Online Organizational Leadership, M.A.

Prepare to become a strategic professional that works effectively to develop organizations and employees with the talent and organizational development concentration. This program concentration offers insight into human and organizational relationships. You'll learn how to make analytical judgments and see the "big picture" as it relates to an organization and its environment. This concentration may also be pursued as a standalone certificate. 

The life and career coaching concentration is designed to meet the educational requirements for certification as a Board Certified Coach through the Center for Credentialing and Education, Inc. You'll gain the skills needed to effectively counsel others to drive decision-making and achieve goals in areas such as life transitions, career choices and work/life balance. This concentration may also be pursued as a standalone certificate. Rider's Life and Career Coaching Certificate program is a Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) registered 1035-BCC training provider. Course(s) are approved as part of 30, 60 and/or 120 hour-curricula for BCC training course(s).

The higher education leadership concentration prepares graduates for a variety of institutional roles in higher education, with an emphasis on developing leadership skills for organizational change. A unique graduate program for emerging higher education professionals, our program provides you with the leadership capacity to face organizational challenges in today’s colleges and universities. This concentration may also be pursued as a standalone certificate. 

With the counseling-related services concentration, you'll gain the required knowledge of mental health and related issues to succeed as a leader and change agent in organizations that serve individuals with mental health or wellness needs. Courses include Introduction to Counseling and Helping Professions and Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling and Psychotherapy.

Once accepted, you will receive a letter from the Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling. You will also receive a letter from graduate admissions indicating your student ID (BroncID) and Rider email address. 

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office at Rider University has information on loans in which you can apply. Various positions exist on campus and are listed through the Career Development and Success Center via Handshake. Occasionally, there are positions available in our department for students in our program. To apply, contact the Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, and Counseling by calling 609-896-5000, ext. 7171.

Full-time for graduate students is 3 courses a semester (9 credit hours.)

To complete the degree requirements for the Organizational Leadership program, all students need to complete 30 credit hours. In the last semester of study, students will complete a capstone experience. This culminating experience will result in a leadership project or master’s thesis.

As a prospective graduate student, you will choose your concentration when applying to the program.

Your courses will be determined by your concentration. Please see the documents below for course sequencing: 

• Talent and Organizational Development (PDF)
• Life and Career Coaching (PDF)
• Higher Education Leadership (PDF)
• Counseling-Related Services (PDF)

Additional resources are available on CANVAS, Rider University’s learning management system, which you will have access to once you are accepted to the program. Please note, you are required to meet with your advisor prior to registering for classes. 

All students in the program must earn a GPA of at least 3.0 by the end of their first 12 credits. Some students are accepted with the additional proviso of attaining a 3.0 in a shorter time-frame.

Students in the M.A. in organizational leadership program will be expected to achieve the following learning outcomes:

1. Examine, evaluate and integrate established and emerging theories related to organizational behavior, organizational design, organizational theory, change management and leadership
2. Analyze problem-solving and decision-making frameworks to lead and drive organizational change
3. Design and conduct research, collect and analyze data to develop innovative strategies to address organizational issues
4. Demonstrate understanding of diversity, equity and cultural difference, and utilize techniques to interrupt bias and create a culture of inclusion
5. Describe and apply theories that promote organizational teamwork, effective communication and collaboration within organizations
6. Engage in self-reflective practices and critical thinking that is relevant to the needs of 21st-century organizational leadership