Is Organizational Leadership a Good Degree?
Whether you鈥檙e looking to lead a large company someday or you鈥檙e trying to improve your advancement prospects in your current career, you may be wondering, is organizational leadership a good degree to get?
With a degree in organizational leadership, you鈥檒l develop the skills you need to help businesses and other organizations navigate difficult processes, tackle complex problems, and more.
In this guide, we鈥檒l explore some of the benefits of organizational leadership degree programs. We鈥檒l break down the basics of organizational leadership, describe the key skills you鈥檒l acquire in a program, compare master鈥檚 and doctoral programs, and help you decide whether or not this degree track is right for your career.
What is an Organizational Leadership Degree?
If you鈥檙e asking yourself, 鈥What is organizational leadership?鈥 you鈥檒l be glad to know that it鈥檚 a straightforward degree.
Graduate and post-graduate leadership programs often hone in on a few key elements like:1
- Theory 鈥 What do studied academics have to say about leadership? An organizational leadership degree program will expose students to the theories defining today鈥檚 leadership landscape, unpack those theories, and challenge students to analyze them.
- Strategy 鈥 Theory in a vacuum isn鈥檛 useful鈥攍eaders must apply their theoretical knowledge to develop strategies that produce results for organizations. But how do they do that? An organizational leadership program will teach students to create, implement, maintain, and assess strategies based on theoretical frameworks.
- Organization 鈥 Leaders have the capacity to create and shape organizations that have powerful, impactful reach: from private sector businesses to nonprofit organizations. Organizational leadership students will learn how to create, operate within, and curate highly functional organizations.
Benefits of an Organizational Leadership Degree
What are some of the benefits of an organizational leadership degree in practice?
- Development of organizational leadership qualities and skills 鈥 Simply put, an organizational leadership degree can help you become the organizational leader you want鈥攐r need鈥攖o be. Even if you鈥檙e a natural-born leader, formal training can help you hone your skills to help you produce tangible results during your career.
- Networking 鈥 One of the most valuable takeaways from any graduate program is your contact list. Whether you鈥檙e a seasoned veteran in your industry or you just finished your undergraduate program, the people you meet in grad school can help define your career trajectory鈥攅specially when your fellow students are tomorrow鈥檚 great organizational leaders.
- Rigor and challenge 鈥 Master鈥檚 and doctoral programs are time-consuming and challenging. To successfully complete a graduate program, students must study hard while fulfilling family responsibilities and (in many cases) maintaining their existing job performance. The rigor of graduate and post-graduate education produces a mental toughness that can help you stand out as a job candidate and as a leader.
Key Skills
So, what exactly will you learn in an organizational leadership degree program? Many programs will teach you to be a organizational leader in different ways:
- How to identify and embody different leadership types, like:
- Authentic leadership
- Transactional leadership
- Cross-cultural leadership
- Transformational leadership
- How leaders operate around the world鈥攏ot just in your local culture
- How and why truly great leaders attract followers and cultivate those followers鈥 skills
- How to develop and apply your own distinct leadership style
At its core, organizational leadership degrees combine theoretical knowledge and practical experience to produce impactful, successful leaders.
Masters vs. Doctorate Degrees in Organizational Leadership
Students pursuing organizational leadership education have two choices:
- A master鈥檚 in organizational leadership 鈥 Organizational leadership MS or MA programs (depending on the institution that offers them) cover topics like organizational development, organizational behavior, the social responsibility of organizations, strategic organizational management, and human resources to produce high-quality leaders.2
- A doctorate in organizational leadership 鈥 Organizational leadership PhD programs cover in-depth leadership theories, help students develop a carefully curated leadership style, and implement their strategies in practical settings.
While programs vary across institutions, some programs (master鈥檚 and doctoral) might require students to write and defend a thesis or dissertation. But remember that a dissertation, like your diploma, is more than a long, detailed essay: it鈥檚 a symbol of your commitment, tenacity, and expertise.
Is Organizational Leadership Right for You?
Considering the numerous potential benefits of an organizational leadership degree program, should you enroll in one?
An organizational leadership program might be right for you if:
- You鈥檙e an entrepreneur 鈥 If you鈥檙e looking to start the world鈥檚 next Fortune 500 company, a degree in organizational leadership could equip you with the skills you need to be an effective leader and build a strong, well-led organization.
- You鈥檙e seeking career advancement 鈥 If you鈥檙e already established in your career, but you鈥檙e feeling stagnant or having trouble advancing to the next level, consider continuing education courses or a postgraduate program. An additional feather (or a few) in your professional cap might improve your opportunities for future leadership roles.
- You鈥檙e interested in an organizational leadership career 鈥 If you can see yourself at the helm of a major private sector organization, a non-profit, a university, or another large institution, an organizational leadership degree can equip you with the project management skills you need to effectively fulfill the demands of a key leadership role.
At the end of the day, a degree in organizational leadership could improve your long-term job prospects, help you achieve long-held goals, or pave the way for a successful career.
Invest in Leadership Competencies with 樱花视频
Is organizational leadership a good degree? For people looking to build strong effective leadership skills, advance their careers, and challenge themselves, absolutely. Whether you are a marketing manager, human resources manager or sales manager, effective organizational leadership is essential for a working professional take up a leadership position.
If you believe organizational leadership is right for you, explore the leadership PhD program at 樱花视频. Our unique higher education program combines the power of two esteemed schools鈥攖he California School of Management and Leadership (CSML) and the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP)鈥攖o offer students an interdisciplinary, immersive approach and professional studies to leadership training, from business administration to professional psychology.
Take our business degree quiz to find out if organizational leadership is right for you and learn more about strategic leadership in organizational change. Or, if you already know you鈥檙e ready, .
Sources:
- 鈥淧hD in Leadership.鈥 樱花视频. /business/leadership/phd. Accessed June 21, 2023.
- 鈥淓arning a Master鈥檚 in Organizational Leadership: Everything You Need to Know.鈥 Forbes. May 30, 2023. . Accessed June 21, 2023.
