How to Become an Organizational Leader in Kentucky

Online Associate Degree in Leadership (AS)

Associate degrees in organizational leadership generally consist of 60 credit hours of coursework that take full-time students approximately two years to complete. These are undergraduate programs, which mean they incorporate both general liberal arts education and major-specific classes. Curriculums vary, but will likely cover topics in communication, mathematics, and science, as well as human resource management, employment law, organizational development, and business communications.

This type of degree can lead to entry-level employment as account managers, community relations managers, training directors, diversity specialists, and executive assistant positions. It’s important to realize, however, that opportunities may be limited. Most companies and organizations prefer to hire professionals with more education and/or experience.

While it may be possible to find employment after graduation, associate degrees in organizational leadership are better used as a means of preparing for further learning. Students tend to gain strong academic foundations, making them perfect candidates for a bachelor’s organizational leadership program.

Notably, it’s often possible to transfer academic credit earned at the associate level to bachelor’s degrees. Most colleges and universities accept up to 60 or 90 undergraduate credit hours from other accredited institutions. Utilizing credits previously earned can drastically decrease the number of major and elective courses needed to graduate with a more advanced degree.

Online Bachelor's Degree in Leadership (BS)

Bachelor’s degrees in organizational leadership consist of 120 credit hours of coursework that take full-time students approximately four years to complete. These are undergraduate programs, which mean they incorporate both general liberal arts education and major-specific classes. Curriculums vary, but will likely cover general education courses and topics in communication, mathematics, and science, and other foundational knowledge, as well as the leadership process, organizational environment, organizational development, communication strategies for leaders, assessment in organizations, social conflict, human relations, and negotiation. Some concentrations might require elective courses that can help expand your professional leadership capacities.

Capstone projects are frequently required, as well as practicums and/or internships with nearby businesses and organizations. It may also be possible to select concentrations in related sub-fields at this level.

Some options commonly available include:

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a bachelor’s degree is typically the minimum education requirement for management, business, and financial occupations. Graduates often qualify for a wide variety of jobs across numerous industries onec they earn a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership or other business degree. Some common opportunities include training and development managers, management analysts, sales managers, human resource managers, and industrial production managers.

Many graduates with bachelor’s degrees still desire to continue their education by enrolling in graduate school. Those interested in earning master’s degrees should be prepared to meet minimum grade point average (GPA) and Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) score requirements set by gaining institutions.

Online Master's Degree in Leadership (MS)

Graduate programs and master’s degrees in organizational leadership generally range from 30 to 36 credit hours of coursework that take full-time students approximately two to three years to complete. General education courses are no longer incorporated into the curriculum at this academic level. It’s important to check prerequisite requirements prior to applying, however, as many programs expect candidates to already possess certain knowledge and skills, as well as providing their official transcripts of college credit hours from prior learning and resume during the admission process. A completely online program offers flexibility while still giving students access to the same outcome of a degree in organizational leadership.

While every institution is different, students can typically expect to take classes that focus specifically on topics relevant to the field. Instruction in organizational leadership theory, organizational behavior, human relations, human resource management, and marketing is common. Those enrolled may also learn about organizational sustainability, digital media and marketing, political science, and diversity and conflict in the workplace through elective courses. All of these are aimed at improving your professional leadership capacities.

Capstone projects may be necessary and students are often encouraged to participate in internships with nearby businesses and organizations. Many colleges and universities allow those enrolled to differentiate their academic experiences by selecting concentrations in related subfields.

Options commonly available include:

An organizational leadership degree at this level is ideal for those seeking to enhance their current position or looking for employment as business executives, management consultants, school principals, human resources managers, training and development managers, and administrative services managers. Graduates are typically considered qualified to pursue leadership and management positions in both the public and private sectors. In most cases, possessing a master’s degree will make candidates much more competitive, which can lead to more employment opportunities and higher pay. Individuals who plan to pursue certain professional certifications will also benefit from completing graduate school programs.