Organization and Leadership, MA

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The Organization and Leadership (O&L) Program at the School of Education offers a dynamic and unique program that educates people to create and sustain just institutions through active and responsible leadership. Leadership is an essential resource for creating and sustaining organizations, communities and societies. Leadership is understood as a summons to serve the other. The primary goal of the O&L program is to bring before students a continuum of new knowledge and understanding that reflects current theories, research and innovative practices.

Students may pursue the M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) or a M.A. or Ed.D. in Organization and Leadership.

Organization and Leadership graduates are prepared to assume leadership positions in a variety of settings. They may also consider consulting or higher education teaching positions.

For more information, please visit the Organization and Leadership Program page.

Educational Philosophy of the O&L Program

The O&L program collaboratively prepares graduate students who will possess the knowledge, skills, values and vision to transform and change organizations as leaders. We assume that adult learners bring skill sets to the learning environment where collaborative student-centered interactions can take place among faculty and peers. It is through dialog, new knowledge and experiences that new ideas and reform can take place. In the Jesuit tradition of valuing the student learner, faculty seek to provide students with opportunities for self-renewal and growth.

Master’s Programs

The faculty of the Organization and Leadership department offer two M.A. Programs: Master of Arts in Organization and Leadership, and the Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA).

The Master of Arts in Organization and Leadership gives students the opportunity to focus their study in several areas that represent current dimensions and challenges of leadership: the university, corporations, healthcare, technology, K-12 schooling, and international development. The M.A. in O&L requires the completion of 30 credits: 27 credits of course work and a 3-credit O&L 655 - M.A. Thesis/Field Project .

Requirements include:

Students complete 15 units in one of the of the following focus areas:

Higher Education
Interpretive Development and Organization Policy
K-12 Instructional Leadership
21st Century Leadership

And 6 credits of electives in consultation with their faculty advisor and the O&L 655 - M.A. Thesis/Field Project (3 credits).