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Admission Requirements

Please follow all the instructions very carefully. Only completed applications will be reviewed! Applying to the wrong category or uploading documents that do not satisfy the application requirements will be returned, and will delay the admissions process. All uploaded documents must be in PDF format! If you have any questions about applications, contact the program directly.  

Online Application

• Complete and submit the application to the Graduate School here.
• Domestic/Mexican students - $45, International students - $80. Click on the category that applies to you. 
• Once you select your category, scroll down to the very bottom to find U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy and Captains’ Career Course Applicants and choose "Leadership Studies MOA".
• Click on the semester for which you are applying.
• There is no application fee for USASMA and ADACCC students. 

Official Transcripts

• Order your official transcripts from the university where you received your undergraduate degree and have them mailed to:

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Kelly Hall Room 215,                                                                                                                                                                   Attn. Javier Aguilar Program Advisor
500 ÀÇÓÑÊÓƵ
El Paso, TX 79968

• Transcripts must show the degree awarded. 
• Transcripts mailed to us from the applicants themselves will NOT be accepted as official transcripts! 
• We also accept e-scripts. E-scripts can be sent to us at  jaaguilar20@utep.edu .
• Students who received their undergraduate degrees from UTEP do not need to order transcripts. 
• Please order your transcripts as soon as possible, you will NOT be able to register for courses until your transcripts have been received. 

DA Form 1059

• If you already have your 1059, please send them to us. We accept both hard copies and e-copies. 

Statement of Purpose

• Address your educational and career goals, your reasons for pursuing an MLS degree, and how you believe it will benefit you in your professional life.
• The Statement of Purpose should demonstrate your potential to think, write and communicate at the graduate level. 
• Statements of Purpose must be:
  • 1-2 pages, single spaced
  • in Times New Roman, 12 point font
  • in structured essay format (introduction, body, conclusion)
  • written in formal, professional, or academic style 
  • in PDF format

Resume or Curriculum Vitae

• 1-2 pages
• PDF format

3 Letters of Recommendation

• We require 3 strong letters of recommendation from every applicant.
• The 3 letters of recommendation can be a letter from a job supervisor or an internship coordinator (must be work related). 
• Letters from family members, friends, high school teachers, or members of the clergy are not acceptable. 
• Letters of Recommendation must contain:
  • Official letterhead of the company, or institution from which the individual is writing
  • Must be signed by the individual
  • Must be in PDF format 
• Only letters that meet the above requirements will be accepted.

For International Students

• • A score of 600 or higher on the TOEFL exam. 
  • An in person or telephone interview.  

Application Decision

Under normal circumstances, an application decision should be expected within 8-10 business days once the complete application packet is submitted to the Graduate School. Please note that our admissions committee can not view any application until it is complete and submitted. 

Degree Plan 

Required Courses: 24 credit hours

1. MLS 5300: Contemporary Concepts of Leadership
2. MLS 5303: Applied Research Methods
3. MLS 5315: Organizational Theory and Behavior
4. MLS 5321: Leadership in Complex Organizations
5. MLS 5326: Leadership of Organizational Change
6. MLS 5331: Leadership Communications
7. MLS 5340: Team Based Leadership
8. MLS 5351: Capstone - Ethics and Leadership 

Transfer Credit: 9 credit hours

Program Policy: We accept no more than 9 credit hours (3 courses) of credit transfer to be used towards the 3 course concentration of the MA in Leadership Studies Degree Plan.

• Students who are concurrently enrolled in or completed the Sergeants Major Course (Resident and Non Resident) can transfer 9 credit hours based on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the United States Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA) and UTEP. All the students should complete an electronic portfolio with the following items: The DA form 1059, a briefing about your leadership journey, a research paper (10-12 pages) and your resume/CV.
• DA Form 1059 is required for the Leadership and Community Engagement program to accept and process the paperwork to transfer these credits. 
  
  
• Students who are concurrently enrolled in or completed the Air Defense Artillery Captains Career Course  can transfer 9 credit hours in accordance with the ACE Military Guide recommendation. The DA Form 1059 and Joint Service Transcript (JST) is required for the MLS program to accept and process the paperwork to transfer these credits. All the students should complete an electronic portfolio with the following items: The DA form 1059, a briefing about your leadership journey, a research paper (10-12 pages) and your resume/CV.
• DA Form 1059 is required for the Leadership and Community Engagement program to accept and process the paperwork to transfer these credits. 
• For information on other Captains Career Courses please see MLS Degree: Other Military Students section.