Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership

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The Servant Leader
For Christians, the model of leadership begins and ends with Jesus Christ, who—as it states in the book of Matthew—did not come to be served, but to serve. Effective leaders recognize that their most valuable resources are the people they are leading, not the structures or the systems that they create.

At Southeastern, we will teach you to lead in the spirit that Jesus led. Whether you want to become a doctor, a teacher, a business owner, or a manager within an organization, the principles of leadership and examples of historical leaders you study will prepare you to rise into positions of influence in your career and to effectively encourage others to accomplish goals. As an organizational leadership major, you’ll learn how to become a great leader – one who can communicate a vision, build an effective team, and take an organization where it needs to go.

The Core
Southeastern’s organizational leadership program begins with our Christ-centered liberal arts (general education) core curriculum, where you develop an understanding and appreciation of God and His creation, human creativity and reason, and our place of responsibility as stewards in the world God has made. As you forge links between what you’ve learned in the core and the more specialized courses in your major, our hope is that you also begin to relate all that you learn to your life and your faith.

In the organizational leadership major itself, you will learn leadership theories and practices, study how some of the world’s greatest leaders succeeded, and understand how to lead people from myriad cultural backgrounds. You also will discover the importance of followership and teamwork. You will learn how to put people first and how best to motivate others to reach an organizational goal. By studying the leadership style of Jesus and other prominent figures in history, you will understand how caring about those under your leadership allows you to help them become what they want to be. Southeastern believes that leadership is about influence - whether you are a CEO or an entry-level employee – and the foundation you build here will empower you to make an impact when you enter the workforce.

National Leadership Forum
As part of your studies you also will participate in the National Leadership Forum, Southeastern’s annual leadership conference that brings together some of the world’s greatest visionaries to discuss servant leadership. Past speakers have included former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, Condoleezza Rice, General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), Tony Dungy, Ken Blanchard, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

In addition to taking The Forum’s online academic course, you can attend The Forum and listen to the panel of speakers discuss leadership topics based on their experience. The topics will include the ethical and moral dilemmas inherent in leading, ways that leaders apply power and communicate to their followers, and the framework within which Christians should lead. While students only have to take The Forum course once, they are welcome to attend the annual conference throughout their college career at Southeastern.

A Specialty
Southeastern’s organizational leadership major is designed as an interdisciplinary program that can help students succeed in any career. With that purpose in mind, students choose a minor from one of the university’s many offerings. Interested in becoming a journalist? You can earn a minor in journalism and use your organizational leadership degree to quickly move into a decision-making role in the newsroom, helping to guide your publication through the ever-changing world of media. Want to own your own business? A minor in business can give you the basics needed to start a company, while your organizational leadership degree will give you the skills and knowledge to most effectively rally your employees around your vision and take the organization where you want to go. Southeastern’s servant leadership model will help set you apart from employees who only want to get ahead for their own gain, and it will give you opportunities to share Christ with those in your organization who see your style of leadership and wonder, “What’s different?”

What’s Next?
In a survey conducted by Southeastern, 90 percent of local businesses contacted said they would hire a graduate from the university’s organizational leadership program. The companies that responded positively included insurance and healthcare providers, schools, retail outlets, manufacturers, and builders. They recognize the value of an employee who brings more than just a certain skill to the table. In addition to those industries, Southeastern’s Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership will prepare you for careers or graduate programs in fields that include the following:

• Police/Military
• Non-profit organization management
• Government
• Church leadership
• Business management
• Education

Catalog Description and Course Requirements