Overview

What types of professionals are attracted to this program?

By the very design of this graduate program, we gather people from a very diverse pool of organizations: major to mid-sized corporate settings, not-for profit organizations, social services, non-clinical leaders in health care, the public administration sector, even higher education. We believe the differences enrich our perspectives on leadership in the workplace. At the same time, our concentration areas allow us to focus skills toward particular areas of leadership.

While the work people do varies, there is an amazing consistency in the characteristics of all our learners. They have been women and men who:

  • Bring rich experience in the workplace as both leaders and followers
  • Welcome the process of managing change personally and professionally
  • Believe they can be more, and make a finer contribution
  • Work on the ‘people side’ of their workplace
  • Balance already family life, spiritual commitments and work
  • Enable others for participation in decision making
  • Seek to develop both their strategic and operational skills in the workplace
  • Value leadership, critical thinking, communication,
  • Know the importance motivation in working with individuals and teams
  • Emphasize the power of the positive vision personally and professionally
  • Seek to better understand organizational metrics and research for alignment
  • Share a commitment to the essential integrity of each person

This is a program for people who are ready to enter into the process of personal change that will enhance their ability to bring growth to their organizations. We value personal and organizational performance that is optimal. We believe in both personal and organizational transformation to talking with you about coming into our graduate program. This is a very good place to be.

Why the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership?

This program was developed for people whose primary workplace responsibility involves managing people. This graduate program is firmly focused on the human-side of the workplace and draws from the disciplinary areas of Psychology, Sociology, Political Science and Communications.

While directed to active leadership in the workplace, this program is focused by the insight and resources offered by the social sciences. Our applications directions: vision for organizational navigation, professional skill enhancement, and particular areas of expertise developed in our concentrations. Most importantly, our study is grounded in Lasallian values and an ethic of personal and organizational dignity.

Professionalism and skill enhancement is integrated into our graduate program. We build the foundational skill set required of highly qualified organizational leaders: strategic planning, fiscal management, project management, team building, supervision and motivation, conflict management, strength in presentation, and training design.

Organizational Leadership Studies is an adaptable program of graduate study allowing learners to move at their own pace through the program, take an active role in the design of their program, and even work in other areas of academic inquiry.

Why at Lewis University?

We encourage people to come and visit Lewis University to experience our culture and values. Universities differ, and so do their programs. We are certainly open to learning about our areas for growth, but are also proud of the contribution we are making. This graduate program is integrated into the life of our university. We’d encourage you to consider that Lewis University

  • embraces its Catholic and Lasallian identity as a foundation for welcoming diversity
  • celebrates a decade of service in offering this graduate program
  • involves full-time and part-time professors, as well as exceptional adjunct instructors
  • gathers a robust enrollment of nearly 200 graduate students
  • offers the program in formats that include the Romeoville and Oak Brook campuses, weekend delivery format, on-line classes, and classes on-site in workplace settings

The Graduate Program

Our classes are offered in eight-week sessions throughout the year. You can move through the program at your own pace. While some move thorough very quickly, a two to three year program is encouraged. Adult learning is employed throughout the program. You will always be treated as the intelligent, hard-working, and self-directed adult that you are.

Each class is an integral part of the whole experience. Ours is a graduate program aimed at immersion in the classic and cutting-edge resources in this field, critical scholarship based in theory, concrete skills, and in each class there is an ‘portfolio contribution’ that is aimed at building a resume that presents you as the candidate for present and future leadership roles within your organization.

Through the graduate program people prepare for transition in their workplaces and field of expertise. Within this program candidates are challenged to develop a portfolio of resources. As you precede through your graduate program this portfolio will include opportunities to:

  • Write for publication
  • Present at local and national conferences
  • Provide in-service training in your organization and others
  • Interview the people that you believe shape our world.
  • Work with interpersonal instrumentation.
  • Use qualitative research skills; especially action research.
  • Build budgets.
  • Coordinate planning processes
  • Facilitate groups
  • Develop grant proposals
  • Act on skills for cultural awareness
  • Develop an intentional self-presentation
  • Write your autobiography and vision for your life-contribution
  • Be an agent for positive change

Accessibility, Flexibility, Affordability

You can begin your program in less than eight weeks. It’s that accessible. If you’re ready to start, complete the application, submit your transcripts, references, interviews, and make it happen. The graduate programs runs throughout the Chicago metro area: north, south, southwest and central.

While Lewis University is proud of its affordability, graduate education is still expensive. That’s why our financial assistance people will work with you to make your Masters degree affordable. Our Financial Aid Office will help you apply for State and Federal Grants, loan programs, and the guaranteed Student Loan Program.

Now is the time to step forward as a person committed to leadership. Lewis University is prepared to offer you the environment in which to learn, the community in which to grow and the opportunities that will maximize your potential.