MSU’s new graduate certificate program offers industry-tested leadership skills

MSU’s new graduate certificate program offers industry-tested leadership skills

Contact: Dante Jaramillo

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State’s College of Professional and Continuing Studies now offers a graduate certificate program that transforms operational expertise into leadership and delivers results for today’s fast-changing organizations.

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The Graduate Certificate in Applied Leadership combines proven leadership principles with academic rigor through a unique collaboration with Echelon Front, a leadership consultancy rooted in real-world experience. Designed for working professionals, the program “prepares students to lead with confidence,” according to organizers. Students can learn to master the Extreme Ownership principles, cultivate effective communication and navigate leadership challenges. MSU’s partnership with Echelon Front ensures what students learn is practical, actionable and grounded in real-world application.

“Our collaboration with Echelon Front underscores our dedication to creating educational opportunities that serve a diverse student body. At Mississippi State, we define student success as building leaders who are employed in the careers of their choice,” said David Shaw, MSU provost and executive vice president. “By aligning with Echelon Front’s philosophy of growing effective leaders, we aim to equip our students with the tools to understand and tackle the complexities of modern organizational challenges. This partnership ensures our graduates are prepared to make significant contributions and lead with a deep sense of responsibility and strategic insight.”

The program is designed with a total of four eight-week courses for those wanting to reach their next professional milestone in leadership. The required courses are Organizational Culture, Effective Organization Discourse, Dichotomies of Leadership and Foundations of Organizational Leadership.

For more information about the Graduate Certificate in Applied Leadership, contact Associate Dean Sean Owen at sean.owen@msstate.edu or 662-325-3501.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.