Program Overview
Why choose Adler for your Master’s in Organizational Leadership?
Adler University’s online Master’s in Organizational Leadership program trains students to influence and revitalize domestic and international organizations as a scholar, practitioner, and entrepreneur with a socially responsible focus.
Students will learn how to appraise, understand, and lead an organization – including how to build effective teams and how to motivate people to meet an organization’s goals. Graduates are prepared to advance in their existing careers, or take on new leadership roles.
Our organizational leadership program is designed with working professionals in mind and can be completed from anywhere in the world, without having to sacrifice the academic rigor and personalized attention that has characterized Adler University for more than 65 years.
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Student Outcomes
Graduates of the Online Organizational Leadership Program are the Leaders of Tomorrow
The M.A in Organizational Leadership program emphasizes innovation in leadership and how it can help develop employees, policies, and systems that foster more agile, ethical, and resilient organizations.
Careers in Organizational Leadership
Adler’s online Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership degree prepares students to advance in their existing careers, or take on new leadership roles, including:
- Corporate Recruiter
- Management Consultant
- Operations Manager
- Talent Manager
- Human Resource Manager
- Strategic Planner of Innovation
- Performance Management Consultant
- International Relations Manager
Curriculum
This 36-credit program is offered entirely online and can be completed in 24 months, making it an attractive option for students who may be currently employed. Our asynchronous learning model allows for convenience and flexibility. Successful completion of this program includes the courses listed below.
Organizational Leadership Master’s courses
Find course descriptions and more information in the Adler University course catalog.
Core Courses
This course explores fundamental leadership and management concepts at the individual, team, and organizational levels. This course will give students the opportunity to explore leadership and followership dynamics, as well as the role it plays in enhancing leadership capabilities and experiences.
This course explores organizational culture at the interface of theory and practice to bring clarity, context, relevance and understanding to the topic. Future leaders will be prepared to use their knowledge as a powerful tool in creating a sustainable high performance organization.
In this course, students will learn how to lead high performing teams that are collaborative, consistently learning, and able to achieve bottom line results. Specifically, students will learn best practices for composing a team and aligning individual and team goals.
Understanding how innovation occurs within and outside of individual organizations is essential for entrepreneurs, policymakers and researchers. Innovation the creation and implementation of a new product, process or service – occurs within complex systems and system characteristics can help or hinder innovation.
This course introduces students to the principles of individual assessment and their role in leadership development.
This course introduces students to entrepreneurship and the development of the entrepreneurial mindset. Students will learn about the entrepreneurial process, skills required and the necessary resilience to meet their business goals.
This course explores the fundamental concepts of social science research methodology within the field of applied psychology. Students will learn how to conduct literature reviews, establish and evaluate sampling methods and research designs, and recognize variables related to systems evaluation.
This seminar course provides students with an overview of the principles of Adlerian theory as they relate to socially responsible professional practice in the areas of leadership and applied psychology.
Electives
Students select three elective courses for a total of 9 credits.
This course prepares students to conduct statistical analyses using SPSS. Descriptive, inferential, and multivariate statistical techniques will be examined as they relate to decision-making and problem-solving in organizations and systems.
Complex challenges and issues involve the interplay of a multitude of stakeholders, organizations and institutions. Students will be introduced to systems design, theory and methods to identify and design systemic interventions for social, policy, and business change.
This course examines the vital role of organizational development (OD) to help organizations evolve to meet business challenges. Through case study and interactive discussion, students learn about the phases of planned change.
The course provides students with a thorough understanding of the role of a training and development practitioner. Students will be provided with an analysis of current best practices as they relate to adult learning, instructional design/ strategy, and program evaluation.
Thesis or Capstone
Students select either the capstone course, or the thesis series.
Course may be taken multiple times for credit. The M.A. Thesis is a student-directed study conducted in consultation with an assigned Chair and Reader in an area of organizational leadership with relevance to the curriculum.
The Capstone course provides students with a unique opportunity to complete a project that will reflect their learning and training experiences throughout the program.
Social Justice Practicum
The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a first-year, non-clinical and non-discipline specific experiential practicum that begins in the second course period of the student’s program. Students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to utilize collective power and social justice strategies to build a more equitable society.
The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a first-year, non-clinical and non-discipline specific experiential practicum that begins in the second course period of the student’s program. Students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to utilize collective power and social justice strategies to build a more equitable society.
The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a first-year, non-clinical and non-discipline specific experiential practicum that begins in the second course period of the student’s program. Students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to utilize collective power and social justice strategies to build a more equitable society.
The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a first-year, non-clinical and non-discipline specific experiential practicum that begins in the second course period of the student’s program. Students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to utilize collective power and social justice strategies to build a more equitable society.
Social Justice Practicum
200-hour internship to give students real world experience
A unique and proven program designed to give students real-world experience throughout their time at Adler University, the Social Justice Practicum is a required 200-hour internship that spans four courses (or terms for online programs). Every student is given a number of civic-minded categories to choose from. They submit their desired areas of interest. After which, they are assigned a specific and aligned community outreach site where they will work 8 to 10 hours per week.
Organizational Leadership Faculty Member Spotlight
Marianne Cabrera, Ph.D.
Program Director, Organizational Leadership programs
My teaching style and thought process revolve around integrating academic and practitioner-related concepts into the learning experience to help students best understand and apply what they are learning in both the classroom and in their every day life. In both online and classroom-based learning, I believe that communication and engagement are key to having a successful and effective learning experience. Developing relationships and understanding what the lessons mean to my students are a top priority for me, as I try to find ways to help them connect with the material in the course and in their overall learning in the program.
Online Learning Format
Adler University approaches online learning with the same commitment to academic excellence and student support that has been the hallmark of our 65-year history. Our innovative online graduate courses deliver an engaging, interactive learning experience designed to accommodate your busy schedule.
Online learning offers a great deal of independence and flexibility, but that doesn’t mean that you’re alone. Our online student body is supported by the same administrative and academic staff who serve our on-campus students. Your instructors are also available to answer your questions, provide more information, and connect you with additional resources to help you succeed. In addition, your cohort classmates will be a source of ongoing support and collaboration as you progress through your degree program, and well after graduation.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants of the Master’s in Organizational Leadership program are required to have:
- A baccalaureate degree, by the date of matriculation, earned from an accredited college or university, or an equivalent degree from an international college or university.
- A GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) in their baccalaureate degree.
- Applicants with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 will be considered for conditional admission by submitting two letters of recommendation from a current professor, supervisor, and/or someone who can attest to the applicant’s ability to be successful in a graduate program. Exceptions may be made for applicants with a conferred graduate degree.
- Applicants with a GPA below a 2.5 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Two letters of recommendation**
Conditional Admission Status
Applicants admitted on a conditional basis must achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their first two courses in order to achieve full admission status and continue in the program. Applicants not meeting this standard may be dismissed from the university. Applicants admitted on a conditional basis are not eligible to repeat coursework until they achieve a full admission status.
Provisional Admission Status
Applicants admitted on a provisional basis must submit all outstanding collateral, as defined in their acceptance letter, prior to the end of their first course to achieve full admission status and continue in the program. Applicants not meeting this standard may be dismissed from the university.
**Letters of recommendation may be waived based on cumulative grade point average from your degree-granting institution. Letters of recommendation should be submitted by professional references on letterhead.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition for Adler University’s programs is charged each term according to the number of registered academic credits. The number of credits a student will register for varies by academic program and by term. To estimate the amount of tuition and fees that would be charged in a given term, please use our Tuition Estimator tool below, or read about tuition and fees for all Online programs.