5. BEING A ROLE MODEL FOR SUBORDINATES: Officers will model and otherwise communicate the information about the military that subordinates will need to know to successfully transition to Naval and Marine Corps Leaders. Officers will utilize the operational experience they bring to the job, in addition to a broader base of knowledge created through the program, to visibly embody the high standards and values of Naval and Marine Corps officers. The Officer will communicate knowledge of the military culture, current policy and operations, and future plans for the Navy and joint operations in the Department of Defense. These abilities are based on a knowledge of the military in a democratic society, managing organizational cultures, DoD policy, and the behaviors of good role models and mentors. 
6. MANAGING EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES: Officers will have a foundation of knowledge about educational processes that will enable them to effectively teach and develop their subordinates. The program graduate will have the ability to formulate and answer research questions about educational experiences within the Navy and Marine Corps. Through the thesis process, the officer will explore important issues while concurrently broadening his/her knowledge of training and education in the military.

The coursework provides knowledge and skills that officers will use as Company Officers and in other leadership roles in the military. The program foundation develops students’ abilities to think critically and analytically by providing essential skills and knowledge in management fundamentals such as organizational behavior, quantitative analysis, project management, strategic thinking, and social science research methods.

Completion of this curriculum qualifies an officer for subspecialty code 4500P. The Primary Curriculum Sponsor is the United States Naval Academy.

Application Information

Applications are handled by the NPS Admissions Office. Please visit the admissions website or contact them at admissions@nps.edu.

Tuition & Service Obligation

For information regarding tuition, please contact the NPS Tuition office at tuition@nps.edu, or contact this offering’s POC at msdirenz@nps.edu.

For information regarding service obligation, please visit the Admissions Office’s Eligibility/Service Obligation page.