What Is a Master’s in Organizational Leadership?

To achieve success, a business must have a clear direction. Organizational leadership is a management approach that establishes objectives and strategies to motivate a company’s employees to reach both their and the organization’s professional goals. A master’s in organizational leadership is designed to help business and management professionals build the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to help guide a company’s organizational strategy.

By pursuing a higher education, such as a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MOL), future graduates can position themselves to make a positive impact in the lives of employees, helping to shape programs and resources designed to improve the workplace. For those looking for a way to make a difference in fields such as sustainability, human resources, healthcare, professional studies, or management, a degree in organizational leadership can help graduates succeed in senior roles.

What Is an Organizational Leadership Degree?

Typically requiring a two-year full-time commitment, an MOL is an advanced degree designed for students who already have an educational foundation and often workplace experience. What a master’s in organizational leadership is designed to do is to provide students with the real-world skills they need to take on senior managerial roles.

While an MOL is in many ways similar to a Master of Business Administration (MBA), deciding between the two depends on an individual’s goals. While an MBA focuses on the functional aspects of business, whether it be accounting, financial strategies, business structure, or operational management, an MOL focuses more on the human aspects of managerial responsibility. This can include organizational leadership skills and topics such as the following:

• Human resources (HR) management
• Leadership psychology
• Strategic communication
• Business strategies in marketing, accounting, or finance
• Project management
• Business and leadership research

While studying business strategies is key to both MBA and MOL degrees, it is simply one component alongside the human resources elements of an organizational leadership course in an MOL program. Some MOL programs also allow students to hone their skills in a specific aspect of management, offering concentrations such as the following:

• Healthcare
• HR
• Management
• Professional studies
• Sustainability

A great option for those who are passionate about working with people, a master’s in organizational leadership is based on the philosophy that achieving success in business involves helping others work to their fullest potential.

Why Pursue a Master’s in Organizational Leadership?

Across companies, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, skilled leadership can make all the difference in achieving success. For graduates who aim to make a meaningful impact in their careers, an MOL focuses on providing direction and change within an organization. This can involve creating programs and strategies focused on employees, and understanding that workplace satisfaction is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent.

Taking on these types of people-centric management roles can be both demanding and fulfilling for talented business leaders. Achieving senior-level roles, however, can be quite challenging. Many businesses look for candidates who not only have advanced education, such as an MOL, but also have extensive practical experience — hiring from the perspective that they’re placing the future of their management strategy in their organizational leaders’ hands.

Organizational Leadership Careers

Organizational management can provide effective business strategies to companies of all kinds. From those working toward social change, such as nonprofits or sustainability-focused companies, to traditional businesses, graduates wondering what they can do with an MOL will find a range of opportunities and industries.

Human Resources Manager

Serving as the connection between management and employees, HR managers work in nearly every industry. Their duties typically include recruiting staff, handling employee benefits, shaping hiring strategies, and overseeing employee compensation packages.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), HR managers earned a median annual salary of $136,350 as of May 2023. HR managers have the opportunity to put employees first and steer companies toward better management strategies and improved employee benefits.

Training and Development Manager

Training and development managers look at a company’s training process, identify where and how it can be improved, and collaborate with other instructors and managers to design and implement effective development programs. Using a range of approaches, including both traditional training methods and data-driven digital leadership strategies, to improve communication, training managers help employees in their career development and provide them with the resources they need to succeed.

The BLS reports that training and development managers earned a median annual salary of $125,040 as of May 2023. Salaries for training and development managers can vary based on level of education, location, workplace experience, and industry focus.

Organizational Change Manager

Adopting technologies, projects, and strategies can involve growing pains for many companies. Organizational change managers are responsible for helping to improve that process by implementing systems that encourage and help employees adapt to new technologies and business changes as efficiently as possible.

According to the BLS, the median annual salary for management analysts, including organizational change managers, was $99,410 as of May 2023.

Pursue a Fulfilling Career With a Master’s in Organizational Leadership

Careers in organizational leadership can be a meaningful way for future graduates to make a beneficial difference in a company’s operational strategies. With a passion for positive social change, graduates can help establish strategies and policies that both achieve the company’s vision and help its employees succeed. A master’s in organizational leadership is designed to equip graduates with the practical skills needed to take on these senior roles with confidence.

Investing in higher education, such as the online MOL from Claremont Lincoln University, can be a key step in building a career in business. A fully online program that uses interactive learning platforms and forums facilitated by world class faculty, CLU’s master’s in organizational leadership was designed to provide you with the real-world knowledge and skills you need to succeed.

Explore how you can drive positive social change with a career in organizational leadership from CLU.