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Organizational Development and Leadership, MS

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4+1 Program Available

With careful planning, complete any Bachelors degree and earn a MS in ODL

Only one additional year of study

The Organizational Development and Leadership (ODL) program uses a unique interdisciplinary approach to prepare students for leadership positions in various career fields. Our approach provides a broad understanding of leadership strategies and the operational characteristics and concerns of organizations, while also providing the opportunity to select a concentration area for one’s career goals.

Alumnus William Flannery takes on new role as assistant coach

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“Shippensburg was instrumental in shaping my perspective and knowledge as a more well-rounded leader,”  alumnus William Flannery shared. 

Last spring, William Flannery completed his master’s in Organizational Development and Leadership (ODL) at Shippensburg University. Through the program, Flannery learned how to serve as a strong leader across a variety of sectors. Now, as an assistant men’s soccer coach at Lehigh University, Flannery credits his past experiences and time at Ship for preparing him for the challenges of collegiate athletics. 

Planning Your ODL Journey

For your convenience in planning your ODL, MS below please find a sample timeline:

Fall of Senior Year: 400 or 500-level ODL graduate course (Credits: 3)
Spring of Senior Year: 400 or 500-level ODL graduate course (Credits: 3)
Summer of Graduate Year: Two 3 credit classes (Credits: 6)*
Fall of Graduate Year: Three ODL 3 credit classes (Credits: 9)
Spring of Graduate Year: Three ODL 3 credit classes (Credits: 9)

*In lieu of Summer classes, students may be able to take one or two Winter classes.

Admissions Requirements

In addition to the application and transcript(s), Organizational Development and Leadership (ODL) applicants must submit:

  • Resume
  • Program statement
    • Please submit one page single-spaced explaining your personal and/or professional goals for the program

Admission is based on prior academic success. Students with a GPA below 2.75 may be asked to obtain a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or interview with the program director.

Organizational Development and Leadership has rolling admissions with no application deadline. Students can begin the program during the spring, summer, or fall terms. Once the application is complete, the Sociology and Anthropology Department will begin the review process and make a prompt decision.

Course Work for Organizational Development and Leadership, MS

The Organizational Development and Leadership (ODL) Program is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare students for leadership positions in various career fields. The interdisciplinary approach provides a broad understanding of leadership strategies and the operational characteristics and concerns of organizations, while also providing the opportunity to select a concentration area of immediate relevance for one’s career trajectories. The ODL program has three key components: (a) 12 credits of core coursework in Organizational Theory, Leadership Theory, Research, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion, (b) 12 credits in a concentration which may be either a specific area of expertise (e.g., Business, Higher Education and Student Affairs, or Management Information Systems) or an individualized concentration that offers students a flexible array of graduate classes to achieve their self-identified skills across disciplines, and (c) an internship and capstone experience.

  • SOCI 550 - Leadership Theory and Practice 
  • SOCI 565 - Leading DEI Organizations 
  • POLI 501 - Organizational Theory and Behavior 
  • POLI 601 - Research Methods or COMM 520 - Strategic Communication Research or COUN 600 - Research and Statistics

Completing a degree in ODL requires completion of a 6 credit capstone experience, including SOCI 609 - Sociology Graduate Internship  and SOCI 570 - Applied Organizational and Leadership Analysis. 

Students who are not employed or are employed in a position that is not full-time must complete an internship at an organization other than their current place of work and other than at Shippensburg University.   

Students who are current full-time employees who do not have a position of leadership or who have not been in their current full-time leadership position for at least one year must complete an internship but may do so at their workplace if they prefer to do so. They will be required to identify leadership and special project opportunities that expand their skill set and experience.

Students who are current full-time employees in positions of leadership, who have been in a leadership position at their current workplace for at least one year, have several choices with regard to the internship. They may:

  • complete an internship at their worksite or another site, OR
  • request to have the internship requirement waived and substitute it with another elective course. This option requires a resume, job description, and a letter from one’s supervisor documenting your FT employment status for one year or more and that your position constitutes a position of leadership as defined below. The ODL program director will make this determination on a case-by-case basis,   OR
  • fulfill the internship requirement through Professional Experiences Credit by documenting one’s leadership, project management, and organizational decision-making. See the guidelines for this process at: https://www.ship.edu/academics/colleges/graduate/successcenter/forms/

For the purposes of this policy, a “position of leadership” is one with supervisory authority and with significant input into organization policy, direction, and decision-making. 

All students must complete SOCI 570 - Applied Organizational and Leadership Analysis.

At least 6 credits will be BSN courses.

  • BUSN 511 - Essentials of Business Operations and Analysis 
  • BUSN 519 - Essentials of Information Systems 
  • BUSN 520 - Essentials of Economics for Business Administration 
  • BUSN 521 - Essentials of Accounting 
  • BUSN 530 - Essentials of Finance 
  • BUSN 534 - Essentials of Marketing 
  • COMM 505 - Foundations of Strategic Communication
  • COMM 525 - Social Media Analytics & Strategy 
  • COMM 529 - Crisis Communication 
  • POLI 502 - Human Resources Management 
  • SOCI 575 - Community Development 
Concentration is designed for students without a business or business-related undergraduate degree.

  • COUN 521 - Emotionally Intelligent Leadership 
  • COUN 562 - Student Affairs Law & Policy in Higher Education 
  • COUN 565 - The College Student and the College Environment 
  • COUN 587 - Assessment Strategies & Program Evaluation in Student Affairs 
  • SOCI 525 - Student Success and Student Life 
  • SOCI 530 - The American Higher Education System in Comparative Perspective
  • SOCI 594 - Selected Topics in Sociology

  • BUSN 511 - Essentials of Business Operations and Analysis Credits: 4
  • BUSN 519 - Essentials of Information Systems Credits: 2
  • BUSN 520 - Essentials of Economics for Business Administration Credits: 2
  • BUSN 521 - Essentials of Accounting Credits: 2
  • BUSN 530 - Essentials of Finance Credits: 2
  • BUSN 534 - Essentials of Marketing Credits: 2
  • COUN 521 - Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Credits: 3
  • COUN 562 - Student Affairs Law & Policy in Higher Education Credits: 3
  • COUN 565 - The College Student and the College Environment Credits: 3
  • COUN 587 - Assessment Strategies & Program Evaluation in Student Affairs Credits: 3
  • COMM 505 - Foundations of Strategic Communication Credits: 3
  • COMM 520 - Strategic Communication Research Credits: 3
  • COMM 525 - Social Media Analytics & Strategy Credits: 3
  • COMM 527 - Multimedia Storytelling Credits: 3
  • COMM 529 - Crisis Communication Credits: 3
  • COMM 548 - Global Strategic Communication Credits: 3
  • COMM 594 - Selected Topics Communication/Journalism Credits: 1-3
  • INFS 515 - Information Systems Project Management Credits: 3
  • INFS 550 - Database Design Credits: 3
  • INFS 570 - Information Analysis Credits: 3
  • POLI 502 - Human Resources Management Credits: 3
  • POLI 503 - Public Budgeting and Financial Management Credits: 3
  • POLI 504 - Ethics for Public Service Managers Credits: 3
  • POLI 511 - State Government Credits: 3
  • POLI 512 - Intergovernmental Relations Credits: 3
  • POLI 522 - Advocacy in Public Administration Credits: 3
  • POLI 523 - Communication for the Public Manager Credits: 3
  • POLI 531 - Nonprofit Management and Leadership Credits: 3
  • POLI 591 - Selected Topics in Political Science Credits: 3
  • POLI 592 - Selected Topics in Political Science Credits: 3
  • POLI 603 - Public Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation Credits: 3
  • PSYC 516 - Motivation Credits: 3
  • PSYC 517 - Applied Psychology of Women and Gender Credits: 3
  • PSYC 531 - Cognitive Psychology Applied to the Workplace Credits: 3
  • PSYC 533 - Applied Social Psychology Credits: 3
  • PSYC 539 - Community Psychology Credits: 3
  • PSYC 590 - Introduction to Group Dynamics Credits: 3
  • SOCI 421 - Impact of International Migration Credits: 3
  • SOCI 435 - Gender, Organizations, and Leadership Credits: 3
  • SOCI 440 - Global Leadership for Global Society Credits: 3
  • SOCI 522 - Culture and Organizations Credits: 3
  • SOCI 525 - Student Success and Student Life Credits: 3
  • SOCI 530 - The American Higher Education System in Comparative Perspective Credits: 3
  • SOCI 560 - Leadership, Change, and Innovation Credits: 3
  • SOCI 575 - Community Development Credits: 3
  • SOCI 594 - Selected Topics in Sociology Credits: 3

  • INFS 515 - Information Systems Project Management 
  • INFS 550 - Database Design 
  • INFS 570 - Information Analysis 
  • MBA 547 - Management Information Systems and Applications

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