Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership Online
Gain practical leadership expertise and prepare for professional leadership roles in almost any industry with this 100% online B.A. in Organizational Leadership program.
Now lower tuition to make your undergraduate journey even more affordable! $320 per credit hour with Path to Success Scholarship*
Program Overview
Explore the online bachelor’s in organizational leadership program
Enhance your understanding and gain practical leadership skills with the Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership online degree program at NKU. The knowledge and skills you acquire, such as team-building, conflict resolution, ethical decision-making and leading through change, are valuable in almost any industry – including business, public service, non-profit, and more.
In this affordable program, you will examine leadership in various types of organizations and across organizational levels and positions. The B.A. in Organizational Leadership program emphasizes leadership in team and group settings along with developing personal and professional leadership capacities. You will explore the unique role that human behavior plays in building relationships designed for the betterment of individuals, teams, groups, organizations, and communities.
Create a degree plan that leverages your unique educational and career backgrounds with access to personalized advising. You may be eligible to earn academic credit through a variety of non-traditional methods, including: Credit for prior learning, Military Credit, internship and co-op opportunities, and credit for workplace courses and trainings approved through the American Council on Education. Plus, special opportunities may exist for students who have stepped out of school for two years or more and are now ready to complete a degree.
Also available through this program are opportunities to enhance your resume through service learning, student philanthropy, student leadership organizations and competitions, and study abroad opportunities.
NKU organizational leadership graduates have worked at top companies such as Proctor and Gamble, Fidelity, Amazon, Cintas, TriHealth, the IRS, UPS, Elizabeth Healthcare and other healthcare facilities.
In this online organizational leadership program, you will learn to:
- Summarize and analyze core leadership principles and challenges across many disciplines
- Describe, evaluate, and apply foundational leadership theory
- Incorporate diversity and ethical decision making into the leadership process
- Become an effective communicator and problem solver
- Appreciate diverse and global perspectives
- Summarize and analyze core leadership principles and challenges across many disciplines
- Describe, evaluate, and apply foundational leadership theory
- Incorporate diversity and ethical decision making into the leadership process
- Become an effective communicator and problem solver
- Appreciate diverse and global perspectives
Job opportunities for graduates with an organizational leadership degree:
- Program Manager
- Human Resources Manager
- Change Management Specialist
- Organizational Analyst
- Learning and Development Manager
- Team Leader (Finance, Logistics, Manufacturing, Retail, and more)
- Program Manager
- Human Resources Manager
- Change Management Specialist
- Organizational Analyst
- Learning and Development Manager
- Team Leader (Finance, Logistics, Manufacturing, Retail, and more)
Also available:
Northern Kentucky University offers value in a broad range of online undergraduate programs.
Tuition
Discover the affordable tuition at NKU
The organizational leadership online program offers the same affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition to in-state and out-of-state students. Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. For additional information, visit the Financial Aid section on our FAQ page.
| Program | Per Credit Hour | University Fee Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|---|
| B.A. in Organizational Leadership | $485 | $16 |
| With Path to Success Tuition* | $320 | $16 |
*The Path to Success Scholarship is available to first-time NKU OnlineA students only; existing students may not participate. The Scholarship cannot be combined with any other offer and is not available for the RN to BSN online program. Students who step out of the program for more than a year (thus requiring a new application) will no longer receive the offer; instead, they must pay the tuition or scholarship rate available at the time of new enrollment. Excludes some program-specific fees that will be divided and assessed by credit hour based on the number of hours taken. Tuition and fees subject to change at any time.
Tuition Breakdown:
“Top Public College”
Ranked among the “Top Public Colleges” by Forbes, 2022
Calendar
View our application deadlines and class schedules
With six start dates a year, the B.A. in Organizational Leadership online program is flexible and convenient. View the calendar to find the best start date for you, along with corresponding deadlines. Find the best start for you, then submit your application, registration, documents, and tuition by the corresponding deadlines.
| Session | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1 | 5/12/25 | 4/30/25 | 5/5/25 | 5/9/25 | 5/12/25 |
| Summer 2 | 6/30/25 | 6/18/25 | 6/23/25 | 6/27/25 | 6/30/25 |
| Fall 1 | 8/18/25 | 8/6/25 | 8/11/25 | 8/15/25 | 8/18/25 |
| Fall 2 | 10/15/25 | 10/2/25 | 10/7/25 | 10/10/25 | 10/15/25 |
Now enrolling:
Admissions
Review these steps to being admitted into our bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership program
The admission process is the first step toward earning your online degree in organizational leadership. Please reach out to one of our enrollment specialists for help with any questions you may have.
Admission Requirements:
- Official transcripts from each college attended
- 2.0 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Online application fee waived for active/veteran military
B.A. in Organizational Leadership Online Admission Requirements
Applicants for the B.A. in Organizational Leadership online program are evaluated on a holistic basis and must meet the following requirements:
Transfer Admission
Transfer applicants are students who have graduated from high school and have previously attempted coursework for credit (other than college credits taken while in high school) at another accredited college or university.
Students with a minimum 2.0 GPA from an accredited institution and 24 or more transferable credit hours must submit the following:
- Complete online application and pay $40 non-refundable application fee
- If you are an NKU alum or active/veteran military member, your application fee will be waived. Simply submit the online application without payment of the application fee. The fee will be waived when your credentials are verified. No further action is required.
- Official transcripts from each college attended
Students with a minimum 2.0 GPA and fewer than 24 transferable credit hours are evaluated based on the freshman admission standards and must supply the following:
- Complete online application and pay $40 non-refundable application fee
- If you are an NKU alum or active/veteran military member, your application fee will be waived. Simply submit the online application without payment of the application fee. The fee will be waived when your credentials are verified. No further action is required.
- Official transcripts from each college attended
- Final and official high school transcript or GED scores
- New transfer students who apply to the University with fewer than 24 college credit hours earned and a 2.75 and greater unweighted high school GPA will be offered admissions regardless of ACT/SAT scores. Please note: Nursing and respiratory care programs require ACT/SAT scores.
- New transfer students with a 2.7499 unweighted high school GPA and less will be required to submit ACT or SAT test scores:
- Required ACT scores:
18 (English, math, reading) - Required SAT scores:
Prior to March 2016: 430 (math, writing); 450 (critical reading)
March 2016 to present: 480 (evidence-based reading and writing); 470 (math)
- Required ACT scores:
Freshman Applicants
A freshman applicant is a prospective student who has not attempted coursework at an accredited college or university (other than college credit earned while in high school or during the summer immediately following high school graduation).
Students who are 21 years or older and have never attended college (other than college credits taken while in high school) must supply:
- Complete online application and pay $40 non-refundable application fee
- If you are an NKU alum or active/veteran military member, your application fee will be waived. Simply submit the online application without payment of the application fee. The fee will be waived when your credentials are verified. No further action is required.
- Official high school transcripts or GED scores
Students who are under 21 years old and have never attended college (other than college credits taken while in high school) must supply:
- You might qualify to apply Direct Admit to NKU, view the direct admit requirements.
- An online application form
- A $40 nonrefundable application fee
- Official high school transcripts or GED scores
- Freshmen applicants must have at least a 2.0 unweighted high school GPA to be considered for admissions.
- Freshman applicants with a 2.75 and greater unweighted high school GPA will be offered admissions regardless of ACT/SAT scores. Please note: Nursing and respiratory care programs require ACT/SAT scores.
- Freshman applicants with a 2.7499 unweighted high school GPA and less will be required to submit ACT or SAT exam scores:
- Required ACT scores:
18 (English, math, reading) - Required SAT scores:
Prior to March 2016: 430 (math, writing); 450 (critical reading)
March 2016 to present: 480 (evidence-based reading and writing); 470 (math)
- Required ACT scores:
NKUWrite (English and reading) and ALEKS (math) scores are encouraged for placement. Some courses may require placement testing depending on transfer credit or ACT scores. Our Testing Services office can help you schedule these tests.
Official documents may be mailed or emailed to:
NKU Office of Admissions400 Lucas Administrative Center
Highland Heights, KY 41099
Have a question? Call us at 800-985-7215.
Direct Admit for Freshmen Applicants
High school seniors with a current, unweighted GPA of 2.75 or higher can be directly admitted to NKU. No application, essays, or fees are required.
How Direct Admit works:
- Are you a high school senior with an unweighted GPA of 2.75 or higher?
- Will you be a new, first-time freshman?
- Are you a resident of the United States?
If you answered "yes" to all of the above, you are eligible to receive a direct admissions offer from NKU. Once you receive the email from NKU offering you direct admissions, click the embedded link to accept Direct Admit. Your personal NKU enrollment specialist will reach out promptly to begin solidifying your spot at NKU.
Direct Admit is a conditional admission offer for qualified students as determined by your current high school GPA.* Submit your unofficial transcripts to verify your current GPA. Final admission to NKU will be determined by official final transcripts submitted upon your high school graduation. You will work with NKU and your high school counselor to submit all unofficial and/or official final transcripts. Learn more about Direct Admit.
Click the button to begin!
*Conditional based on submission of high school transcript.
If you answered "no" to any of the above questions, we still offer a streamlined path to admissions! Please follow the instructions under "Freshman Applicants" above.
Courses
Take a look at the online B.A. in Organizational Leadership curriculum
In order to earn the B.A. in Organizational Leadership degree online, you must complete a total of 120 credit hours, including 33 core credit hours, 37 general education credit hours, a minimum of up to 12 credit hours towards a secondary area of study (focus or minor), and up to 38 credit hours of free electives. Of the 120 hours, 45 hours must be at the 300-level or higher.
Note: If a student enters the program with fewer than 60 credit hours, you will be required to take 12 hours of foundation courses. Consult with your academic advisor to devise an individual degree plan and to get answers to questions about required and elective courses.
You must take 37 credit hours of general education courses, selected from the following categories.
Note: Some general education courses may be part of the major/minor/focus requirements. If so, those courses may potentially be used to count for both general education and the major/minor/focus. Consult with your academic advisor.
- General Education Courses:
- Communication; Written I (3 credits)
- Communication; Written II (3 credits)
- Communication; Oral (3 credits)
- Scientific and Quantitative Inquiry
- Mathematics and Statistics (3 credits)
- Scientific and Quantitative Inquiry
- Natural Sciences with lab (4 credits)
- Scientific and Quantitative Inquiry
- Natural Sciences without lab (3 credits)
- Self and Society
- Cultural Pluralism (3 credits)
- LDR 180
- Individual and Society (3 credits)
- Self and Society
- Individual and Society (3 credits)
- Culture and Creativity (3 credits)
- Culture and Creativity (3 credits)
- Global Viewpoints (3 credits)
- LDR 160
- LDR 180
