Global Affairs and Leadership Certificate

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The Global Affairs and Leadership Certificate is a fully online program designed to provide students with the skills and expertise needed to excel in leadership roles across diverse cultural and national contexts, offering the flexibility to balance education with other commitments.

Program Highlights

Enhance Leadership Skills: Build and strengthen leadership capabilities for both national and global contexts.
Increase Global Awareness: Gain specialized knowledge and practical experiences to navigate and lead across cultures.
Boost Career Competitiveness: Prepare for roles in the public and private sectors, particularly in international leadership and development.
Complement Your Major: Develop interdisciplinary skills to enhance your primary area of study with a global perspective.

Eligibility

Open to students with a completed bachelor’s degree.

Why Choose These Programs?

In today’s globalized world, MSU graduates will lead and collaborate with individuals from diverse cultures and nationalities, regardless of their career field. This program offers the flexibility and accessibility to:

Build cross-cultural competence.
Prepare students for impactful leadership roles.
Open doors to opportunities on a global platform.

Why Choose These Online Programs?

In today’s globalized world, MSU graduates will lead and collaborate with individuals from diverse cultures and nationalities, regardless of their career field. These online programs offer the flexibility and accessibility to:

Build cross-cultural competence from anywhere.
Prepare for impactful leadership roles in global contexts.
Gain credentials that enhance your career opportunities on a global platform.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition per credit hour	$558.50
Instructional Support Fee per credit hour	$25.00

Tuition and fees listed are subject to change and do not include all possible charges. Additional fees may apply. Please refer to the master class schedule for individual course charges.

Program Structure

The GAL post-baccalaureate certificate program consists of 12 credit hours. To be awarded the certificate, students must complete the four program courses with a grade of B or higher.

Major Required Courses (6 Hours)

Course Number	Title	Credit Hours
GA 8203	Principles of Global Leadership	3
GA 6710	Study Tour: Isla del Encanto: Global Leadership in Puerto Rico	3

Elective Courses (6 Hours) – Select Two Courses

Course Number	Title	Credit Hours
AEC 6623	Global Marketing of Agricultural Products	3
FO 8443	International Forest Resources and Trade	3
GA 8213	Global Leadership for Food Security	3

Courses

GA 8203 Principles of Global Leadership. Three hours lecture. Cultural theories and models for leadership across global contexts including leadership competencies, global mindset, everchanging global challenges, behaviors critical to international settings, organizational research, case studies, interacting and leading people from diverse cultures and multinational companies across the globe.

GA 6710 Study Tour. Experiential learning through travel in the United States or abroad focusing on specialized areas of study in agriculture. Variable credit, 1-6 hours, and repeatable

AEC 6623 Global Marketing of Agricultural Products. (Prerequisites: A marketing course is preferred or consent of instructor). This course examines marketing concepts, decisions and strategies that are involved in international marketing and trade of agricultural products. Export market analysis and planning, as well as issues that impact international agricultural trade.

FO 8443 International Forest Resources and Trade. (Prerequisite: consent of instructor). Three hours lecture. A study of the world's wood consumption, marketing arrangements, dynamics of deforestation, agroforestry and community forestry, country specific forestry issues, and forestry in economic development.

GA 8213 Global Leadership for Food Security. Three hours lecture. World hunger, climate change, poverty, and other issues present opportunities to the global leader for change, including leadership strategies, sustainably increasing food production, protecting our environmental resources, maintaining food security, food justice; aspects include socio-political, business, technology, culture, religion, and natural sciences.

Admissions Process

Applications for the degree programs are reviewed two times a year. The application deadlines for those semesters are as follows:

Fall Semester – August 1
Spring Semester – December 1

Graduate Admissions

Submit an online application. You will choose Global Affairs & Leadership as your program of interest and Online Education as your campus.
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Pay $60 non-refundable application processing fee

Attention International Students

International students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score greater than 550. Detailed information regarding international applications can be found in the Graduate Catalog. Questions regarding international applications can be addressed to the Office of the Graduate School at gradapps@grad.msstate.edu.

ETS is providing home testing for the TOEFL iBT test, and MSU is encouraging students to take advantage of this testing option. For those students applying who have taken the TOEFL within five years of the semester they plan to enroll and are unable to access the TOEFL iBT test from home, we will accept your previous test scores.

Academic Advising

After gaining admission to the university, you must contact your assigned advisor to determine the courses most appropriate to take. Before the upcoming semester, your advisor will send an email to your MSU email account, making course recommendations based on your program of study.

Mississippi State University uses email as its official means of communication with all MSU students. Please check your MSU email account (NetID@msstate.edu) daily. Information on setting up your MSU email can be found at the link for student services.