Earning a degree in organizational leadership opens doors to successful career opportunities across a variety of occupations. The functions of individuals performing leadership duties are often intertwined in the various occupations, demonstrating the importance of organizational leadership.
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What is Organizational Leadership?
If you ask five people to describe organizational leadership, you would likely have five definitions that have some similarities. One example is that the East Coast Polytechnic University (ECPI) describes organizational leadership as the ‘driving force’ that gets things accomplished through others, and the ‘fulcrum’ that balances the needs of employees with the requirements of an organization.
One important task of those that work in organizational leadership is to utilize the skills and talents of each employee to best help the organization and the employee succeed and to meet goals. This helps to make sure that the organization hires and retains the best talent, and that the employees feel positive towards overall organization goals and their value to the company. This likely leads to greater productivity, and confidence among employees.
There are a variety of duties performed by individuals that work in organizational leadership that may vary somewhat, depending upon the particular type of organization. The type of degree that an individual earns also likely plays a role in the duties and responsibilities of managers and executives.
What Can I Do with an Organizational Leadership Degree?
Some schools offer undergraduate degrees in organizational leadership, while other colleges and universities offer advanced degrees, either online or in the traditional classroom setting. What a graduate can do with an organizational leadership degree depends upon the degree, and the path that a person wants to take in their career.
Some options that are open to individuals with a degree in organizational leadership includes career fields such as:
- Organization management
- Human resources manager or director or analyst
- Higher education
- Talent acquisition manager
- General or operations managers
- Top executive positions
Earning a degree in organizational leadership guides workers to the next step in their career path, potentially opening doors for a promotion to a position with more responsibility, and the opportunity to earn a better salary. Although some sites list the average pay for individuals with a degree in organizational leadership in entry level positions at an average of just over $51,000, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists the median 2019 salary of training and development specialists at $61,210, the median salary of human resources managers at $116,720, and the pay for top executives at $104,690 a year.
Earn your degree in organizational leadership from one of these schools and pave the way towards a rewarding career in a rapidly growing career field.
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Texas College | McAllen, Texas |
| 2 | Valdosta State University | Valdosta, Georgia |
| 3 | University of West Georgia | Carrollton, Georgia |
| 4 | Extended Campus University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma |
| 5 | Arizona State University | Tempe, Arizona |
Here are the best 15 Organizational Leadership Degree Programs in 2021
South Texas College
South Texas College offers a Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership Degree that students complete 100% online. Students gain important leadership skills to work in leadership positions in business, education, non-profit organizations, and government. The program also prepares students through real-world experiences as they progress through the program with a personalized approach.
The school offers tuition rates that are significantly lower than many other schools.
Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University offers the Organizational Leadership Bachelor of Science degree for working professionals, members of the military or veterans, transfer students or other non-traditional students. The 100 percent online program focuses on providing students with an understanding of real-world leadership, administration, and technology related to organizational leadership in both the public and private sectors.
Students select a specialization from one of four concentrations, including public service administration, office administration and technology, legal office administration, or Spanish for professionals or ESOL instruction.
University of West Georgia
The online Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership program at the University of West Georgia offers students the opportunity to earn their degree with the flexibility often needed for working professionals. The program format allows for personalization, and credit for prior learning.
There is a concentration in public service, which prepares graduates to develop and enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills, to understand key concepts and ideas as they relate to leadership, and to work in the public or private sector. Some curriculum topics include courses in organizational development, communications, technology, project management, and public finance.
Extended Campus University of Oklahoma
The Extended Campus University of Oklahoma Master of Arts – Organizational Leadership Program is designed for leaders that want to ‘envision a better tomorrow.’ Bring your vision and dreams to life when you advance your career after completing the program in your choice of the onsite or online learning environment.
Working adults learn the applied approach to the study and practice of leadership, to create high performance teams, and building and changing organizational culture while moving through the program in one of the three specialty tracks.
Arizona State University
The Online Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership program at Arizona State University prepares graduates to work in leadership positions across a wide variety of career fields and organizations. A few career examples include general manager, medical and health services manager, CEO, and chief sustainability officer.
Students demonstrate the skills and knowledge that they have gained prior to graduation by participating in small group study and research, along with portfolio construction. Students also learn to write proposals, write reports, practice ethical decision making, and to develop effective communication skills.
University of Charleston
The University of Charleston offers a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership that is a completer degree program. Students first apply to and gain acceptance to the university, and then have the opportunity to apply to the program if they have 40 previous semester credit hours or the equivalent work experience and education.
Choose your preferred concentration and gain the leadership skills necessary to advance your career or to start a new career. Bring new ideas to the table, gain a reputation as an energetic leader, how to develop and implement change, and gain principles that are relevant to any type of career field.
Buena Vista University
Complete the bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership at Buena Vista University and be prepared to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required for administrative roles in an organization. Develop your strategic thinking, conflict management, leadership and team-building skills to prepare for a new role or to advance your career by assuming greater responsibilities.
There are two tracks to choose from in this online or hybrid program, including the human services track, or the business track. Enroll in the Plus One Program and earn your master’s degree in organizational leadership in just one year after graduating from the bachelor’s program.
East Coast Polytechnic Institute
The East Coast Polytechnic Institute, commonly known as ECPI, offers both master’s degree and bachelor’s degrees in organizational leadership. The bachelor degree programs include several concentrations, such as the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Operations, Logistics, and Supply Chain Management, or the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership – Project Management Track. This concentration focuses on planning, measuring, developing, and completing a particular project that satisfies a particular goal of an organization.
Graduates are prepared to organize and oversee all aspects of projects as they relate to an overall goal, and to manage teams working to achieve the same goals.
Brandman University
Brandman University offers a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program for working professionals that want to focus their leadership degree on areas that matter most to the students, and that allows individuals in the program to develop their cross-disciplinary leadership skills to empower other professionals to reach their own personal goals.
Students gain skills in theoretical foundations of organizational leadership, and putting leadership in practice. Students also complete a capstone project.
Xavier University
Earn a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership at Xavier University and learn to develop or advance your leadership skills to work in organizational settings. Prepare for a career in industries such as business, healthcare, or technology, working in positions such as management, training and development, financial systems, communications, or information systems.
The university offers the accelerated program in a completely online format that can be completed in two to three years instead of the traditional four years that it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Stockton University
Leader practitioners that want to earn their doctoral degree have the opportunity to complete the Stockton University Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership program. The process-driven, research-based, interdisciplinary program focuses on helping current leaders improve their skills.
Students learn to help their organizations improve, through actions such as improved decision-making, applications of core leadership understanding and preparing future leaders to thrive and succeed in changing work environments.
University of La Verne
The University of La Verne’s Doctor of Education (EdD) in Organizational Leadership program is renowned for developing leaders of organizations who understand and apply theory to practice in a variety of venues, including education, business, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.
Learning Groups are created to add support and networking opportunities that benefit students long after they finish the program. The doctoral program is recognized for its exceptional completion rate and the success of its graduates who have distinguished themselves in their professional fields.
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Advanced Academics Programs department offers a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership that prepares graduates to pursue a new career or to advance their current career. The university focuses on preparing graduates to lead an organization in the 21st century, to increase knowledge and skills in areas such as strategic planning, human resources, change management, and performance evaluation.
The online program offers flexibility that allows students to continue working while earning their master’s degree. Complete courses on topics such as organizational development, innovation, team building, and crisis mitigation.
George Washington University
The Master’s in Organizational Leadership and Learning degree, offered by the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development, guides students through a rigorous curriculum that focuses on continuous development of self and others in organizations and various environments. Students learn to work in diverse settings, gain real-world insights and learn to understand the multi-disciplinary approach to leadership.
Our Methodology
We researched schools across the country to find the best organizational leadership degree programs. We narrowed our list by first including only colleges and universities with accredited organizational leadership programs, and then ranking each school by tuition.
The listed tuition is the cost of one credit hour of instruction at the resident rate. Some schools charge a different tuition rate for students residing in other areas.
For more programs, check out our Master’s in Organizational Leadership page.
Do you need assistance finding the right college or university? We can help you with that, based on the program that you select.
Do you need to update the information that we currently have for your school? Please contact us and we will make any updates for you.
