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Leadership & Development MSc

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Our Leadership & Development MSc focuses on the issues that highlight leadership’s central position in the dynamics of development. It will give you an understanding of the fundamentally important, yet under-researched, role that leadership plays in the developmental challenges that confront developing societies.


 Key benefits

  • Innovative approach to the interdisciplinary study of leadership as it relates to development.
  • Opportunity to network with the African Leadership Centre’s (ALC) wide range of institutional partners that include universities, international organisations, and research and policy institutions from all over the world.
  • Taught by key intellectuals and experts on leadership, peace and security from both the global north and south.
  • Access to a broad selection of optional courses from across King’s, particularly our Global Institutes and the School of Social Sciences and Public Policy.
  • Interact with the ALC’s global network of renowned academics, practitioners and activists.

Key information

Application status Open

Duration 1 year FT, September to September

Study mode Full-time, Part-time

Credit value UK 180 / ECTS 90

Programme accreditations King's College London

Course intake tbc

Course leaders Prof Funmi Olonisakin

Further details

Course contact for further information

Postgraduate Admissions Team, Admissions Office
tel: +44 (0)20 7848 7000
fax: +44 (0)20 7848 7200

Course contact form Postgraduate admissions

Awarding institution King's College London

Faculty Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy

Department African Leadership Centre

Locations

 

Explore campuses

African Leadership Centre

In the heart of London

Hear more from Dr Ekaette Ikpe about the African Leadership Centre

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Course detail

Description

Through our Leadership & Development MSc, you will investigate various forms of leadership from key individuals to institutions, including states and key international development organisations and networks. You will study the various patterns of development in developing societies, with some references to emerging economies and the developed world, in great detail, through the perspective of leadership. In addition to the focus on development and leadership, our course investigates area studies as it cross-references various developing regions including Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our course provides you with high-quality postgraduate training that builds your critical analysis skills and your independent judgement on leadership and development.

If you have an interest in understanding how leadership patterns interact with historical factors, local cultures and global influences as they inform and are informed by development outcomes and processes across the world, or if you are interested in the debate which surrounds the interaction between leadership and development globally, particularly in the global south, this course is ideal for you.

Course purpose

Our course provides high-quality postgraduate training that builds the capacity for critical analysis, independent judgement and engagement with critical audiences on leadership and development.

It will appeal to students with an interest in pertinent debates on the interaction between leadership and development globally, with an emphasis on the global south. As such, you will develop your skills for a career in academia, public and private sectors as well as with non-governmental and international organisations among others.

Further literature

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/enquiry-form.aspx http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/schools/global-affairs/alc/index.aspx

Course format and assessment

Teaching

For every 20-credit module we will typically provide 20 hours of lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 180 hours of independent study. For your dissertation, you will usually have 10 hours of discussion time with a tutor, and you will undertake 590 hours of independent study.

As part of their two-year schedule, part-time students typically take the Leadership & Society modules and 40 credits of optional modules in Year 1, and the Dissertation module and 40 credits of optional modules in Year 2. Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

We assess our Leadership & Society module through two essays and one seminar presentation. We assess our 20-credit modules through two essays each. We will assess your dissertation through a 1,000-word dissertation outline and a 14,000-word piece of writing.

 

Structure

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 180 credits.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Required Modules
You are required to take the following modules:
If you are a part-time student, you will take Leadership & Society in your first year, and your dissertation in your second. You must choose two more modules each year, from both the list above and the list below.
Optional Modules

In addition, you are required to take two modules (totalling 40 credits) from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:

Entry requirements & how to apply

Leardership Entry Requirements
Minimum requirements  2:1 Minimum of a 2:1 Degree in the social sciences, arts and humanities, law and other relevant disciplines.
International requirements   Visit our admissions webpages to view our International entry requirements.
English Language requirements  Band B Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.

 

Application procedure

Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £60 applies.

To apply for most of our postgraduate programmes at King's you will need to complete our postgraduate online application form. A minority of programmes have a different application procedure. Applying online makes applying easier and quicker for you, and means we can receive your application faster and more securely.

King's does not normally accept paper copies of the postgraduate application form as applications must be made online. However, if you are unable to access the online postgraduate application form, please contact the relevant admissions/school office at King's for advice.

If you have already applied to King's through our online application form you can check the status of your application by logging into myApplication.

Personal statement and supporting information

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

Document checklist
Personal Statement Yes Please provide a personal statement of no more than 1,000 words explaining why you are interested in this particular programme, and outlining any relevant experience you have. If there are any anomalies in your academic record, please use the personal statement to explain related extenuating circumstances.
Previous Academic Study Yes A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
References Yes Two references are required with at least one academic. Professional references will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago.
Other Optional You may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of your application.

Application closing date

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible.  Our first application deadline is the 29 March 2019.  Applications will remain open if places are available and programmes will be closed as soon as they are full.  

Help and support

If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn't your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.

Preparation courses

Fees and funding

  • Full time Home/EU fees: £9,990 per year (2019/20)
  • Full time overseas fees: £21,300 per year (2019/20)
  • Part time Home/EU fees: £4,995 per year (2019/20)
  • Part time overseas fees: £10,650 per year (2019/20)

Students starting their programme in 2019/20 who are eligible to pay EU fees will pay the same rate of tuition fees as UK students. This will apply for the duration of their programme, but may be subject to change by the UK Government for subsequent cohorts from 2020/21.

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

The UK/EU deposit is £500.

The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000. 

  • If you receive an offer on or before 31st March 2019, payment is due by 27th April 2019.
  • If you receive an offer between 1st April 2019 and 30th June 2019, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 1st July 2019 and 31st July 2019, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer on or after 1st August 2019, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.

If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Additional costs/expenses

In addition to your tuition fees, you can also expect to pay for: 

  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies 
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
  • Course packs, which are a vital part of your learning at King's and normally contain extracts from books and other useful documents that will inform your study.
  • Library fees and fines 
  • Personal photocopies 
  • Printing course handouts 
  • Society membership fees 
  • Stationery 
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses 
  • Graduation costs

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

Financial help and support

Visit the fees and funding webpages to find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans and other financial help available at King's.

Career prospects

Our graduates use the skills and knowledge that they develop over the course of this course to build careers in further academic research, teaching, public and private sectors, transnational corporations, international organisations (UN, EU, AU and worldwide regional organisations) and non-governmental organisations.

Testimonials

Nompilo

Nompilo

"The concept of ‘Leadership’ was exemplified to me through ‘mentorship’ in a way that I now also embrace and practice as a way of life – whenever the opportunity arises."

Salamatu

Salamatu

"My perceptions and attitude towards life have changed positively, the African Leadership Centre is a life-changing institution."

Next steps

Upcoming events

Jun 22 Undergraduate Open Day | Arts and Sciences | Strand Campus | Saturday 22 June
Jul 6 Undergraduate Open Day | Health and Life Sciences | Guy’s Campus | Saturday 6 July
Sep 7 Undergraduate Open Day | Arts and Sciences | Strand Campus | Saturday 7 September

Full list of student events

View our postgraduate guide

Learn more about postgraduate degree programmes at King's. Download or view our guide in PDF format.

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