Designed for aspiring and early- to mid-career professionals across the private, public, nonprofit, and education sectors, this program develops the skills to build inclusive cultures, communicate across communities, and make evidence-informed decisions in complex organizations.
The Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership offers an interdisciplinary pathway that connects leadership theory with the realities of organizational life. Through core coursework and electives shared across USC Rossier master’s programs, you will examine how people, teams and systems influence change, apply research to workplace challenges and tailor your studies to support your professional goals.
Through this program, you will:
The 24-unit curriculum includes 12 units of core coursework and 12 units of advisor-approved electives. By selecting eligible courses across four USC Rossier master’s programs, you can create an individualized pathway, build a context-specific area of focus, and learn alongside students pursuing a range of USC Rossier master’s degrees.
Elective coursework may be selected from the following program areas:
You will work with an academic advisor to select eligible courses and account for any prerequisites.
Through online coursework, you will engage in applied learning, reflective practice, and real-world problem-solving. The learning experience is designed to strengthen your ability to lead teams, manage projects, navigate cross-cultural and high-stakes environments, and support learning and organizational effectiveness across sectors.
All coursework for this program is completed through a blend of online assignments and real-world experiences. Additionally, students will attend a 2-day immersion weekend on the USC Los Angeles campus during their first Fall term in the program.
This immersion experience gives students the opportunity to meet their classmates and professors face-to-face and complete collaborative learning exercises designed to build essential leadership skills.
This program is not eligible for I-20/DS-2019 issuance. International students who would otherwise need a I-20/DS-2019 are welcome to pursue the program online from their home country; the in-person program component requirements will be waived or alternatively, your faculty and/or academic advisor will confirm the arrangements to complete the requirements from your home country. If you have questions, please contact Anna Chiang at annachia@rossier.usc.edu.
Scholarship funding is limited. All applicants are reviewed for merit-based scholarship consideration as part of the admissions process—no separate scholarship application is required. While admission to the program does not guarantee a scholarship, applying earlier may increase your opportunity for scholarship consideration. For the Organizational Leadership program, merit-based scholarships may be worth up to $15,000. Eligible applicants are awarded based on academic achievement, alignment with the USC Rossier mission, and other selection criteria. Scholarship recipients are notified at the time of admission.
View USC Rossier’s scholarship finder to identify other scholarships and funding opportunities. You do not have to be admitted to apply to these scholarships. Carefully note the scholarship application deadlines, which may occur before the final program application deadline.
The USC Office of Student Financial Aid provides information regarding various types of financial aid and financing options.
To be considered for financial aid, you must apply by filing the FAFSA. After you apply, the financial aid office will determine your financial need and inform you of the federal or private loans that are available to you.
Potential career paths include:
Curriculum
The Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership curriculum connects leadership theory with applied learning, reflective practice, and real-world problem-solving.
Through 12 units of core coursework and 12 units of advisor-approved electives, you’ll learn how to lead teams, communicate across communities, use evidence to guide decisions and support organizational learning and effectiveness. Electives shared across four USC Rossier master’s programs allow you to tailor your studies to your professional goals and learn alongside peers from different disciplines.
The purpose of this course is to provide essential foundations for understanding and developing effective leadership practices in increasingly interconnected and culturally diverse organizational contexts. Students will focus on skills that prepare them to be leaders who facilitate equitable and inclusive organizational contexts, being mindful of cross-cultural diversity. Students will critically examine global definitions of leadership and comparative cultural practices to develop skills for effective project management, human-centered practices, and ethical decision-making. The course will focus heavily on skill development and application to prepare students for roles that foster collaboration, inclusion, and belonging. Through interactive learning and applied course assignments, students will develop their leadership and management strategies that show their ability to position themselves as reflective, agile, globally-minded leaders who are committed to inclusion and well-being.
This course focuses on the essential communication skills and strategies required for effective leadership in diverse, complex, and global organizational contexts. Students will examine the importance of effective communication in building trust, fostering collaboration, and promoting inclusion across organizational settings. Through the development of strategic communication approaches, such as storytelling and feedback techniques, students will develop approaches to motivating teams and strengthening mentoring and coaching relationships. Students will practice with different communication modalities (e.g., oral written, digital, and visual) to navigate high-pressure, high-conflict, and crisis situations. Interactive and applied class activities and assignments help students analyze their communication strengths, set goals for continuous improvement, and develop their adaptive communication skills as leaders.
This course prepares students to leverage data as a strategic resource for effective leadership in diverse global organizational settings. Students will explore the types of data commonly used in decision-making, the methods organizations typically use for data collection, and the limitations in data interpretation. Students will learn to synthesize quantitative and qualitative data and utilize general principles for data-driven approaches for summative and formative assessment and evaluation. Throughout the course, students will develop skills for making complex decisions grounded in evidence and for communicating these decisions through clear, culturally responsive, and compelling visualizations. The course includes interactive activities and assignments to help students practice data-informed approaches and build leadership skills that foster trust and transparency in diverse organizational environments.
Pedro A. Noguera
Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops Dean
Scholarship funding is limited. All applicants are reviewed for merit-based scholarship consideration as part of the admissions process—no separate scholarship application is required. While admission to the program does not guarantee a scholarship, applying earlier may increase your opportunity for scholarship consideration. For the Organizational Leadership program, merit-based scholarships may be worth up to $15,000. Eligible applicants are awarded based on academic achievement, alignment with the USC Rossier mission, and other selection criteria. Scholarship recipients are notified at the time of admission.
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Contact:
Senior Assistant Director, Office of Admission and Scholarships
