Leadership & Organizational Development, M.A.

The Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Development teaches students to work effectively as a self-aware, reflective change leader. Students will learn to understand and improve organizational dynamics through sound leadership and organizational development practices.

Students will strengthen their leadership through assessment, reflections and project-based learning as they explore leadership on personal, interpersonal/group and organizational levels through the lens of organizational development. Designed for working professionals, this program is offered in eight-week terms with online classes. It can be completed in two-and-a-half years if students take one course at a time.

Students will join a community of academics and practitioners from around the world, providing the opportunity to learn from a network of peers. Students represent a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds.

Curriculum Overview

The Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Development (LOD) degree is a 36-credit program designed for working professionals wishing to pursue a professional master’s degree while maintaining part- or full-time employment. The program can be completed in two and a half years taking one course at a time. With courses offered in an online format in an accelerated 8-week term, these leadership development courses make advanced education more accessible for working professionals.

Using the latest video capture and discussion board technology, students meet and collaborate with instructors and classmates in both synchronous and asynchronous online formats — meaning students can access course content 24/7 without having a specific mandatory class meeting time. To ensure individual attention and mentoring by distinguished faculty, courses will never have more than 20 students.  

A unique aspect of the program is the ability to earn a graduate certificate that complements a master’s degree, often without taking additional credits. This allows students to tailor the program to specific interests.

Careers

Organizations are searching for professionals capable of facilitating strategic change and who are fluent in designing cross-cultural interventions. Upon graduating from the program, students will be ready to navigate complex organizational systems and apply research to develop oneself, their employees and their organizations. Ultimately, through the leadership courses students will develop a portable set of knowledge and skills that aren't about how to perform their job but are about how to be a leader in their current job, their future job and all areas of their life.

Admission Requirements

• Minimum undergraduate GPA: 3.0
• Applicant must be employed on at least a part-time basis (20 hours or more per week) and have at least three years of work experience
• Completed coursework in the following areas:
  • At least one undergraduate leadership or organizational theory course
  • At least one basic statistics or research methods course
  • At least one psychology course (“General Psychology” accepted)
  • At least one business-related course
• Basic, working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Applicants who have a GPA that is less than 3.0 will be considered on a case-by-case basis, by considering the strength of the remaining components of their application.

Students missing any of the above prerequisites will be permitted to fulfill them through the School for Professional Studies prior to acceptance into the leadership and organizational development program.

Application Requirements

• Application form and fee
• Transcript(s)
• Three recommendations submitted using the Applicant Evaluation Form.
• Résumé
• A 500-word personal statement articulating why a master's degree in leadership and organizational development is needed within present or future career and how the program will help meet that need.

Requirements for International Students

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Proof of financial support must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Application and Assistantship Deadlines

The priority deadline for fall admission is April 1. Students may be admitted until July 1, as space permits. For spring admission, applications are considered on a case-by-case basis until Nov. 1.

Students seeking assistantships should apply by Feb. 1.

Review Process

Applications are reviewed by a committee of School for Professional Studies faculty members.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For more information, visit the student financial services office online at http://finaid.slu.edu.

1. Graduates will be able to utilize contemporary leadership and organizational development theories as a foundation to develop interventions and practices in organizational settings.
2. Graduates will be able to demonstrate the capacity to make ethical, evidence-based decisions within the workplace.
3. Graduates will be able to apply leadership competencies within team and organizational contexts.
4. Graduates will be able to utilize an organizational development approach to promote collaborative learning, initiate and manage positive change, and make a sustainable impact on their work environment.

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

Graduate Core Courses

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester.  Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.