Leader talking to group around a meeting table

Master's in Organizational Leadership Online

Arkansas State University’s 100% online Master of Science in Organizational Leadership spans 30 credit hours, can be completed in as few as 12 months and costs $10,500 in total tuition ($350 per credit hour). Designed for working professionals, including service members and veterans moving into civilian management, it builds communication, team-building and crisis-navigation skills and prepares graduates for advancement into management, director and executive positions.

Next Apply Date: 12/28/26
Next Class Start Date: 1/11/27
Apply Now
Next Apply Date: 12/28/26
Next Class Start Date: 1/11/27

Program Overview

What does A-State's online M.S. in Organizational Leadership offer?

Become a relatable leader who effectively communicates with people at all levels of an organization and gain a competitive edge. This affordable, 100% online degree program will help you stand out as an active listener and empathetic leader who can successfully drive growth through employee engagement.

Learn strategies for improving individual and group performance and acquire tools for resolving conflict and managing group dynamics. Coursework focuses on developing skills you can immediately apply in the workplace in areas such as organizational behavior, management, business ethics, leadership and social responsibility.

Finish in as few as 12 months and qualify for executive roles in a variety of industries, including financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and retail.

In this 100% online Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, you will learn how to:

  • Apply effective communication strategies to create team cohesion/collaboration, motivate individuals within those teams and effectively navigate crises
  • Analyze organizations and develop effective strategies for managing dynamic organizations
  • Articulate strategies for developing leadership in others
  • Develop and utilize a personal leadership strategy for managing teams and organizations in a variety of situations
In this 100% online Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, you will learn how to:+
  • Apply effective communication strategies to create team cohesion/collaboration, motivate individuals within those teams and effectively navigate crises
  • Analyze organizations and develop effective strategies for managing dynamic organizations
  • Articulate strategies for developing leadership in others
  • Develop and utilize a personal leadership strategy for managing teams and organizations in a variety of situations

As a graduate of this Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, you will be prepared for advancement into roles such as:

  • Division Director / District Manager
  • Team Manager
  • General Manager
  • Operations Manager / Director of Operations
  • Program Manager
  • Management Consultant
  • HR Manager
  • Training and Development Manager
  • Training and Development Manager
  • Training and Development Manager
  • Executive
As a graduate of this Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, you will be prepared for advancement into roles such as:+
  • Division Director / District Manager
  • Team Manager
  • General Manager
  • Operations Manager / Director of Operations
  • Program Manager
  • Management Consultant
  • HR Manager
  • Training and Development Manager
  • Training and Development Manager
  • Training and Development Manager
  • Executive
+

Also available:

For additional business-core credentials or other focus areas beyond people leadership and communication, explore A-State's related programs below:

Total Tuition: $10,500
Program Duration: As few as 12 months
Credit Hours 30
Apply Now

Need More Information?

Call 866-621-8096

Call 866-621-8096

Tuition

How much does the online M.S. in Organizational Leadership cost?

Our online Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program offers the same affordable tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included.

Tuition breakdown:

Per Credit Hour: $350
Total Tuition: $10,500

Calendar

When can you start the online M.S. in Organizational Leadership?

Ideal for working professionals, A-State Online programs are delivered in an accelerated format with multiple start dates each year.

Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.

View full calendar +

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument Deadline Registration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Fall 210/12/269/28/269/28/2610/8/2610/9/2612/4/26
Spring 11/11/2712/28/2612/28/261/7/271/8/272/26/27
Spring 23/8/272/22/272/22/273/4/273/5/274/30/27

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date 12/28/26
Start Class 1/11/27

Have questions or need more information about A‑State online programs?

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?

Apply Now

Admissions

What are the admission requirements for the online M.S. in Organizational Leadership?

A-State Online offers a streamlined admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. To be admitted to the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership online program, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

Admission Requirements:

  • Online application
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Cumulative 2.5 GPA
View all admission requirements +

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited university with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA or a 2.75 in the last 60 hours (undergraduate, graduate or combination thereof) or graduate or post-baccalaureate professional degree from a regionally accredited (U.S.) institution
  • If you have lower than a 2.5 cumulative GPA and less than a 2.75 in the last 60 hours, you may still apply for consideration for admittance by including a statement of purpose as part of the application. Please contact an Enrollment Services representative at 866-621-8096 for more information.

Note: If you are admitted and have less than a 2.75 cumulative GPA and less than a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours, you must make a grade of B or better in each course during the first 9 hours of graduate work at Arkansas State University. Additionally, you will only be allowed to enroll in one course (or 3 graduate hours) per 7-week session for the first two sessions.

Application submission requirements:

  • Complete online application
  • Submit a nonrefundable $30 fee
  • Have official transcript(s) sent from the registrar of the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the granting institution.

Submit all documents to:

A-State Online
P.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467

Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]

For non-U.S. postal mail overnight delivery only:

A-State Online
c/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401

A leader in the pack

A-State is recognized among "Top Public Schools, National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report, 2026

A-State holds the #6 position among the "Top 10 Best Colleges in Arkansas," as recognized by CollegeChoice.net 2026.

Courses

What courses are in the online M.S. in Organizational Leadership curriculum?

To graduate from the M.S. in Organizational Leadership online program, you must complete a total of 30 credit hours. Required coursework includes seven foundational courses (for a total of 21 credit hours) and three elective courses (for a total of nine credit hours). Select elective courses with MBA, MGMT or MKTG prefixes.

Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.

Expand All
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Theories, models, and approaches relevant to the study of human communication.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Examines organizations as interdependent systems, stressing structural, environmental, and international considerations using theories and perspec­tives from sociology, economics, psychology, and strategic management. Stresses practical impli­cations for managing dynamic organizations.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Theories, models, and approaches relevant to the study of human communication.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An investigation of communications during crises, focusing on public relations, advertising and other persuasive efforts by institutions, corporations, movement leaders, and citizens to describe, persuade and shape human interactions with their environment during a crisis.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Designed to introduce students to the ways individuals and teams work in organizations, with a special emphasis on practical applica­tions for managers. The objective is to improve students’ abilities to diagnose, analyze, and take effective action in their organizational work.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The Human Resource Management Function with emphasis on the development of business structures, policies and techniques used in developing human resources in the contemporary business organization.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Leadership theories and their applications are examined. Development of leadership skills is emphasized. Prerequisites: Must have completed 15 hours of graduate courses toward degree.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Examines ethical decision making and the various issues in business including social responsibility, environmental protection, priva­cy, individual rights, OSHA, product liability, equality of opportunity and the morality of capitalism.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An investigation of communications during crises, focusing on public relations, advertising and other persuasive efforts by institutions, corporations, movement leaders, and citizens to describe, persuade and shape human interactions with their environment during a crisis.

Select from three courses with MBA, MGMT, or MKTG prefixes.

Program Coursework Rotation Online (.PDF)

Built for Your Schedule, Not Your Zip Code

Arkansas State University’s online M.S. in Organizational Leadership is built for working professionals anywhere in the U.S. who want a graduate credential in organizational leadership without relocating. Because the program is completed entirely online with six start dates a year and every U.S. resident pays the same tuition ($10,500 total), your location does not limit your access. Students in or near Arkansas can also draw on the state’s employer network, which includes the headquarters of Walmart (Bentonville), Tyson Foods (Springdale), J.B. Hunt Transport Services (Lowell) and Dillard’s (Little Rock). Arkansas National Guard members may qualify for the state’s National Guard Tuition Waiver, and eligible service members can use the A-State Military Scholarship; see A-State's military page. For state authorization details, visit the State Authorization & Licensure Disclosures page.

FAQ

Organizational Leadership Master’s Online FAQs

Intro copy

The two share the same five management courses: Organization Theory, Seminar in Organizational Behavior, Leadership Development, Management Development Strategies, and Business Ethics and Social Responsibility. The MBA with a Concentration in Management adds an eight-course business core in accounting, managerial economics, corporate finance, business analytics, project management, strategic management and strategic marketing, and is 33 credit hours at $17,292. The M.S. is 30 credit hours at $10,500 with seven foundational courses, including Communication Theory and Crisis Communication, plus three electives. Both can be completed in as few as 12 months.
Change is addressed through the coursework rather than a standalone course. Organization Theory (MGMT 6143) examines organizations as interdependent systems and stresses practical implications for managing dynamic organizations. Seminar in Organizational Behavior (MGMT 6403) builds the ability to diagnose, analyze and take effective action in organizational work. Crisis Communication (STCM 55603) covers communication during crises. The program’s outcomes include analyzing organizations and developing strategies for managing dynamic organizations.
The program builds communication, team-building and crisis-navigation skills for leading people, and it is 100% online for working professionals. A-State is a military-friendly university that accepts the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 31 and Chapter 35 benefits. The A-State Military Scholarship reduces tuition and fees to $250 per credit hour. It is available to eligible reservists, Guard members, spouses of active-duty service members and active-duty service members using Tuition Assistance. Students reapply every term. See A-State’s military page for eligibility and how benefits combine.
Applicants below a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a 2.75 in the last 60 hours can still apply by including a statement of purpose with the application. Students admitted below a 2.75 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 in the last 60 hours must earn a B or better in each course during their first 9 hours of graduate work and enroll in one course per 7-week session for the first two sessions. A student engagement specialist can walk through the options.

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