Master of Leadership and Community Engagement (MLCE)

The Master of Leadership and Community Engagement (MLCE) professional master’s degree prepares graduates to advance in leadership roles in public sector organizations and communities, with a focus on community engagement and innovation. The program is designed for individuals who are working in a wide range of contexts, including educational settings, community organizations, non-governmental organizations and other public sector areas, such as health care, child and youth services, libraries, arts and culture institutions and recreational programs.

The MLCE is offered as a five-term, part-time degree through blended and online courses and community placements, and is distinct from our Master of Education (MEd) degree in both format and content. The MLCE is designed for public sector professionals who are interested in developing their professional skills and knowledge to leverage community-based research and practice for social change. There is a focus on community-based research.

Please note that admission takes place every other year. The next application process is for the 2025 cohort.

Overview

This part-time, cohort-based professional degree provides diverse opportunities for students to: deepen understandings of leadership, policy processes, community and community engagement; develop professional leadership and communication skills; and become astute users of university and community-based research. The program focuses on leadership, policy, program design and evaluation, community engagement, and social justice, and draws on the multi-disciplinary experiences of those in the class in order to develop a professional network of practitioners.

Each cohort of students will complete all aspects of the program together.

Admission for cohorts will take place every two years.

Duration of Program
Students will be required to accumulate 24 credits by successfully completing eight courses in the order specified by the program. The program will be offered over five terms, normally beginning with the summer session. Students will complete courses that may all be in a blended format (e.g., meeting face-to-face and online) and two courses that include workplace-based community placements the course will culminate with a capstone project that represents learning across the degree.

Community Placements

Students will participate in two 50-hour community placements in public sector or other community-engaged organizations or settings. Refer to the steps involved in placements.

Apply

The next cohort will be admitted to start in the Spring/Summer for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Application deadline is 15 December 2024; courses are currently scheduled to start in May 2025.

Applicants are required to have an undergraduate degree from a recognized university with at least a B+ average and relevant work experience.

Applicants are also required to submit an application package that includes the following:

• Faculty of Graduate Studies admissions application form
• Official copy of transcripts of all post-secondary education (to be included in the application package in the original sealed envelope provided from the educational institution)
• Three letters of reference
• At least one should be from a university faculty member; however, professional referees may be used if the applicant is unable to provide references from university faculty members
• Résumé or curriculum vitae that highlights work experience relevant to the program
• Statement of interest (minimum 500 words in length) outlining how the Master of Leadership and Community Engagement will build on the applicant's relevant work experience and serve the applicant's professional interests
• One sample of written work (e.g. a paper demonstrating how the applicant works with a body of literature or builds an argument; typically, the sample paper is from a university course completed within the past five years. It could also be a report, a presentation, an article, or other piece of professional writing)
• Note: If unable to provide a sample of written work, the applicant should provide an extended statement of interest not to exceed 1500 words

Application files are assessed on the basis of the information contained within the file as a whole. Consideration is given to the combined profile of demonstrated academic standing, professional background and experience, potential to pursue and benefit from graduate studies, and compatibility of interests between the applicant and the Master of Leadership and Community Engagement.

Courses

Duration of Program

Students will be required to accumulate 24 credits by successfully completing eight courses in the order specified by the program. The program will be offered over five terms, normally beginning with the summer session. Two courses include community-based placements.

Students in the program must successfully complete the eight required courses, and should plan to attend some in-person classes in Toronto, as well as participated in blended and online coursework. Normally the courses will be offered in the following sequence*:

SPRING/SUMMER (TERM 1)

• EDUC 7000 3.0 Critical Issues in Leadership and Community Engagement
• EDUC 7005 3.0 Engaging Research in Professional Practice

FALL (TERM 2)

• EDUC 7010 3.0 Enacting Leadership and Policy
• EDUC 7015 3.0 Experience-based Inquiry I (includes community-based placement)

WINTER (TERM 3)

• EDUC 7020 3.0 Initiatives in Program Design, Interpretation, and Evaluation
• EDUC 7025 3.0 Experience-based Inquiry II (includes community-based placement)

SPRING/SUMMER (TERM 4)

• EDUC 7030 3.0 Current Practices in Community Engagement and Innovation

FALL (TERM 5)

• EDUC 7035 3.0 Leadership and Community Engagement Capstone Project

* Subject to change

Students will participate in two 50-hour community placements in public sector or other community-engaged organizations or settings. Students are required to secure their own placements, and to complete the approval process prior to the beginning of each of these classes.

Questions about the application process/requirements?

This is a part-time professional program; it is anticipated that students will be working full-time, and that they are looking to extend their knowledge, skills and abilities in areas that may help them in their current positions, or in following their career goals.

Note that cohorts for this degree program will start every two years. The next cohort is scheduled to start in the spring of 2023 (the 2023-2024 academic year). For further information, contact the Graduate Program Office at gradprogram@edu.yorku.ca.

Please be advised that programs in the Faculty of Education are intended to be delivered on campus or in official offsite locations in Toronto. Although mandated restrictions resulting from covid-19 required classes to run online in the 2020-21 academic year, it is an expectation that students attend all classes in their scheduled format (whether online, blended or in-person) in order to complete degree/diploma requirements.