Copyright AL.com
The University of Alabama is launching a new school and degree programs for future policymakers and public servants. UA’s new School of Leadership and Policy will “provide interdisciplinary, practice-oriented education that prepares leaders to become effective leaders and public servants who contribute to Alabama’s social, economic and civil well being,” President Peter Mohler said in an announcement Friday. The proposal was unanimously approved by the UA System Board of Trustees at a meeting Nov. 7. Sen. Katie Britt, a UA graduate, shared excitement about the school in a recorded video introduced by Mohler. She said the new school will drive “our great state forward and into the future.” “I cannot wait to see the lasting impact of the program as we continue to show the nation that Alabama is truly where legends are made,” Britt said in the video. Mohler said that the Shelby Scholars program, which offers undergraduate credit for learning about public policy, is turning away applicants. The program launched in 2024. There were 400 applicants for 20 spots this year. Mohler said there’s a real desire from students to become leaders and public and civil servants. “So we are turning away right now leaders that could be in the boardrooms and the courtrooms and in Congress 10 years from now, which is an exciting opportunity,” Mohler said in a news event after the board meeting. Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be available starting in the fall of 2027. Until then, UA will get various degree approvals for the school, establish an organizational structure, renovate Farrah Hall and recruit the first cohort, according to a news release.
