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Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership


Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation and timing.

- Marvin Bower

Have you ever watched a group of people trying to accomplish a goal, and they were just not quite able to get everyone moving in the same direction? Chances are that it happened because no one looked at the big picture, identified the skills and abilities of the various team members, and developed a plan to get everyone pulling together in the group's best interest. You could see the problems as you watched, and you wanted to step in to help. Now you're ready to put your natural tendencies to work by enhancing them with the education that employers seek in supporting and empowering individuals and teams. A professional communication degree may be just what you need!

Organizational Leadership Program Overview

Organizational leadership is the ability to help others move organizations forward in changing times. While the focus of the program is cultivating the ability to lead at any level, individuals also develop and refine skills in critical thinking, problem solving, motivating and empowering others, and communicating effectively and persuasively.

Through the Organizational Leadership major, students learn to:

  • Define and recognize the evolving nature of leadership
  • Identify, compare and contrast classic and contemporary views of leadership
  • Deduce leadership knowledge from the liberal arts and humanities
  • Analyze the practices of leaders and apply their traits, styles and behaviors to their own leadership practice
  • Define and discuss the concept of 'followership'
  • Discuss the need for ethical, responsible leadership

The Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership program requires120 credits. The degree incorporates a 33-credit University core, 9 -credit School of Leadership core, 36 major credits and 42 elective credits. Among these courses are those which are specific to the Organization Leadership Degree.

Organizational Leadership Program Required Courses

Organizational Leadership training requires the successful completion of 4 core courses. The following are necessary not only for degree completion but also to lay the groundwork for your professional success:

  • Principles of Organizational Leadership - In this course, students will work on differentiating the interdisciplinary nature of leadership from the traditional discipline of management. The class is designed to give application opportunities in the classroom and/or workplace setting.
  • Critical Thinking/Decision Making - This course is designed to educate students about decision making and discusses the means of using well-thought out reasoning to make informed decisions. During the course, students analyze and critique decision-making processes.
  • Organizational Communication - In this course, students examine communication practices within organizations. The class discusses such topics as communication patterns, motivation, management styles, organizational behavior problems and more.
  • Leadership Capstone - Prior to completing the Organizational Leadership program, students must successfully complete a senior seminar. The Leadership Capstone requires students to critically examine leadership philosophies, discuss case studies and prepare written and oral materials regarding skills learned in the leadership program.

Students also choose 8 elective courses from the following 19 options:

  • Corporate and Community Relations
  • Mediating Organizational Disputes
  • Creating a High-Performance Success Path
  • Building Effective Teams
  • Careers in Organizations
  • Leadership and Ethics
  • Leadership: Starting from Self
  • Gender Perspectives in Leadership
  • Leading Organizational Change
  • Entrepreneurial Leadership
  • Principles of Organizational Behavior
  • Industrial and Organizational Psychology
  • Organizational Socialization
  • Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management
  • Power and Politics in Organizations
  • Best Practices in Organizations
  • Organizational Research
  • World-class Organizations
  • Organizational Design and Development