# Organizational Leadership Master of Arts (MA) Online Degree Program

The Master of Arts online degree program in Organizational Leadership is committed to helping students gain the information and the education needed to be competitive in a variety of organizational settings. For this, students will examine history, theory, research, best practices, and factors impacting the field. The program includes courses in the areas of human relations, human resource management, marketing management, organizational theory and behavior, business ethics, project management, conflict management, leadership, employee training and development, strategic management, modern management, and research.

## Designed For You

The California Coast University online Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program was designed for complete flexibility for the student. All courses are self-paced and completed 100% online.

- Affordable Tuition with Interest-Free Payment Plans

  Low tuition with interest-free payment plans as low as $150/month.
- Self-Paced, Online Courses

  Flexible programs designed to fit into your busy schedule. Self-paced study with no group projects, set meeting times, or exam dates.
- Start Anytime

  The program is not structured in semesters, quarters, or terms. It is designed to allow students to begin their online studies at any time of the year.
- 10% Tuition Discount\*

  CCU offers a tuition discount for **Active Duty Military, Veterans, Law Enforcement, Firefighters, Government Employees, and CCU Graduates**.  
  We also offer a 10% discount for **[Corporate Partner employees](https://www.calcoast.edu/corporate-partners-list/)**. For more information on how to become a Corporate Partner, see our [Corporate Partnership Information Page.](https://www.calcoast.edu/corporate-partnership/)  
  \*Employment verification is required. Offer good for students who enrolled after January 2024 and were offered discount at time of enrollment. Offer is not retroactive for students already enrolled. Discount and/or prices subject to change and/or cancellation at any time without notice. This offer cannot be combined with any other discount(s).

![](https://www.calcoast.edu/assets/client_files/images/newsite/programdetails/$150%20(2).png)

View Program Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:

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- Evaluate and integrate various theories, key concepts, and research related to the field of organizational leadership.
- Evaluate processes, strategies, and best practices currently being utilized in organizational leadership.
- Analyze various factors, developments, and trends impacting the organizational leadership of businesses.

- Examine ethical and legal issues inherent to the organizational leadership of business.
- Examine program content in relation to ethical reasoning, social responsibility, global citizenship, and civic engagement.
- Utilize critical thinking, academic writing, and research skills to explore key concepts and theories related to program content.

> Great personal accomplishment.
>
> Great program. Supportive staff.
>
> Steven York, MBA in Management, Class of 2022

### Explore The Program

The Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership degree program consists of **13 total courses**, followed by a final **Comprehensive Examination**.  
The required courses are comprised of: **13 Core Courses**  
Once completed, there is a **Research Courses .**  
There are **39 total semester units** in this program.

13 Core Courses

For the online Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (M.A.) degree program, the following 13 courses must be fulfilled. **Click on course title to expand and read more.**

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| ID | Course Name | Units |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | BAM 501 | Human Relations | 3 |
| *Human Relations* reviews the basics of human interaction, the organizational framework, organizational activity, and strategies for improving organizational behavior and performance. Business and organizational leaders repeatedly stress the need for increased worker education and preparedness in communication, interpersonal skills, teamwork, leadership, and ethics. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Develop an understanding of human relations and the importance of managing the self. - Examine best practices in dealing effectively with other people in relation to communication, managing conflict, leadership, and cross cultural competence. - Explain how to develop career thrust by implementing good work habits, and lifelong learning. - Discuss the importance of staying emotionally healthy and managing stress. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to human relations. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 510 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| *Human Resource Management* examines the concepts, models, procedures, tools, and techniques of human resource management. Aspects of the individual and how the work environment influences people at work is explored, and the emphasis on recent and relevant findings from the behavioral sciences and other disciplines is discussed to help students apply appropriate human resource management approaches in their organizational settings. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Define and discuss human resource management and its importance in modern organizations, legal issues, strategic planning, and trends related to the field. - Examine issues and best practices impacting employee staffing and recruiting. - Demonstrate an understanding of employee development and management. - Evaluate the key components of compensation including incentive pay and employee benefits. - Discuss factors related to protecting and expanding organizational reach such as workplace safety, ethics, diversity, social responsibility, and global issues. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to human resource management. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 511 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| *Marketing Management* explores various marketing theories and practices with emphasis on four key dimensions of holistic marketing: internal marketing, integrated marketing, relationship marketing, and performance marketing. We will also discuss today’s economic, environmental, and technological changes in marketing, as well as address the topics of corporate social responsibility, business ethics, sustainability, and the importance of growth to organizations. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Define and understand the scope of marketing management. - Examine the process of capturing marketing insights. - Discuss forces influencing the field of marketing management including data collection, current trends, customer relationships, best practices, and globalization. - Analyze the importance of creating, delivering and communicating value in marketing management. - Demonstrate an understanding of the key elements of marketing including branding, positioning, identifying segments and targets, and research. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to marketing management. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 515 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| *Organizational Behavior* provides students with an in-depth review of various theories and research on the behavior, structure, and process of organizations. Formal organizations and their structure will be critically examined, and human motivations and their constructive application to oneself and others will be explored. Applicable behavioral science theories will be analyzed and students will be able to effectively apply the relevant concepts to the management of organizations. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Define organizational behavior and describe the basic functions. - Examine key terms, theories and perspectives of organizational behavior. - Evaluate issues affecting organizational behavior including global issues, diversity, ethics and corporate social responsibility. - Analyze individual behaviors and the various types of processes in organizational behavior including social and group, leadership and influence, and organizational processes. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to organizational behavior. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 530 | Business Ethics | 3 |
| *Business Ethics* provides a managerial framework for integrating ethics into strategic business decisions. The framework provides an overview of the concepts, processes, and best practices associated with successful business ethics programs. The course also prepares students for the ethical dilemmas they may face in their business careers. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Define business ethics and examine issues related to stakeholder relationships, corporate governance, and social responsibility. - Examine emerging business ethics issues and the institutionalization of business ethics. - Demonstrate an understanding of the decision making process related to business ethics. - Analyze the implementation of business ethics in a global economy. - Examine best practices for ethical leadership and providing strategic direction for implementation of sustainability in organizations. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to business ethics. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 532 | Organizational Theory | 3 |
| *Organizational Theory* aims to provide students with a detailed look at ways in which managers attempt to increase organizational effectiveness. This course focuses on organizational theory, organizational design, and organizational change. The origins of organizational culture, stakeholder approach to organizations, and recent developments in organizational structure will also be explored. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Define the term organization and examine the role of organizations in society. - Analyze the importance of organizational purpose and structural design in organizations. - Examine the various elements of open system design and internal design. - Demonstrate an understanding of the elements inherent in managing dynamic processes. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to organizational theory. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 540 | Project Management | 3 |
| *Project Management* takes a decision-making, business-oriented approach to the management of projects, which is reinforced with current examples of project management in action. The course presents the concepts and methodologies that are most useful for managing complex projects and provides an understanding of when, why, and how these methodologies can and should be used to maximize the likelihood of project success. The course emphasizes not only individual project execution, but also provides a strategic perspective to manage projects at portfolio levels. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Identify what defines a project and examine the various types of risks and considerations associated with project management. - Analyze how organizations go about evaluating, selecting, planning, scheduling, and implementing projects. - Demonstrate an understanding of managing project resources and teams. - Explain the various factors and best practices associated with managing projects in multi-project environments. - Examine best practices and emerging trends in the field of project management. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to project management. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 547 | Conflict Management | 3 |
| *Conflict Management* examines the theories, principles, and practices of conflict management within contemporary organizations. The course explores the relationship between leadership, organizational systems, communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution, emphasizing strategies that promote collaboration, organizational effectiveness, and successful change management. Emphasis is placed on applying conflict management principles to resolve workplace conflict, strengthen leadership effectiveness, and support organizational success. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Examine the principles and foundations of conflict management. - Analyze conflict styles and their influence on interpersonal and organizational relationships. - Evaluate leadership strategies used to manage conflict and organizational change. - Assess approaches for preventing and resolving internal and external organizational conflicts. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to the study of interpersonal conflict. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 550 | Leadership | 3 |
| *Leadership* provides students with a current and in-depth view of the history of leadership encompassing traditional theories and current research perspectives. This course examines the personal side of leadership and leadership within organizations. Students will analyze best practices for leading teams, addressing diversity and inclusion, and creating a leadership vision for the rapidly evolving world. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Define leadership examine its importance and discuss how it is different from management. - Demonstrate an understanding of research perspectives on leadership including key theories and models of leadership. - Analyze the personal side of leadership including the role of emotional intelligence, morals, ethics, and personality in leadership. - Evaluate the leader as a relationship builder and examine best practices for motivation, engagement, communication, teambuilding, and diversity and inclusion. - Explore the leader as a social architect in terms of implementing change, shaping culture and values, and setting the stage for followership. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to leadership. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 554 | Employee Training and Development | 3 |
| *Employee Training and Development* provides students with insight into the different methods of training and development for company—as well as personal—success. The course addresses new technologies, such as virtual learning and big data, that allow for greater accessibility to various training content and revision of traditional training and development techniques. The course emphasizes that there are effective and relevant training and development methods for every stage of an employee’s career. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Demonstrate an understanding of the context of training and development. - Identify and describe the fundamentals and best practices of training design. - Evaluate different training and development methods available. - Examine issues related to social responsibility, and analyze future trends and implications for training. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to employee development and training. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 560 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| *Strategic Management* explores strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation concepts and techniques in business organizations. Topics covered include the concept of a business model, the strategic significance of a company’s scope of operations, competing in international markets, and the role of corporate culture and leadership in reaching strategic objectives, as well as ethics, corporate social responsibility, and environmental sustainability as they pertain to strategy. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Identify and define the study of strategic management including commonly used terms and key principles. - Demonstrate an understanding of processes related to strategic management including strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategy evaluation. - Evaluate key issues in strategic management including business ethics, social responsibility, global applications, the environment, competition, and technology. - Examine best practices for strategic management case analysis. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to strategic management. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 562 | Modern Management | 3 |
| *Modern Management* provides insight into current management trends. Today, managers have more responsibility than ever. Meeting the needs of a growing customer base, a diverse workforce, and production challenges all pose unique problems for managers. This course covers the four aspects of the strategic management process—planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Evidencebased management (EBM), critical thinking, ethics, and analytics are themes that run throughout the course. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Define management and the management process and examine the history of management theory. - Analyze the challenges related to modern management including decision-making, ethics and social responsibility, diversity, strategic management, and global applications. - Demonstrate an understanding of organizational issues in modern management related to organizational design, communication, and human resource systems. - Examine best practices for leading in organizations including increasing motivation, team management, diversity management, and management in a global environment. - Demonstrate an understanding of budget control, management control systems, and the role of technology in modern management. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to modern management. |  |  |  |
|  | GRM 597 | The Research Process | 3 |
| *The Research Process* is a required course for all of the master’s degree programs offered at the University. This course provides an overview of the various research methods, research design, guidance in planning research strategy, and documentation of research data. It also explores and analyzes examples of research from many different disciplines, the development and use of computer-aided research, writing skills, and logical argumentation techniques required in the research field. **Course Objectives** Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Define research methods, analyze its importance, and examine how it informs policy and practice. - Discuss the various research strategies for description. - Examine the statistical tools and interpretations used in quantitative research. - Demonstrate an understanding of the various strategies for causation in research. - Evaluate the role of research as it relates to political and ethical issues. - Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to the research process. |  |  |  |
|  | BAM 595 | Final Comprehensive Examination | 0 |
| Students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership degree program will complete a Final Comprehensive Examination. The Final Comprehensive Examination consists of a combination of four writing assignments and one multiple-choice examination, requiring students to integrate knowledge acquired across the educational program. The Final Comprehensive Examination is sent to students after all the coursework has been successfully completed. The examination is graded on a pass/no pass basis. Students may repeat any portion until they receive a passing score. |  |  |  |

### Prerequisites to Admission:

An applicant must have earned a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, Leadership, and/or Management; or a Bachelor Degree in another field may be considered if the Admission Committee evaluation indicates that the applicant has the necessary foundation to succeed in the program.

### FAQ About Coursework

**Required units may be satisfied in the following ways:**

- **CCU Course with Study Guide**

  California Coast University has developed comprehensive Study Guides, for each course, that are designed to coordinate and sequence the learning materials within the required textbook. The following points will help to illustrate how the Study Guides are designed:

  - Study Guides are based on specific college level textbooks, which may be obtained from local bookstores, the publisher, or the University's Rental Library.
  - Each Study Guide is organized with a complete syllabus, along with instructional materials to guide the student chapter by chapter through the corresponding textbook.
  - Each Study Guide contains an overview and summary of all textbook chapters, along with a listing of important keywords (with definitions), and self-tests (with answers) on key points.
  - Study Guides include 4 unit exams equally spaced throughout the instructional materials, one writing assignment per unit, and the final examination.
  - Examinations are designed to test the student on the information contained within the preceding chapters.
  - All tests have no time limit and may be completed as open book tests.
- **Transfer of Credit**

  Transcripts of previously completed master's level academic work are evaluated and credit may be transferred to meet existing coursework requirements. The following guidelines are utilized when accepting transfer credit for a master's degree program:

  - Master's degree students may receive transfer credit for up 6 semester units of previously completed coursework.
  - Courses must have been completed at a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or its foreign equivalent.
  - Transfer grades earned must be equivalent to a letter grade of B (3.0 GPA) or higher.
  - No specialized training or experiential learning credit can be awarded at the graduate level.
- **Challenge Examinations**

  During the admissions process, all professional experience is reviewed to determine if an applicant has sufficient occupational experience to warrant completing a Challenge Examination in lieu of a Study Guide for a particular course. The following factors are considered:

  - An applicant may be offered an opportunity to complete a Challenge Examination if the candidate's occupational expertise appears to be comparable to the objectives identified for a particular course.
  - Successfully passing a Challenge Examination will demonstrate an acceptable level of competence for that course.
  - If a student does not pass a Challenge Examination they are assigned a Study Guide for completion.
  - The maximum amount of Challenge Examinations allowed for each program level are: Associate 4; Bachelor's 10; Master's 2; Doctorate 0; and Certificates 1.

250

##### **Per Unit**

#### Total Courses:

**13**

Core Courses:

13

Final Comprehensive Exam

#### Total Units:

**39**

[learn more](https://www.calcoast.edu/request-for-information-landing.html)

Meet The Dean

[![Dr. Peng Chan](https://www.calcoast.edu/assets/components/phpthumbof/cache/pchen_headshot.c2667ac1bc9a15962e4b1bcdaee1c2c2.jpg)](https://www.calcoast.edu/dr.-peng-chan.html) [Dr. Peng Chan](https://www.calcoast.edu/dr.-peng-chan.html)

[Dean, School of Administration and Management | Professor of Administration and Management](https://www.calcoast.edu/dr.-peng-chan.html)

[Dr. Chan holds a Law degree with top honors, an M.B.A. in Corporate Strategy & Finance, and a Ph.D. in Strategic Management.](https://www.calcoast.edu/dr.-peng-chan.html)

"The educational value from what I learned is beyond valuable. Professionally, I am able to take what I learned and implement ideas and concepts. Personally, it's a huge accomplishment for me to receive a master's degree."

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R. Ramirez

Alumni  
Organizational Leadership

<https://www.calcoast.edu/r.-ramirez.html>

"I found it to be extremely rewarding to finish my schooling and receive the degree. Very flexible to work around being a parent and working full time to complete the schooling necessary for the degree."

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D. Paschel

Alumni  
Business Administration

<https://www.calcoast.edu/d.-paschel.html>

"In a world where a degree is practically required for any decently paying job, this program made obtaining a degree feel more accessible to someone like me."

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S. Fidel

Alumni  
Business Administration

<https://www.calcoast.edu/s.-fidel.html>

"This college degree holds value both personally and professionally. It fostered critical thinking, discipline, and a deeper understanding of the world, while also serving as a credential that can open doors, enhance my career prospects, and signals a commitment to my long-term goals."

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Alumni  
Criminal Justice

<https://www.calcoast.edu/m.-perez.html>

"Getting my degree was a personal goal, I am now the first person in my family to have obtained my Bachelor's degree."

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Alumni  
Business Administration

<https://www.calcoast.edu/m.-raymond.html>

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Alumni  
Health Care Administration

<https://www.calcoast.edu/k.-wilson.html>

"I am just so thankful for having the option of online education as I work full time. I feel it is a personal accomplishment and I am very proud."

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A. Quiroz

Alumni  
Psychology

<https://www.calcoast.edu/a.-quiroz.html>

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K. Kast

Alumni  
Criminal Justice

<https://www.calcoast.edu/k.-kast.html>

"Being in my late 40’s I never thought I would complete my bachelor's degree with a busy career and family. My B.S degree raises my salary at work and creates more opportunity for promotion. I am honored and feel a sense of personal accomplishment"

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M. Moore

Alumni  
Criminal Justice

<https://www.calcoast.edu/m.-moore.html>

"Personally, I have gained a wealth of confidence in completing my degree. I always wanted to do this, and it was made possible through this program."

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T. Grimes

Alumni  
Health Care Administration

<https://www.calcoast.edu/t.-grimes.html>

"I found this form of learning was superb for me. Especially as a stay-at-home mom with little babies at home, who was going to return to work after a few years. It was truly a blessing to have found this school in all of my research, due to the freedom of learning as you go."

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L. Barrientos

Alumni  
Human Resource Management

<https://www.calcoast.edu/l.-barrientos.html>

"CCU is an excellent option for people who have busy careers. Getting my degree was important to me and CCU helped me obtain that."

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B. Odell

Alumni  
Criminal Justice

<https://www.calcoast.edu/b.-odell.html>

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