Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership North Central College

Why Pursue a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership?

Do you want to rise as a leader that creates meaningful change in your organization? Are you looking for new ways to frame, approach, and tackle ambiguous problems and make strategic, evidence-based decisions? Do you need to hone your leadership skills so that you can develop, coach, and lead others?

The online Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership teaches students how to effectively develop and motivate employees, solve problems, and lead and inspire others by example. In our program, students learn and apply evidence-based decision-making, assessment tools, creative problem solving, and strategic planning.

Our students are aspiring leaders and changemakers who want to lead with confidence. They believe that with effective training, proper guidance, and reflection, they can become a force for good by helping others soar.

In-Demand Leadership Skills

More and more employers are looking for leaders who have the ability to connect with people, form creative solutions, and adapt to difficult and ambiguous situations. They recognize that soft skills and traits, such as creativity, persuasion, collaboration, adaptability, and time management, are vital to a leader’s success.

These skills are interwoven throughout our degree’s curriculum. Students study the principles of creativity, inclusion, talent development, and data analytics, and apply those concepts to real-world situations.

Close Faculty Mentorship

We know that our students want to grow and develop personally and professionally. We offer graduate students the online flexibility they demand with the personal touch they desire. Each student is assigned a faculty coach who will work with them throughout the program. This coach will meet one-on-one with our students each term, helping them make new connections and grow as leaders.

Our students will see and hear from their professors online, in both video lectures and occasional synchronous sessions with classmates. They will also have the opportunity to connect and engage with faculty, classmates, and other professional leaders in person during our Weekend Leadership Conference.

Degree Features

• 100% Online Curriculum: Flexible courses designed to fit students’ busy schedules.
• Comprehensive Curriculum: A strong curriculum that looks to the future, covering topics such as diversity and inclusion, evidence-based decision making, innovative training and development, and leadership coaching.
• Weekend Leadership Conference: A professional leadership conference that connects students to campus and exposes them to leadership experts, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and hands-on training experiences.

• Articulate and apply theories of motivation, leadership, and talent development.
• Apply principles of conflict resolution and collaboration in their organizations and teams.
• Apply ethical and legal principles and evidence-based decision-making to solve dilemmas.
• Demonstrate understanding of diversity, equity, and cultural difference, and be able to utilize techniques to interrupt bias and create a culture of inclusion.
• Articulate, critique, and use talent development and training processes for the professional growth and development of themselves and their followers.
• Understand how to create a culture of learning and development, and be able to craft development and strategic plans based on organizational and employee needs.
• Use key coaching principles to lead and challenge others.

• Creative and Future-Focused Curriculum: Students will learn theories and concepts in organizational leadership and discover how these concepts can be introduced, discussed, and used in industries today.
• Ethically Responsible: Our core as an institution is to develop ethical and purposeful citizens and leaders in local, national, and global contexts. Ethics is a foundational principle that is integrated into each and every class.
• Practical Application: Practical experiences are part of the entire program. Through case studies and assignments designed for real-world application, students will apply course concepts throughout the curriculum.

Degree Format

The program consists of 12 courses and 36 credit hours.

• 5 core leadership courses
• 5 organization leadership courses
• 2 elective courses

All courses are offered in fully online formats and are delivered in sessions (half of the semester-length).

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 36 credit hours: 15 credit hours of core courses, 15 credit hours in Organizational Leadership courses, and six credit hours of electives.

Core Courses

• MORG 500 - Leadership and Organizational Theory
• MORG 525 - Diversity and Inclusion
• MORG 550 - Communication, Group Dynamics, and Conflict Resolution
• MORG 575 - Evidence-Based Decision-Making
• MORG 696 - Innovation Project

Organizational Leadership Courses

• MHRM 515 - Strategic Human Resource Management
• MORG 600 - High Potential Leadership Coaching
• MORG 625 - Assessment, Evaluation, and Planning
• MORG 650 - Innovative Training and Development
• MORG 675 - Strategic Leadership and Organizational Design

Elective Courses

Two of the following:

• MBUS 500 - Data Analytics for Managers
• MBUS 520 - Applied Managerial Marketing
• MBUS 606 - Entrepreneurship and New Venture Strategy
• MFIN 510 - Financial Management
• MHRM 625 - Recruitment and Selection
• MHRM 655 - Compensation and Benefits

Leadership Conference

Students are required to attend one Leadership Conference or approved alternative experience. The annual Leadership Conference provides students the space to take the principles of leadership theory that they learned in the virtual classroom and come together with faculty, classmates, and professional leaders to learn how they can place those principles into real practice. The conference is not linked to specific courses, but instead, focuses on students' career and personal development and addresses the emerging trends in leadership.

Panel discussions will focus on a range of trending and relevant topics in leadership today. Some examples include:

• Implicit Bias
• People Analytics
• Sensemaking
• Women Leaders on Corporate Boards

An organizational leadership degree will set you on the path to success and help you advance your career in a fast-growing industry. Regardless of your position or rank, you will discover how you can lead where you are.

Organizational leaders can make an impact in a variety of work settings:

• Consulting firms
• Corporations
• Government agencies
• Higher education
• Nonprofit organizations
• Think tanks

Potential Career Opportunities

• Corporate Recruiting
• Human Resources
• Internal and External Management Consulting and Analysis
• Knowledge Management
• Leadership Coaching and Development
• Learning or Training Departments
• Organizational Development
• Performance Improvement
• Strategic Change and Planning
• Talent Management