Developing Critical Thinking Within A Master of Science in Leadership Program

Critical thinking involves an important set of competencies, skills, and behaviors that can be systematically developed and cultivated. Critical thinking is fostered within the Master of Science in Leadership Program to help students achieve higher levels of thinking through the program and also to help them improve their leadership acumen. The paper describes critical thinking, provides background on the Paulian view of critical thinking used within the program, and presents the approach used to infuse critical thinking into the curriculum. The Master of Science in Leadership Program introduces critical thinking in the first required course and weaves critical thinking concepts and exercises throughout the entire program. Program administrators and course developers incorporated desired learning points into the curriculum through conceptual frameworks, active learning activities, targeted instructional techniques, and intellectual moves. Each of those components is part of a schema that ensures students engage concepts at the highest analytical levels within their individual contexts as leaders