Leadership and Organizational Development, M.A.

The Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Development at Saint Louis University is a 30-credit hour online graduate program for professionals who want to make sense of how organizations really work and learn how to lead change more effectively. Offered through SLU’s School for Professional Studies, the program prepares students to work thoughtfully with people, teams and organizational systems in environments shaped by ongoing change, complexity and evolving technologies.

As one of the pioneering leadership and organizational development programs in the country, SLU’s M.A. LOD program has earned a strong reputation among employers and alumni for preparing thoughtful, practice-ready leaders. Alumni work across business, nonprofit, health care, education, government and technology-enabled organizations. With its flexible online format, experienced faculty, and engaged alumni network, the program supports leadership readiness, professional growth, and meaningful organizational impact.

Bridging Theory and Practice: Learning That Connects Directly to Work 

The curriculum integrates leadership and organizational development perspectives, helping students move beyond surface-level solutions to understand what drives organizational performance and breakdowns. Students learn how leadership, structure, culture and systems interact over time and how those dynamics shape behavior, decisions and outcomes.

Students apply concepts directly to their own organizations and professional contexts, strengthening judgment, self-awareness and effectiveness across situations. Unlike programs focused primarily on business functions or technical specialization, the M.A. LOD program emphasizes practical capabilities in organizational diagnosis and development, team effectiveness, creative problem solving, psychologically healthy workplaces, strategic leadership, and leading organizational change, all grounded in evidence-informed practice.

Courses are delivered in accelerated eight-week terms, making the program well suited for working professionals balancing career, family, and long-term leadership goals.

Designed for Impact at Every Professional Level 

The program supports leaders at all stages, from those stepping into broader responsibility to experienced leaders refining their approach in dynamic, technology-enabled organizations. A formal leadership title is not required; the curriculum is designed for professionals who want to develop as self-aware, reflective leaders capable of guiding change.

Graduates leave the program with a portable leadership and organizational development toolkit they can use immediately and continue to draw on throughout their careers. Whether leading teams, facilitating organizational change, or working across boundaries to improve effectiveness, SLU graduates are prepared to make a clear, positive impact in organizations of varying size and sector.

Along the way, you’ll learn from a network of diverse peers from around the world, merging technology with human and organizational structures as you engage in knowledge discovery, management and dissemination of industry-critical knowledge. 

You can also earn a graduate certificate that complements a master’s degree, often without taking additional credits, allowing you to tailor the program to your specific interests.

As part of the School for Professional Studies, this 30-credit master's program offers data-driven professionals like you a flexible option to meet your career goals. With multiple start terms, you can begin the master's program in the fall or spring. You will join a community of academics and practitioners from a wide range of subjects and professional backgrounds, providing the opportunity to learn from a network of peers. 

The 100% online program offers flexible courses in eight-week terms, making advanced education more accessible for working professionals. 

Some SPS programs are also offered in on-campus versions, created so that international students can meet their visa requirements.

Faculty

As a student in the School for Professional Studies at Saint Louis University, you’ll learn from exceptional faculty who are leading experts in their fields. They bring real-world knowledge to the classroom and are dedicated to your professional success. Learn more about the SPS faculty.

Careers

Graduates of SLU’s Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Development work in roles where they are expected to lead people or processes, improve systems, and guide teams through change in today’s dynamic and increasingly AI-enabled workplaces.

They apply leadership judgment, interpret organizational needs, use evidence-based decision-making, and support meaningful progress across teams and organizations. Alumni work in leadership and organizational development roles across virtually every industry, including business, nonprofit, health care, education, government, and technology-enabled organizations. Common roles include:

• Supervisor or first-line leader
• Program or project manager
• Department, operations, or HR manager
• Learning and development or talent development manager
• Employee experience or organizational culture specialist
• Change management leader or internal consultant
• Organizational development (OD) specialist or consultant
• Director or senior director
• Vice president or executive director
• Chief of staff
• C-suite roles, including chief people officer or chief operating officer

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For priority consideration for graduate assistantship, apply by Feb. 1.

For more information, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

1. Graduates will be able to apply organizational development theory in intervention design.
2. Graduates will be able to apply leadership competencies appropriate for a given situation or context.
3. Graduates will be able to apply program-specific knowledge to address practical problems using an ethical, evidence-based framework.
4. Graduates will be able to utilize argumentation skills appropriate for a given problem or context.

Admission Requirements

• Completed application​
• Undergraduate degree (most successful applicants have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or better)
• Official transcript from a degree-granting institution
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• External reference recommendations (encouraged but not required)

Upon admission, a new online student* must successfully complete a virtual meeting with their academic coach to be enrolled in first-term coursework.

*

This is for 100% online students only. International on-campus graduate students will meet their academic coach at on-campus orientation. 

Requirements for International Students

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students, along with the following:

• Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency. Some examples of demonstrated English language proficiency include minimum score requirements for the following standardized tests:
  • ​Paper-based TOEFL: 550
  • Internet-based TOEFL: 80
  • IELTS: 6.5
  • PTE: 54

• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

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Program Requirements 

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

This roadmap is just one example of a semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. There are other plans students can and do take. The plan of study for each particular student is established in consultation with each student’s academic advisor; this roadmap does not replace academic advising appointments.

Roadmap notes:

• This Roadmap assumes full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
• Courses/Milestones marked with an “!” are critical and must be completed in the semester listed in the Roadmap to ensure a timely graduation.
• Course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Apply for Admission

For additional admission questions, please call 314-977-2330 or email sps@slu.edu.