Organizational Leadership (MLED)
The Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program is designed to prepare students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to fully comprehend the theories and practices of business to include leadership, management, and strategic thinking. Upon completion, students should possess the ability to apply what they have learned to managerial decision making, organizational strategy, and problem solving. Graduates should be prepared with the skills necessary to serve their employer creating competitive advantage for the companies they serve.
Description of Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Program
Graduate studies in business at Bethel University lead to a Master of Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership degree, a professional degree for people involved in management and leadership.
Although most people enrolled in MLED courses are pursuing a degree, special students not wishing to earn a degree may enroll in a maximum of nine semester hours of courses, provided that they meet the course prerequisites and space is available after degree students have registered.
The program consists of 36 hours of study beyond the baccalaureate degree and can be completed in 24 or more months of part-time study either online or face to face.
Format of Program
Courses are offered in an accelerated seven-week format, with a four-hour class session once per week in the evening from 6 to 10 PM or online. Each course carries three graduate hours of credit. Students are required to complete 36 hours (12 courses) to earn the MLED degree. The format of the program enables students to continue full time work while enrolled.
The program format is flexible enough to allow students to begin their studies at any time during the academic year and suspend study for a session or semester if the need arises.
Admission Requirements
- A baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited regionally with a 2.50 or higher GPA. Applicants with a degree from a non-accredited institution will be considered individually, and validating additional undergraduate course work or examinations may be required.
- Applicants with a GPA below 2.50 may be considered for provisional acceptance. Such cases will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
- Students whose native language is not English must score 540 or higher on the paper version, 207 or higher on the computer version, or 76 or higher on the internet version of the TOEFL. Students who have earned a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution of Higher Learning are not required to take the TOEFL.
Through the admissions requirements Bethel University is seeking a clear indication based on transcripts, testing, written work, and interview that the applicant is able and desirous of pursuing graduate studies successfully. Qualified candidates are considered without regard to race, national or ethnic origin, age, gender or physical handicap. Persons in underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.
Application Procedures
- Complete an MLED Admission Application from the Bethel University website.
- Applicants desiring financial aid should file a FAFSA.
- Request transcripts from bachelor granting institution and any graduate work completed.
- When all of the admission materials are on file, they are reviewed by the MLED Admissions Committee, and the applicant is notified of the action taken.
Regular Admission is granted when it has been determined that the applicant has fully met the admission requirements for the MLED degree program.
Provisional Admission may be granted at the discretion of the program coordinator when the applicant does not fully meet the admission requirement but appears to have the potential to meet the requirements and to profit from graduate studies at Bethel University. If a student does not meet the requirements to achieve regular admission within the established time period, enrollment in the MLED. program will be terminated.
Special Admission may be granted by the program director for a student to enroll for credit in an individual course on the basis of a transcript and a personal interview. A maximum of nine hours of credit may be earned as a special student. If the student later decides to pursue the MLED degree, all the regular admission requirements must be met.
Permission to Audit is granted by the program director upon consent of the professor teaching the course. The regular application fee is paid at the time the first course is audited. A graduate audit fee is paid for each course (see Tuition and Fees).
Transfer Students may be granted credit for graduate work at other institutions when the work is determined to be acceptable by the program director. Courses with a “B” or higher grade may be transferred, provided they have been taken with the last five years. A maximum of nine semester hours will be accepted toward the MLED degree.
Undergraduate Bethel University Students may register in graduate courses for graduate credit, if space is available and provided they have completed at least 88 hours of undergraduate work, have a minimum GPA of 2.50, and have the permission of their academic advisor and the program director. Such courses may not apply for credit on both undergraduate and graduate degrees. A maximum of nine hours of graduate credit may be accumulated, to be applied to the MLED degree upon completion of the baccalaureate degree.
Graduation Requirements
The following requirements must be met for Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership candidates to graduate:
- Successful completion of the M.B.A. graduate curriculum with at least a 2.75 grade point average. At least 30 hours must be MBAD or MLED courses.
- The MLED degree must be completed within seven years from the point of matriculation. Requests for extensions may be made in writing to the MLED program director and are subject to approval of the academic vice president.
- All financial accounts must be fully paid to the university. Academic credit, transcript and diploma are withheld if the account is not paid in full.
Academic Information
Nine hours of academic work per semester are the minimum for full-time graduate enrollment, and fifteen hours are the maximum without special permission of the graduate dean. Full-time enrollment may be necessary for certain kinds of financial aid.
A student whose cumulative GPA is below 2.75 is placed on academic probation. Failure to raise the semester average to 2.75 or higher the following semester will lead to dismissal from the program. Courses for which a grade below “C-“ is received may not count as hours earned toward the degree. Graduate students are not eligible for academic honors based on GPA.
Students will not be allowed to take the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program and the Master of Business Administration program. They must choose one or the other and meet the requirements of that program. Having completed one of the programs, a student is not allowed to take the other program.
Financial Information
Graduate tuition and fees are available from the Graduate Studies Office or at the front of this catalog.
Financial aid to graduate students is generally in the form of loans from the government or from private lenders. Some businesses provide reimbursement to their employees, and applicants should contact the human resources department of their employer to determine eligibility for aid.
The office of student financial services can provide details concerning the most recent financial aid information.
Curriculum
The MLED curriculum consists of 36 hours.
Required Courses
| MLED 503 | Leadership Theory and Applications | 3 |
| MLED 506 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| MLED 527 | Strategic Planning and Organizational Change | 3 |
| MLED 530 | Organizational Communication | 3 |
| MBAD 503 | Management in Action | 3 |
| MBAD 506 | Global Business Environment | 3 |
| MBAD 511 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| MBAD 523 | Values and Ethics in Leadership | 3 |
| MBAD 524 | Business Policy and Ethical Decision Making | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27 |
Electives (Choose 3 courses for 9 credit hours)
| MBAD 512 | Not-for-Profit Management | 3 |
| MBAD 513 | Marketing Strategy & Policy | 3 |
| MBAD 527 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| MBAD 529 | Contemporary Issues in Business Administration | 3 |
| MBAD 531 | Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| MLED 540 | Economic Perspectives | 3 |
| MLED 550 | Fundraising and Board Development | 3 |
| MLED 553 | Managing and Supporting Innovation | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Any course with an MBAD or MLED prefix not previously taken may be used as an elective.
Total Credit Hours: 36