Lead Teams to Success with an MS in Organizational Leadership
The Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program at St. Edward’s prepares students to confidently and skillfully enact positive, organizational change — a crucial competency in today’s fast-paced companies and organizations.
Students will understand leadership from the individual, group, organizational, and global perspectives, allowing them to facilitate change across diverse teams in the workplace.
Why earn your MS in Organizational Leadership at St. Edward’s?
St. Edward’s offers small, interactive classes and convenient schedules, a highly accomplished faculty, a prime location in Austin, and relationships with employers who seek out our graduates. Our impeccable academic standards and personalized approach prepare you to take on a whole new level of success.
Take advantage of flexibility
Offered 100% online, this 30-credit hour program is ideal for full-time working professionals and can be completed in 16 months. Courses are offered in a 7-week accelerated format and are taken one at a time, with two courses taken per semester.
Learn from experts
Our outstanding faculty members are practicing professionals and consultants in the field who teach from real-life cases and the latest insights. They’ll get to know you and become trusted advisors during and after your time on the hilltop.
Broaden your professional network
Learn in interactive, discussion-based classes with like-minded colleagues and professors who are well-connected in the workplace. You’ll be encouraged to network among your classmates and the local Austin business community.
Study leadership from a social justice perspective
In courses such as “Leadership and Social Justice” and “Advocacy and Inclusivity in Organizations,” you’ll critically analyze a range of social justice and ethical issues faced by leaders in today’s complex and globalized world.
Reap the Rewards of Austin
Austin is one of the fast-growing cities in the U.S., and home to nearly 100 Fortune 500 firms. Our Austin location, partnerships and connections allow you to immerse yourself in the city’s dynamic business, government, nonprofit and academic environments.
Explore Details About the MS in Organizational Leadership
The Master of Science in Organizational Leadership prepares graduates to become intelligent, ethical, supportive leaders in a variety of roles, organizations and industries. Program Director Tom Sechrest explains how this St. Edward’s University graduate program prepares leaders to thrive and make a positive organizational impact. Check out this helpful Q&A with Sechrest.
Learning Goals:
After completing the online Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to examine leadership issues from the vantage of the whole system to clarify purpose, align resources and mobilize change toward a preferred and sustainable future.
- Apply mindful leadership to help change efforts be more adaptable, resilient, entrepreneurial, creative, ethical and sustainable.
- Identify key issues in complex change efforts and then formulate appropriate interventions to achieve desired results.
- Take appropriate and grounded leadership actions that integrate individual and collective learning about change efforts, helping to collaboratively achieve transformational results consistent with an organization’s mission and values.
- Effectively communicate strategic direction, intent and process.
The curriculum for the MS in Organizational Leadership program consists of 10 core courses for a total of 30 credit hours. Courses are delivered in an accelerated online delivery format. Each course is seven weeks long, allowing students to take two courses per semester (thus qualifying for federal loan eligibility) and to complete the degree in five semesters (16 weeks). Courses are offered in a cohort format in which entering students complete all core courses with the same group of students.
Organizational Leadership Core Courses
- Leadership Foundations and Formation
- Principles and Practices of Organizational Change
- Data Analytics for Leaders
- Becoming a Strategic Leader
- Cultural and Critical Inquiry
- Leadership and Social Justice
- Conflict Analysis and Resolution
- Executing Strategic Change
- Contemporary Issues in Leadership and Change
- Advocacy and Inclusivity in Organizations
For detailed degree requirements and course descriptions, please see the Graduate Bulletin or request more information.
At $37,260, the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership degree is a smart investment. The knowledge and skills acquired in this program prepare you for career advancement opportunities and rewarding work within public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Tuition* includes all course fees but does not include books, comprehensive fees or other course materials. Once accepted to the program, you are required to submit a $500 non-refundable tuition deposit. Deposits are applied toward tuition and secure your place in the upcoming class.
*Tuition is subject to change at the discretion of the St. Edward’s University Board of Trustees.
Financial Aid
The St. Edward’s University Financial Aid Office provides information about financial aid opportunities available to graduate students. Please visit our Financial Aid page or call us at 512-387-3110 if you are interested in additional details.
To apply for the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program, students are required to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. Review application steps and requirements for the program as well as key dates: Application Deadlines and Checklist
Need more information? Please contact an Enrollment Counselor at 512-326-7501.
Tom Sechrest, PhD
Program Director, Master of Science in Organizational Leadership
Tom Sechrest has had a long career in leadership development as an entrepreneur, in the public sector, private sector, nonprofit sector and higher education. Sechrest started his career as an entrepreneur in educational and industrial television, creating training films, documentaries, commercials and music videos for Don Kirshner’s Rock Concerts.
Sechrest went on to serve as a television producer for the U.S. Department of Labor and led a national leadership development project there. He worked in corporate leadership and succession planning for AMD, then served as faculty chair for Leadership Austin before joining the faculty at St. Edward’s.
Sechrest brings a depth of experience, connections both locally and globally, and ties to many professional organizations, including the International Leadership Association, the Academy for Human Resource Development, the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics, and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Leslie Loughmiller, EdD
Department Chair and Associate Professor of Education for the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Leslie Loughmiller holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from Texas Tech University, a master’s degree in Special Education Diagnostician from Texas State University, and a doctorate of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Nova Southeastern University of Florida.
Loughmiller has been an educator for over 25 years in the areas of special education, elementary education, early childhood, elementary curriculum development, higher education leadership and adult education. Her time and service in higher education has been spent teaching and mentoring pre-service teachers and graduate students as well as developing programs and courses for university programs.
In addition, Leslie provides service to her profession as one of the members of the editorial review board for a researched-based journal in special education, the Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, serves on Pre-K–12 education and educational leadership research dissertation committees and has served on the school board for many years for a private school for special needs adolescents in the Austin area.
Kris Sloan, EdD
Associate Professor of Education in the School of Human Development and Education
Kris Sloan is the director of the Master of Arts in Global Development Practice program. He teaches courses on culture, curriculum, pedagogy, leadership, ethics and educational policy at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Sloan has published works on anti-oppressive pedagogy, educational policy, teacher education and assessment literacy. He has worked as a professional curriculum designer and has taught in the United States and abroad.
Shelbee Nguyen Voges, PhD
Associate Professor of Education
Shelbee Nguyen Voges is director of the Master of Arts in Educational Innovations program. Voges has more than 10 years of teaching experience in adult and higher education contexts. Her research explores the practice of adult learning theory targeting experiential learning, narrative, critical reflection and sociocultural influences on study abroad participation.