Purdue University’s online master’s in organizational leadership and supervision equips students with advanced knowledge in leadership theory, organizational behavior, change management, strategic planning, technical communication, project management and human resource development. Rooted in disciplines such as behavioral science, business, communication and management, the program’s multidisciplinary curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, ethical decision-making and effective leadership of diverse teams.
The 30-credit-hour program includes a required three-credit course in quantitative analysis and analytics. Students can customize their degree by selecting from a range of courses and may also choose to pursue a concentration in leadership and innovation by following the specified guidelines.
Graduate certificates are available in similar areas and can be found here.
Plan of Study Overview
REQUIRED CORE COURSES (3 CREDITS)
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| OLS 50701 Quantitative Analysis and Analytics | 3 credits |
LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION CONCENTRATION (27 CREDITS REQUIRED)
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| OLS 51500 Foundations of Human Resource Development | 3 |
| OLS 57100 Advanced Project Management | 3 |
| OLS 57200 Integrated Project Management | 3 |
| OLS 57400 Managerial Training & Development | 3 |
| OLS 57900 Emerging World-Class Leadership Strategies | 3 |
| OLS 58000 Interpersonal & Group Skills for Leaders | 3 |
| OLS 58100 Foundations of Behavior & Leadership | 3 |
| OLS 58100 Human Capital Management | 3 |
| OLS 58100 Leading Teams | 3 |
| OLS 58100 Strategic Planning & Marketing | 3 |
| OLS 58200 Leadership Organizational Change | 3 |
| OLS 58300 Coaching and Mentoring | 3 |
| TCM 51000 Effective Workplace Technical Communication | 3 |
| TCM 54000 Advanced Managing Document Quality | 3 |
| TCM 55000 Advanced Research Approaches in Technical & Professional Communication | 3 |
More Pathways:
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (9 CREDITS REQUIRED)
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| OLS 51500 Foundations of Human Resource Development | 3 |
| OLS 57400 Managerial Training & Development | 3 |
| OLS 58300 Coaching and Mentoring | 3 |
PROJECT MANAGEMENT (9 CREDITS REQUIRED)
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| OLS 57100 Advanced Project Management | 3 |
| OLS 57200 Integrated Project Management | 3 |
| OLS 58200 Leadership Organizational Change | 3 |
TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION (9 CREDITS REQUIRED)
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| TCM 51000 Effective Workplace Technical Communication | 3 |
| TCM 54000 Advanced Managing Document Quality | 3 |
| TCM 55000 Advanced Research Approaches in Technical & Professional Communication | 3 |
Core course descriptions
OLS 50701 Quantitative Analysis and Analytics - This course is an introduction to quantitative analysis and analytics for leaders. Students will learn introductory and more advanced statistics and their use in data analytics. The material in this course is directly relevant to student professional development, as basic knowledge of statistics is an essential element of nearly every modern occupation. Data collection and interpretation are key day-to-day aspects of social and behavioral science, humanities, communication, economics, physical science, biological and medical science, technology, education psychology, economics, business, environmental science, education, government, and leadership. In addition, the ability to use computers and other technologies around data has become a critical element in most professional decision-making processes.
Human Resource Development Pathway
OLS 51500 Foundations of Human Resource Development This course emphasizes the human resource function (and its development) in the context of the work organization. The strategic approach to human resource management also is covered, including what human resource professionals can and should do to help the organization succeed. Human resource development topics include:
- exploration of various training and development techniques,
- the relation of training to organization strategies,
- training needs analysis,
- evaluation of training
- career development
OLS 58300 - Coaching and Mentoring: This course explores issues and practices in technologically-driven organizations pertaining to the roles and functions that coaching and mentoring play in employee development. A "best practices" approach, utilizing the case method, is emphasized. Presented from the point of view of a human resource manager/leader, the focus of the course is on identifying coaching opportunities, enhancing communication skills, developing and implementing coaching and mentoring strategies, and evaluating the outcomes of these strategies. Attention is directed to facilitating personal coaching mentoring skills.
OLS 57400 - Managerial Training & Development: This course is around managerial training and development. The primary goal is for students to have the knowledge and skills to develop training to help develop leadership skills in others. Students in this course will learn about instructional design (ID) and leadership development by examining leadership theory through an ID lens and then using these skills to develop training around leadership development.
Project Management Pathway
OLS 57100-Advanced Project Management: This course provides the fundamentals of project management through application of basic project approaches in a team-based setting. Through the application of project tools and templates, the student learns the project life-cycle approach as demonstrated through actual project situations. The course presents the terms and approaches used in industry today and allows the student to apply these methods through team-based settings.
OLS 57200-Integrated Project Management: This course emphasizes critical analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of theories and applications of project management knowledge and skills, leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement. Students integrate theoretical and applied skills in planning, distributing, and managing communication; analyzing and interpreting project organization in context; and applying best practices in team management.
OLS 58200-Leadership Organizational Change: Description: Explores the issues in leadership of organizational change, including change theories and processes. Special emphasis is put on the people side of change as well as a look at the leader’s need to identify the need for change and causations.
Technical Communication Pathway
TCM 51000 - Effective Workplace Technical Communication: This course applies principles of professional technical communication in industrial, technological, and business settings, with emphasis on adapting to organizational audiences, selecting and organizing ideas, managing communication projects, and communicating clearly and effectively.
TCM 54000 – Advanced Managing Document Quality: In this course, you will examine and apply principles of creating a technical or professional publication from start to finish. You will explore and practice publication quality management issues such as planning, researching audience and content, designing the publication, drafting, obtaining reviews, conducting usability testing, and negotiating within organizational cultures. In your work in this course, you will identify points in the document creation cycle in workplaces that are crucial for ensuring document quality. You will propose controls or interventions at these points that will favor the production and timely release of accurate and usable publications that are appropriate for their purposes and audiences.
TCM 55000 - Advanced Research in Technical & Professional Communication: Examines quantitative and qualitative research techniques practiced by professionals working in technical and business communication. Explores both primary (i.e., field) and secondary (i.e., library) research approaches for learning about content, audience, and publication design.
Open Electives
OLS 57900 - Emerging World Class Leadership Strategies: The theoretical foundations and empirical research associated with emerging strategies and theories in world-class leadership. Includes discovery of critical leadership skills and behaviors, investigating critical leadership strategies, rethinking the sources of leadership, and self-discovery of leadership strengths and weaknesses
OLS 58000 - Interpersonal and Group Skills for Leaders: Developing and improving interpersonal and group dynamic skills for effective leadership in organizations. Emphasis on action learning and real-world application of skills.
OLS 58100 - Human Capital Management: An examination of current topics and issues in global human capital management. Emphasis on creating organizational strategic advantages within the leadership to workforce interface.
OLS 58100 - Leading Teams: Team success is dependent on effective leadership. This course will focus on leadership processes both internal and external and the leadership functions that help teams satisfy their critical needs and regulate their behavior through goal accomplishment.
OLS 58100 - Strategic Planning & Marketing in Technology: Examines concepts, models and methods useful for developing strategic initiatives in industrial business environments. Focuses on planning concepts, including industry structure, strategic mission, organizational structures, competitor analysis and technological forecasting magnitude.
OLS 58100 - Foundations of Behavior & Leadership: Leadership involves relationships and social influence processes in an interactive, relational context. In this survey course, the foundational concepts and theories of human behavior that enable effective leadership are examined. Organizational behavior at the levels of the individual, group, and organization are discussed, with the goal of predicting, shaping, and evaluating workplace behavior.