M.A. in Leadership, Ecology and Equity

ADMISSION APPLICATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 2024 ARE NOW ACCEPTED

General Information

The School of Leadership, Ecology and Equity of the Faculty of Human Sciences at Saint Paul University offers a Master of Arts in Leadership, Ecology and Equity. This degree is conferred jointly by the Senates of Saint Paul University and the University of Ottawa under the terms of the federation agreement between them.

The purpose of the M.A. in Leadership, Ecology and Equity is to foster the development of leaders capable of responding to the most pressing needs of our time, including issues arising from social inequalities and environmental degradation. Offered with two options, the program allows students to specialize in either transformative leadership or integral ecology.

The Transformative Leadership option combines self-reflection and critical thought to develop the capacity of organizational and community leaders to meaningfully engage a diversity of stakeholders. With a primary focus on the integration of theory and practice, the courses enable learners to think about transforming the social world around them by working with their imagination, emotions, values and faith.

The Integral Ecology option also integrates theory and practice, addressing the dynamic interplay between social injustice and a wide range of ecological issues, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, energy production and extractive industries, animal welfare, loss of natural habitat and other emerging concerns. It enables the development of leaders capable of making a commitment to environmental justice.

This program is designed for people from all backgrounds who wish to discover and develop their leadership capacity and bring about constructive social change. A thesis profile is also available for those who wish to develop advanced research skills, and who apply for this option during the course of their studies.

Admission details

Enrollment: full-time or part-time.
Program length: eight courses over one year full-time or three years part-time.
Program delivery: mostly on campus.
Languages: this program is offered in English and in French.

For more details, please click here.

Scholarships

Students registered in this program may be eligible for a limited number of scholarships. For more information, please click here

This degree is conferred jointly with the University of Ottawa.

For information about academic regulations, click here.

BRICIU Bianca, Professor
EATON Heather, Professor
HAMIDI Nawel, Professor
KUZMOCHKA Carol, Professor
MICHELLE LEVESQUE Lauren, Professor
SÉGUIN Michaël, Professor

To be considered for admission, applicants must:

An honour’s bachelor degree (4 years) or its equivalent in the humanities or social sciences, with an average of at least B (70%). If the minimum requirements for admission are not met, a qualifying program, the content of which will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions Committee, may be offered. See details below.
Provide the following documents:

a letter of intent (maximum 500 words);
a curriculum vitae;
an academic or professional reference.

An interview with members of the Admissions Committee may be required.

Qualifying Program

The number of units taken in a qualifying program may not exceed 36.
The qualifying program must be completed within three consecutive terms or less.
A minimum grade of C+ in each course and have an overall B average are required.
Students wishing to complete their qualifying courses at another university are advised to have their course of studies approved in advance by the program coordinator.

TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP OPTION

Compulsory Courses (12 units)

HUM5101 Leadership and Theories of Change (3u)
HUM5121 Transformative Leadership and Spiritualities (3u)
HUM5123 Integral Ecology (3u)
HUM5124 Equity, Justice and Ecological Issues (3u)

Integration (3 units)

HUM5301 Integration Project (3u)

Optional Courses (6 units)

6 units from:

HUM5104 Indigenous Spiritualities, Decolonization and Leadership (3u)
HUM5114 Leadership, Gender and Feminisms (3u)
HUM5115 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (3u)
HUM5122 Collaborative Leadership and Group Dynamics (3u)
HUM5304 Special Topics in Leadership, Ecology and Equity (3u)
HUM5305 Directed Readings (3cr)

Elective Course (3 units)

A graduate course (3u) at Saint Paul University or the University of Ottawa.

INTEGRAL ECOLOGY OPTION

Compulsory Courses (12 units)

HUM5101 Leadership and Theories of Change (3u)
HUM5121 Transformative Leadership and Spiritualities (3u)
HUM5123 Integral Ecology (3u)
HUM5124 Equity, Justice and Ecological Issues (3u)

Integration (3 units)

HUM5301 Integration Project (3u)

Optional Courses (6 units)

6 units from:

HUM5103 Nonviolence, Peace and Ecological Movements (3u)
HUM5125 Worldviews and Ecology (3u)
HUM5128 Ecofeminisms (3u)
HUM5129 Indigenous Sovereignties, Land Protection and Governance (3u)
HUM5304 Special Topics in Leadership, Ecology and Equity (3u)
HUM5305 Directed Readings (3u)

Elective Course (3 units)

A graduate course (3u) at Saint Paul University or the University of Ottawa.

THESIS PROFIL

To register for the thesis profile, students must first be admitted to the Master’s program and have begun or completed 9 course units, and then apply to the director of the School, who will make a decision based on the merit of student’s academic record, the quality of the thesis proposal, and the existence of appropriate supervision.

Requirements:

HUM5102 Research Methods in Leadership, Ecology and Equity (3u) is added to the compulsory courses;
Two optional courses are withdrawn;
HUM7999 Master’s Thesis replaces HUM5301 Integration Project.

HUM 5101 - Leadership and Theories of Change (3u)

Critical analysis of contemporary leadership challenges (shared vision, teamwork, conflicts, etc.) and examination of the role played by leadership in various theories of social change. Exploration of effective leadership practices for achieving social justice in diverse social and organizational contexts.

HUM 5102 - Research Methods in Leadership, Ecology and Equity (3u)

Exploration of research methods in the fields of leadership, ecology and equity. Critical assessment of the frameworks and orientations of methods and their practical applications. Providing students with the tools to develop a thesis project.

HUM 5103 - Nonviolence, Peace and Ecological Movements (3u)

Study of the interrelationship between nonviolence, peace and ecology in various contexts (e.g., creative, grassroots, social, political). Focus on the challenges that conflict, violence and peace pose for ethical action in the world. Explores current issues related to nonviolence, peace and ecological movements in dialogue with social justice frameworks.

HUM 5104 - Indigenous Spiritualities, Decolonization and Leadership (3u)

Study of Indigenous knowledge about spirituality and inclusive and interconnected leadership practices. Exploration of Indigenous ways of knowing, including intellectual and spiritual traditions and relationships to the living world. Implications for decolonizing settler societies.

HUM 5114 - Leadership, Gender and Feminisms (3u)

Study of the role of gender and its intersection with other identities in leadership. Critical and reflexive engagement with power structures through global feminist theories. Creative and democratizing approaches to transform collective beliefs, practices and policies.

HUM 5115 - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (3u)

Overview of the main diversity markers (e. g. culture, race, religion, age, social class, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, capacity) and power relations that define people as “others” in organizational settings. Explores strategies to challenge discrimination and foster diversity and inclusion in a transformative way.

HUM 5121 - Transformative Leadership and Spiritualities (3u)

Study of approaches and methods of spirituality as a fundamental experience of lived faith and meaning-making. Exploring spirituality as an important source of activism and social justice. Learning to lead from an articulated understanding of spirituality consistent with the student’s personal values and meaning of their work.

HUM 5122 - Collaborative Leadership and Group Dynamics (3u)

Theoretical perspectives of group dynamics related to the practice of collaborative leadership and the development of skills for group facilitation and team leadership (including interpersonal communication and conflict resolution). Various methods, learning styles, growth processes and approaches explored for a variety of contexts.

HUM 5123 - Integral Ecology (3u)

Study of integral ecology: ecological literacy; interconnected facets of economics, poverty creation, structural injustices and ecological degradation; links between cultural and biological diversity.

HUM 5124 - Equity, Justice and Ecological Issues (3u)

Understanding social justice. Study of the specific links between social and ecological problems with insights from ecojustice, climate justice, environmental racism, ecofeminism and The Earth Charter (2000).

HUM 5125 - Worldviews and Ecology (3u)

Exploration of historical, ecological, cultural and religious worldviews and their implications for the development of leadership and communities. Analysis of social contexts, cultural perspectives, social change in contemporary global settings with reference to social justice frameworks and socio-historical structures.

HUM 5301 - Integration Project (3u)

Individualized learning activity fostering the integrate of theory and practice: research project, research-creation project, internship with report, workplace mentoring with report, etc. Evaluation of course content integration.

Graded S/NS.

Prerequisites: HUM5101, HUM5121, HUM5123 and HUM5124

Office of the Associate Vice-Rector, Strategic Enrolment Management
Room 148
Saint Paul University
223 Main Street
Ottawa, ON
K1S 1C4
CANADA

Notice to gmail address holders, be sure to check your junk mailbox regularly, as due to your server's firewalls our email response to your application may end up there.

Telephone: 613-236-1393
Fax: 613-782-3014
admission@ustpaul.ca

Hours of Operation