MLead Award Summary

Master of Leadership (MLead)

AQF Level 9 Master Degree (Coursework)

Entry Requirements	An AQF level 8 award in the field of philosophy and religious studies (Australian Standard Classification of Education field 0917 – Philosophy and Religious Studies).
Duration	1 year (2 semesters) full-time or 3 years (6 semesters) part-time.
Mode	Full-time, Part-time
Structure	Eight units (72 credit points) including two compulsory units (18 credit points), three core units (27 credit points) taken from the list of approved Master of Leadership specialist units, one unit (9 credit points) focused on *leadership practice in the context of the candidate’s place of work, ministry or mission, and two elective units (18 credit points). The course may be taken with or without a specialisation. A specialisation in the Master of Leadership comprises 54 credit points in the discipline of Christian Life and Ministry or one of its sub disciplines with at least two 9200-series units. The Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma entry award units may be used towards the 54 credit points required for the specialisation.
English Proficiency	Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction normally require a minimum IELTS (or equivalent) score of 7.0 in all bands of the test.

Admission

International students intending to study or studying on a student visa cannot enrol in the Master of Leadership.

Domestic students should contact the Registrar of the teaching college for enrolment and fee details.

Graduate Diploma of Leadership (GradDipLead) is offered at:

Australian College of Ministries

Graduate Profile and Rationale

The Master of Leadership is designed for those possessing a Graduate Certificate in the field of philosophy and studies in religion who wish to pursue a further qualification in an area of leadership focus as part of their continuing education for ministry.

The Master of Leadership focuses on building leadership capacity for people involved in a wide scope of religious, non-profit, community-focused enterprises. Students may be working for denominationally based organisations in education, welfare, aged care, local church or other ministries requiring specific leadership training for ministry or mission.

Outcomes

Graduates will have specialised knowledge and skills for further learning in professional practice and research and the ability to apply such knowledge and skills in a ministry leadership-related area.

Knowledge

Graduates will have:

- an integrated understanding of an advanced body of knowledge related to the practice of leadership particular to the management and governance of a complex religious, non-profit, ministry enterprise;
- an expert understanding of the principles of inquiry and methods applicable to leadership theory and their application to real-world ministry practice.

Skills

Graduates will demonstrate advanced specialised cognitive and technical skills in leadership within a ministry-related body of knowledge, so that they are able independently to

- analyse critically, reflect on, and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts, and theories associated with leadership in a ministry-related context;
- implement with discrimination established leadership theories to provide solutions for the effective governance, management, and operations of a religious, non-profit, community organization;
- interpret and transmit knowledge, skills, and ideas through coherent and sustained leadership to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Applications of Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will have the ability to:

- apply knowledge and skills in a way that demonstrates initiative, autonomy, expert judgment, adaptability, and accountability as leaders of religious, non-profit, community-focused enterprises;
- plan and execute a substantial research or field-based project in an area of work-based leadership.

Exit Point

Graduate Certificate in Leadership (36 credit points).

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS for the Master of Leadership

1	Admission to Candidature
	1.1	An applicant for admission to candidature for the Master of Leadership will:
		1.1.1	hold an AQF level 8 award in the field of philosophy and religious studies (Australian Standard Classification of Education field 0917 – Philosophy and Religious Studies) from an accredited Australian tertiary institution; or
		1.1.2	hold, from a university or other tertiary institution, qualifications approved by the Student Support and Administration Committee as equivalent to such an award.
	1.2	Notwithstanding the provisions of this regulation, the Student Support and Administration Committee may require an applicant to demonstrate fitness for admission as a candidate for this degree by carrying out such work and/or sitting for such examinations as the Student Support and Administration Committee may determine.
	1.3	In exceptional cases, an applicant may be admitted as a candidate for a Master of Leadership, if the applicant submits evidence of other academic and professional attainments to the Student Support and Administration Committee.
	1.4	A Candidate for the award will be designated as full-time or part-time. A student is designated as full-time if enrolled in 27 credit points or more in a semester or part-time if enrolled in less than 27 credit points per semester.
	1.5	No candidate for the award may be concurrently enrolled in any other undergraduate or postgraduate course within the Sydney College of Divinity or any other tertiary institution, unless approval has been granted by the Academic Board.
	1.6	Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction will normally be required to demonstrate competency in English by an IELTS (or equivalent) result of 7.0 in all bands of the test, and may be required to attend such English language courses as prescribed by the Sydney College of Divinity.
	1.7	Application for admission to the Master of Leadership program is made to the Registrar of the appropriate Teaching Body offering the program.
2	Course Structure
	2.1	The Master of Leadership requires the completion of 72 credit points (8 units) from 8100 and 9200 series units in the SCD Schedule of Units of Study.
	2.2	The eight units will include
		2.2.1	two compulsory units (18 cps): P8107 Non-Profit Governance for Ministry P8155 Foundations of Christian Leadership Note: If either of the two compulsory units have been completed in the award used for admission into the Graduate Diploma of Leadership, they are to be replaced with one or two elective units respectively
		2.2.2	three core units (27 cps) taken from the list of approved **Master of Leadership core units in Schedule 1
		2.2.3	one ***Leadership Practice unit (9 or 18 cps) focused on leadership practice in the context of a place of work, ministry or mission through research, self-guided study, or field study (this may be a capstone unit, research project, research essay, independent guided study, site visit, field placement or action research project) from the Schedule 1
		2.2.4	elective units from the 8100 and 9200 series in the SCD Schedule of Units to complete the 72 credit points required for the award.
	2.3	The program must include at least two 9200-series units.
	2.4	A specialisation comprises 4 units (36 cps) from a list of units approved by the Academic Board.
	2.5	Units coded “A” are not counted towards a specialisation in any discipline or subdiscipline.
	2.6	Units from the entry Graduate Certificate (or Graduate Diploma) if equivalent, to units required for the award, may be considered for inclusion as core units and in the forming of any specialisation (54 cps, including at least 2×9200 level units) or sub-specialisation (36 cps) within the Master of Leadership.
	2.7	Candidates who have previously studied a BTh/BMin or equivalent may not enrol in units with content similar to those covered in their previous studies.
3	Period of Candidature
	3.1	The period of candidature for the award will normally be 1 year full-time (2 semesters), or up to 3 years (6 semesters) part-time.
	3.2	In certain circumstances, the Student Support and Administration Committee may grant extensions to the period of candidature.
4	Leave of Absence
	4.1	The Student Support and Administration Committee may grant leave of absence from the Graduate Diploma of Leadership. The period of leave will not be counted as part of the period of candidature for the award.
	4.2	The period of leave will normally be one semester, after which a candidate may apply for a further period of one semester, or will be required to complete candidature.
5	Assessment
	5.1	The assessment of subject units will be in the manner approved by the Academic Board, in line with the College’s established guidelines.
	5.2	Academic Board may require students to present themselves for oral examination.
	5.3	Academic and non-academic misconduct will be penalised in accordance with the regulations of the Sydney College of Divinity, whose stipulations are severe.
6	Credit and Recognised Prior Learning
	6.1	A candidate may seek credit up to a maximum of 18 credit points in the Master of Leadership.
	6.2	Credit can only be granted for units that are from an equivalent award or institution and have outcomes, content, demand hours, and assessment equivalent to that of units in the SCD award.
	6.3	Credit for Recognised Prior Learning can be granted subject to a successful application.
7	Saving Clause
	7.1	Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Academic Board of the Sydney College of Divinity may, in any case in which it may deem it appropriate to do so, vary, dispense with or suspend any requirement or prescription by these regulations, and report forthwith to the Council of the Sydney College of Divinity.

Schedule 1

**Master of Leadership core units

C8103 Psychology and Leadership
C8160 Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) & Positive Psychology (PP)
C8166 Well-being and Resilience for People Helpers
E9271 Business and Professional Ethics
M9227 Intercultural Communication
P8106 Administrative Gifts for Ministry
P8108 Financial Management for Ministry
P8158 Working in a Ministry Team Setting
P8162 Administrative Leadership and Management for Ministry
P8163 Spiritual Leadership
P8172 Practice of Pastoral Supervision
P9221 Managing Conflict in Ministry
P9222 Change Management for Ministry
P9258 Strategic Thinking and Decision Making
P9259 Leading the Larger Church
P9260 Personal Growth for Leadership
P9261 Transformational Leadership in Ministry
S8101 Formation in Christian Leadership
S8103 Personal Transformation
S8161 Spiritual Direction
S9262 Leadership and Spiritual Discernment

***Leadership Practice Units
Units focused on leadership practice in the context of a place of work, ministry, or mission through research, self-guided study, or field study.

M8128 Engaging in Intercultural Ministry
X8194 Fieldwork in [Discipline]
X9290 Capstone Unit in [Discipline]
X9292 Seminar in [Topic]
X9293 Minor Independent Guided Study
X9294 Major Independent Guided Study
X9295 Action Research Project
X9296 Minor Research Project
X9297 Major Research Project
X9298 Minor Research Essay