Master of Organizational Leadership


Make a difference. Create real change.


If you want to learn how to make a difference and create real change at work, at home and in your community, SAU has a program for you. Learn to lead, inspire, and bring people together through our unique MOL program, and achieve all of your goals.

This degree also may be completed online.

Our graduates work for the U.S. Armed Forces, Exelon Nuclear, HON, Deere & Company, KONE, K-12 school districts, city governments, and many others. 


Ambrose Advantages

  • Learn To Lead Change
  • Exceptional Faculty
  • Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business School Program

male student

Dan Ebener with Students

MOL Classroom Discussion

Our MOL students and professors are learning partners who, through spirited classroom discussions, jointly explore the meaning and significance of leadership. In our MOL program, you gain the skills and abilities to be an effective leader.

Read the MOL Fact Sheet (pdf)


"Giving Up Is Not an Option"

Thandra Ritchie '21 MOL
Grit and Tenacity

Going blind at the age of 50 never stopped Thandra. She earned her MOL degree while also working full-time and teaching fitness classes.

Watch Thandra's Inspiring Story


More Information on the Master of Organizational Leadership Program

What will I learn?

Core courses include leadership theory, conflict management, strategic planning, communication in organizations, leading change, and more.

You choose your electives from a long list that includes servant leadership, ethical and social responsibility of business, human behavior in organizations, not-for-profit sectors, and managing across cultures. That means you cater your degree to your personal and professional goals and interests.

Our 30-credit-hour program can be completed in a little over two years by taking one course per session for 12 sessions. We offer two, eight-week sessions in the fall; two, eight-week sessions in the spring; and one summer session. Class meets once a week for four hours in the evening which allows students to continue working full-time.

We also offer the program in an accelerated format. You could earn an MOL in as few as 12 months.

Contact us to learn more. 

What makes the St. Ambrose MOL program unique?

The quality of an Ambrose education is not just an outcome, it's an experience crafted by knowledgeable professors in every class and fostered through dialogue, not lecture.

  • Our MOL classes average 14 students, so you get more individual attention from faculty.
  • Faculty members are equally committed to students and scholarship, with many engaged in research.
  • What you learn in class matters in the real world. In the Work-Based Action Project, students apply what they've learned to meaningful projects at work or in the community.
  • Our holistic approach to the study of human behavior, rooted both in the liberal arts and sciences and in business, also considers the ethical dimension of leadership.
  • Our program has immediate value. Learn it today and apply it tomorrow. How? Watch this video about our MOL program.

Amber Brackey '17 MBA, '18 MOL, earned two graduate degrees from the St. Ambrose University College of Business and gained a deeper level of professional knowledge that is recognized and appreciated. Read Amber's story

Saye Beipa ‘13 MOL previously had studied leadership as an undergraduate at the University of Liberia in the capital city of Monrovia, and came to the US eager to learn more. After establishing roots in Muscatine, Iowa, he discovered St. Ambrose had precisely the program he wanted. "My vision is to take this program back to my country so that students in all African countries will hear about it and will come to enroll. I am thinking big." Read Saye's story.

What have alums of this program done?
  • Kelly Dalton '08 MOL is a Senior Engineering Manager at Rockwell Collins. He mentors employees, handles performance issues, and recruits new hires. Kelly says his position is a direct result of what he learned in the MOL program.
  • Katie Roemer '15 MOL is a Compliance Specialist for Genesis Health System. She said the program deeply impacted who she is, how she does her job, and the support she provides to others in her role with Genesis.
  • Eric Page '13 MOL is the Regional Director for Carnegie Communications. Between the time he enrolled in the MOL program and the day he collected his degree, Eric took a job at the University of Iowa, where he earned three promotions in Strategic and Enrollment Communications Operations. Before joining Carnegie Communications, Eric was Iowa's Director of Undergraduate Recruitment and Communications, leading a full-time staff of 28.
  • Carol Beach '15 MOL is a Team Lead in the Business Resource Center for Alliant Energy, her second promotion since entering the MOL program.
  • Jake Montague '14 MOL, is a Container Specialist for John Deere Harvester Works. While working on his MOL, he accepted the position in which he supervises a team of 34 UAW employees on the factory floor. Jake says since earning his degree, he is more willing to take on leadership roles at his church and in his community.     
Accreditation

The Master of Organizational Leadership program is nationally accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

St. Ambrose University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

How much does this program cost?

Financing a master's degree might seem daunting, but our students quickly learn that a St. Ambrose education is affordable and worth every penny.

2022-23 Tuition

Tuition is $755/credit hour for seated and online classes; fees are listed below.

Tuition Assistance

Many employers offer tuition assistance. Check with your Human Resources office to determine if these benefits are available. If so, you can apply for deferred payment or contact our Financial Aid Office for more information.

The St. Ambrose University College of Business offers a limited number of research assistantships. Email the MOL Program Coordinator for an application.

If you are a veteran, admissions specialist Natalie Woodhurst can help you determine if you have benefits available and how to best invest those in an SAU education. Graduate students enrolled in at least 6 credit hours per semester (3 credit hours in the summer) are eligible for a low-interest federal loan of up to $20,500 this academic year.

Apply by going to the FAFSA website or get more information on the Graduate Admissions page

Graduate Fees

2023-24 Fees

Graduate level students taking 9 or more credit hours $280/yr. ($140/semester)
Graduate level students taking 8 or less credit hours $140/yr. ($70/semester)

Program Details

Requirements (30 credits)

Core Courses (24 credits)
MOL 501 Leadership Theory
MOL 529 Conflict Management
MOL 540 Leadership Communication
MOL 625 Leading Organizational Change
MOL 691 Dialogical Skills
MOL 701 Strategic Leadership
MOL 715 Leadership Work Action Project
MOL 716 Leadership Research Paper

Electives (6 credits). Choose two.
MOL 515 Decision-Making and Leadership
MOL 557 Building Effective Teams
MBA 621 Human Behavior in Organizations
MOL 635 Servant Leadership
MOL 645 International Issues in Leadership
MOL 655 Political and Civic Leadership
MOL 710 Ethics in Leadership
MOL 790 Independent Inquiry in Leadership
MOL 792 Special Topics 

Read MOL course descriptions

Accelerated Full-Time Course Schedule

Accelerated (Full-Time) Sample Degree Plan

Year 1
Fall-1 MOL 501 Leadership Theory
Fall-1 MOL 540 Strategic Communication
Fall-2 MOL 625 Leading Change
Fall-2 MOL 529 Conflict Management
Spring 1 MOL 691 Dialogical Skills
Spring 1 & 2 MOL 715 Leadership Work Action Project (16 weeks)
Spring 2 MOL TBD Elective
Summer 1 MOL TBD Elective


Year 2
Fall-2 MOL 701 Strategic Leadership
Fall-1 and 2 MOL 716 Leadership Research Paper (16 weeks)

TOTAL CREDITS: 30

Traditional Course Schedule

Year 1
Fall-1 MOL 501 Leadership Theory
Fall-2 MOL 625 Leading Change
Spring-1 MOL 540 Leadership Communication
Spring-2 MOL 529 Conflict Management
Summer electives are offered

Year 2
Fall-1 MOL 691 Dialogical Skills
Fall-2 MOL 701 Strategic Leadership
Spring 1 & 2 MOL 715 Leadership Work Action Project (16 weeks)
Spring-2 MOL Elective
Summer 1 MOL Elective

Year 3
Fall 1 & 2 MOL 716 Leadership Research Paper (16 weeks)

TOTAL CREDITS: 30


Apply Visit Info

Contact


Tony Ketelaar, Director of Graduate Admissions

Admission and Welcome Center
518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA 52803
563-333-6312
MOL@sau.edu

So, what's next?

Are you ready to take the next step? Click on the visit button below to learn more about our virtual and in-person visit options.