KU offering 3 new graduate degrees to Fort Leavenworth community beginning in fall 2022

LEAVENWORTH — The University of Kansas has been awarded a new agreement to offer three graduate degrees to the Fort Leavenworth community beginning with the fall 2022 semester. 

In January, Fort Leavenworth officials released a request for proposal for universities to deliver new graduate degrees in support of the installation community. KU programs selected are the Master of Public Administration, Master of Business Administration and Master’s in Organizational Leadership. These programs join KU’s Master of Global & International Studies and Master’s  in Supply Chain Management & Logistics, which have been offered at Fort Leavenworth for more than 10 years, and the Master of Science in Homeland Security, which has been offered in Leavenworth since 2017.

“Our expanded partnership with Fort Leavenworth ensures Jayhawk expertise and Jayhawk values have an increased presence regionally and around the world,” said Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, provost and executive vice chancellor of the University of Kansas. “I’m grateful that unit commanders recognized KU’s educational leadership in these disciplines and how they can benefit the careers of military personnel, as well as society at large.”

As part of the new agreement, KU will also open up a new office within Fort Leavenworth’s Education Center. Sarah Weygand, a veteran of the Coast Guard, will lead the office as the university’s student and academic services manager. 

“I am very excited about leading this new effort,” said Weygand, who is from Leavenworth and is joining KU after having led similar offices at Johnson County Community College and Park University. “As a local from Leavenworth, I know firsthand the incredible reputation KU has for serving our military-affiliated community.”  

KU is ranked No. 5 among Tier 1 Research Institutions in the most recent Military Friendly Schools survey and the No. 1 Central Region and No. 13 overall public institution in the most recent Military Times “Best for Vets” survey. Additionally, two of the programs selected are nationally ranked. The MPA program has earned a long-standing No. 1 national ranking in local government management by U.S. News & World Report, and the Master of Business Administration online program was recently ranked No. 16 nationally and No. 10 for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”

“Having served in the armed forces, I also understand the inclusivity of the military-affiliated community,” Weygand said. “These programs will serve not only soldiers but also their family members and Department of the Army civilians who work on post.”

Tom Kelly, education services officer for Fort Leavenworth, echoed those sentiments.

"We are excited to increase the number of graduate degrees offered by KU on post," Kelly said. "The university has a great reputation, and these degrees are highly relevant to the career development of our soldiers, Department of the Army civilians and military family members."

With accelerated coursework and evening classes, students in Leavenworth can complete a KU master’s degree in as few as 10 months. The programs and class schedules are designed to meet the needs of professional and military careers. Moreover, the KU faculty who teach in Leavenworth are the same faculty who instruct graduate degree programs in Lawrence and are among the top scholars in the United States in their particular fields. 

“In 2017, KU made a strategic decision to expand our outreach to the Leavenworth community by opening classrooms in the Marriott Fairfield Inn and TownePlace Suites, and we will continue to operate from those facilities,” said Mike Denning, director of the Office of Graduate Military Programs at KU. “Because of that vision, several years of engagement with public and private partners in the Leavenworth area and KU’s deep commitment to the U.S. Army, we were awarded this new agreement.”

Find more information about the classes and programs available in Leavenworth.