If you’re considering going back to school after attaining your bachelor’s degree, rest assured a master’s program is a great investment. A graduate degree can create leverage for competitive careers, higher income potential, lower unemployment rates, and an increase in overall life satisfaction.

Prospective learners seeking advanced business careers will find the most return on their investment by enrolling in a master’s program that prepares them for executive-level employment.

Most graduate students interested in managerial roles research the best degree options for professional success. For instance, potential master’s degree holders might be considering a master’s in Business Administration (MBA) or exploring advanced Organizational Leadership degrees. If you’ve found yourself here to learn the differences between business management vs. organizational leadership studies, you are not alone.

Continue reading to learn more about:

• Modern business management careers
• Business administration vs. organizational leadership degree options
• The key differences between a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and
• The professional possibilities associated with each distinction

Leading the Way in the Workplace

Typically acquired through a master’s degree or higher, management occupations establish business plans and policies while overseeing a company’s people, products, and services.

Skilled with a solid foundation for the future, business management careers have the highest median annual wage of all major occupational groups. In 2021, the national median yearly salary for all occupations was $45,760. Meanwhile, the same year, the median annual wage for management sectors was $102,450, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Year after year, business management positions prove to be an in-demand profession. Employment of managers is projected to grow eight percent from 2021 to 2031, creating 883,900 new jobs over the next decade.

Moreover, master’s degrees continue to be a sought-after achievement among these advanced leadership careers. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that from 2019 to 2020, 197,400 professionals were awarded graduate distinctions in business-related studies.

Education Explained: Organizational Leadership

Organizational leadership is a strategic management approach that utilizes data-driven decision-making to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness. A blend of management practices and human psychology, organizational leadership empowers employees to streamline operations and achieve a company’s overall objectives.

Organizational leaders are typically empathetic people who establish set milestones to ensure enterprise success. An organizational leadership program typically concentrates the curriculum around the following content:

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
• Leadership theories and techniques, like conflict response and negotiation
• Identifying innovation and opportunities
• Preparing for organizational changes
• Philosophy related to human behavior and team building in work environments
• Regulations in human resources
• Research methods
• Motivation, talent, and performance development, and
• Using integrity and ethics

Education Explained: Business Administration

Business administration is a postsecondary area of study that prepares learners to manage an organization’s people, resources, and time. Also known as business management, business administration graduates are knowledgeable in accounting, development, finance, marketing, sales, and quality assurance.

Primarily, business administration professionals run streamlined operations for profitable outcomes and long-term sustainability. Students earning a business administration degree are predominantly focused on studying curricula containing:

• Business law and ethics
• Business theory, practice, and principles
• Communicating organizational changes
• Economics, sources of long-term financing, taxation, and working capital
• Managing employees
• Marketing tactics
• Overseeing work processes
• Producing financial statements, and
• Supply chain strategies

The Difference Between the Degrees: From Concentrations to Careers

Both master’s distinctions in business administration and organizational leadership train graduates for leadership and management roles. However, there are fundamental differences between the two.

Overall, organizational leadership vs. business administration studies differ in their programmatic, philosophical approach. While MSOL degrees are more leadership-focused and people-oriented, MBA degrees concentrate more on finances and firm business objectives.

Master of Business Administration graduates can find careers in administration, corporate, finance, government, or technical sectors such as marketing, sales, IT, and operations.

A Master of Science in Organizational Leadership degree, on the other hand, is a specialized business leadership program that prepares students for a range of leadership roles. Innovative industries for organizational leadership graduates include corporate, education, federal and state government, manufacturing, non-profit sectors, and more!

Flexible Course Formatting Fit for Your Future Career

Today, MSOL learners are professional leaders-in-training immersed in an engaging, life-changing degree experience. At career-focused institutions like Goodwin University, earning a degree doesn’t have to get in the way of everyday life, and academics are easily accessible. Students can start classes during the fall or spring semester and even obtain their MSOL entirely online or in a hybrid format.

A unique University of convenience, Goodwin learners can complete their MSOL courses part-time in as few as 20 months or enroll in an accelerated seven-week format.

Designed to connect classmates, courses are structured in a cohort model, and students attend classes with the same set of peers from start to finish — enabling diverse discussions and inclusive perspectives from individuals across various industries.

There’s great news!

Goodwin University’s go-to support services also offer academic assistance like career coaching and master’s-level tutoring to help ensure that workforce-ready graduates obtain meaningful, fulfilling, and worthwhile careers.

Learn how an MSOL degree from Goodwin can help you lead the way and make a difference doing what you love.