Leadership and Organizational Development, M.A.

Offered through Saint Louis University's School for Professional Studies, the Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Development curriculum will teach you the skills needed to work effectively as a self-aware, reflective change leader. You will learn to improve organizational dynamics through sound leadership and organizational development practices. 

Through assessments, reflections and project-based learning, you will strengthen your leadership competencies while learning with a network of peers worldwide with a diverse range of academic and professional backgrounds. You can also earn a graduate certificate that complements a master’s degree, often without taking additional credits. This allows you to tailor the program to your specific interests.

Along the way, you’ll learn from a network of diverse peers from around the world, merging technology with human and organizational structures as you engage in knowledge discovery, management, and dissemination of industry-critical knowledge. 

You can also earn a graduate certificate that complements a master’s degree, often without taking additional credits, allowing you to tailor the program to your specific interests.

As part of the School for Professional Studies, this 33-credit master's program offers data-driven professionals like you a flexible option to meet your personal career goals. With multiple start terms, you can begin the master's program in the fall or spring. All courses are offered in online and hybrid formats in eight-week terms, making advanced education more accessible for working professionals.  You will join a community of academics and practitioners from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, providing you the opportunity to learn from a network of peers.

Faculty

As a student in the School for Professional Studies at Saint Louis University, you’ll learn from exceptional faculty who are leading experts in their fields. They bring real-world knowledge to the classroom and are dedicated to your professional success. Learn more on our faculty page.

Careers

Organizations are searching for professionals capable of facilitating strategic change and who are fluent in designing cross-cultural interventions. Upon graduating from SLU's leadership and organizational development program, students will be ready to navigate complex organizational systems and apply research to develop themselves, 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 about how to be a leader in their current position, future employment, and all areas of their life.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For priority consideration for graduate assistantship, apply by Feb. 1. 

For more information, visit the student financial services office online at https://www.slu.edu/financial-aid/index.php.

1. Graduates will be able to apply organizational development theory in intervention design.
2. Graduates will be able to apply leadership competencies appropriate for a given situation or context.
3. Graduates will be able to apply program-specific knowledge to address practical problems using an ethical, evidence-based framework.
4. Graduates will be able to utilize argumentation skills appropriate for a given problem or context.

Admission Requirements

• Completed application​
• Undergraduate degree (most successful applicants have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or better)
• Official transcript from a degree-granting institution
• Statement of purpose (about 500 words)
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• External reference recommendations (encouraged but not required)

Upon admission, a new student must successfully complete a virtual meeting with their academic coach to be enrolled in first term coursework.

Requirements for International Students

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

• Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency. Some examples of demonstrated English language proficiency include minimum score requirements for the following standardized tests: 
  • ​Paper-based TOEFL: 550 
  • Internet-based TOEFL: 80 
  • IELTS: 6.5
  • PTE: 54

• 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.

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Program Requirements 

Continuation Standards

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