Masters in Organizational Leadership

What Could You Learn in a Masters in Organizational Leadership?

A Masters in Organizational Leadership is a degree path that aims to create better problem solvers and leaders. This degree typically provides skills and insights into leadership, including providing students with an understanding of how to be leaders in their careers, whether that relates to managing conflict and overcoming challenges to leading with purpose.

This type of degree path typically offers a lot of opportunity to learn topics and skills that are specifically interesting and beneficial to the student’s long term goals. It may help them to have the opportunity to grow professionally in many industries, rather than providing a very specific set of skills for a specific field. Students typically learn to lead other people, teams, and organizations. They may also learn how to adapt to changing situations and build strategic goals within their organization or sector. Often, they learn to manage through organizational structure and gain more experience in modernizing or innovating in their field.

Organizational Leadership Courses May Include

Social Entrepreneurship

This course may focus on how social change affects the global market. Students are typically introduced to the entrepreneurial mindset and how to apply that to the business they are working in.

Organizational Sustainability

This course typically looks at how organizations operate. The course often discusses long term viability, social context, and economic impact of organizations. Critical thinking is often one of the topics of this course.

Managing a Socially Minded Organization

This course typically looks at how to manage an organization while keeping all aspects of the area it affects in mind. Looking at factors such as social impact, students often discuss and learn the leadership challenges faced while trying to run a socially minded organization.

Evaluating Social Impact

This course may examine how organizations assess their social impact. A number of techniques are usually introduced and evaluated. How to measure and evaluate this impact is often a major component of this course.

Digital Media and Marketing

This course typically aims to look at how to digital media and marketing and how it may be used to benefit an organization. A history of how this has been done and different tools and processes are often discussed as a part of this course.

Organizational Behavior and Development

This course typically looks at all aspects of behavior in an organizational setting. Group, individual, and relationship behaviors are all usually discussed and analyzed. How these dynamics affect organizations and what is done to help improve them may also be topics included in this course.

Find Funding

Covering the cost of an education at the grad school level may be pricey for some people. The average cost of a master’s degree in the 2018 to 2019 school year was $19,314, according to NCES. For those that need help covering that cost, there may be several options available to them. Financial aid may be available for those that qualify.

Funding a master’s degree in organizational leadership may require using one or more options for students who do not wish to pay out of pocket for their education. It is also important to know that this type of educational path may involve using more than one option to cover those costs. Here are some examples of the funding options that may be available to some students.

Scholarships

Scholarships may be available for a master’s degree in organizational leadership. A scholarship is an award provided to the student for meeting the expectations of the application and, often, standing out from a larger group of people who also applied. Scholarships typically do not require students to repay the money at any time, making this an option many students wish to seek out to cover the cost of their education.

Federal Loans

A U.S. federal student loan may be an option for covering the costs through a loan-based program. These loans are specifically designed to meet the criteria set by the federal government. Many times, that means providing terms and conditions that meet the expectations of the federal government. There may be fewer options available at the graduate level than there are at the undergraduate level, though. Still, students may wish to consider any of the following loans from the federal government if they wish to use loans to pay for their graduate education.

• Direct Unsubsidized Loans: These are typically available to graduate schools and professional students. Unlike direct subsidized loans, which are made available to undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need, direct unsubsidized loans usually do not have a need based requirement. Many students may be eligible for them.
• Direct PLUS Loans: These are loans typically made available to professional or graduate level students. They are designed to pay for educational expenses that are typically not paid for through other loans. Eligibility for these loans is not based on financial need, though. However, some require a credit check to be performed, and borrowers may not qualify without meeting other requirements in some cases.
• Direct Consolidation Loans: These loans may enable a student to combine all of their undergraduate and graduate level federal debt into one new loan. This consolidation loan is typically provided after a student completes their education.

Private Student Loans

Another option for some students is the use of private student loans. These are often not backed by the US government. However, they may still be an option for some students who are looking for loans to pay for their graduate education. Private student loans have different terms and conditions than federal loans. There is also often a range of differences between each loan provider.

Those who are hoping to apply for these loans may wish to take some time to compare several to determine if they are a perfect fit for their needs. Some things to look at may include:

• Variable or fixed interest rates and costs associated with the loan
• Whether a credit check or income requirement exists to borrow the funds
• What types of academic requirements are present, such as GPA requirements or credit hours taken

The options available for refinancing, forbearance, and consolidation may differ from one program to the next.

Is post-secondary education administrator a great career?

One of the potential paths for those who graduate with a master’s degree in organizational leadership may be working as a post-secondary education administrator. This type of work involves planning, directing, and coordinating student instruction. It may also include managing other services and handling research and educational activities for students at the post-secondary level.

The work done in this type of job often entails designing and using assessments to monitor how well students are learning. It may also include recruiting, hiring, training, and terminating department personnel. Some may also work to control budgets, maintain financial records, and produce financial reports. They may also advise students on issues such as choosing courses to take, progression towards graduation, and career decision making.

Daily work activities may include directing administrative or support services, evaluating employee performance, developing educational goals, standards, and policies, and managing human resource activities. They may also recommend organizational process and policy change.

• Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

To do this type of work, students may need to have good oral expression, problem sensitivity, and written comprehension skills. Many also need to use technology such as analytical or scientific software, computer-based training software, and database user interface and query software to complete their work.

To work in this field, many employers choose people who have at least a master’s degree, though some may require a PhD. This career path often includes having knowledge and skill to complete daily tasks with only minor amounts of on-the-job training provided. Some employers may require employees to have at least 5 years of experience.

2022 Median Annual Salary for Post-Secondary Education Administrator

The following is the median salary for those working as a post-secondary education administrator in each state for the 2022 year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Is human resources manager a great career?

Working as a human resource manager may be path for those who earn a master’s degree in organizational leadership. This type of work often involves planning, directing, and coordinating human resource activities and teams within an organization. Some of the work done in this type of job includes working between management and employees to handle questions, administer contracts, and help with resolving work-related problems. It may also include advising managers on organizational policy matters, modifying compensation and benefits policies to remain competitive, and performing some staffing duties. In some situations, they may also represent organizations at a personnel-related hearing or investigation.

Daily work activities in this type of job may involve liaising between departments in an organization to improve communications as well as overall function. It may include advising others on legal or regulatory compliance matters, analyzing data to inform operational decision makers or leaders, and administering compensation or benefits programs. Often, it also includes recommending organizational process or policy changes.

• Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Management of Personnel Resources — Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
• Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Those who work in this field typically need active listening, management, and speaking skills. They may also use a range of software programs to manage documents and data.

To do this type of work, individuals typically need to earn at least a bachelor’s degree, though many employers seek out a master’s degree or higher. Employees may also need to have a significant amount of hands-on skill and knowledge in order to obtain positions, which may include as much as 5 to 7 years of experience in some situations. There may be some access to on-the-job experience required, but employers may rely on the applicant’s education for much of the experience.

2022 Median Annual Salary for Human Resources Manager

The following is the median salary for those working as a human resource manager in 2022 in each state according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.