Organizational Leadership

About the organizational leadership major

The organizational leadership major equips you with leadership knowledge and skills needed to work in a wide spectrum of careers, including frontline supervision, human resources, project management, training and development, manufacturing and production, and human service organizations. The blended, hands-on curriculum provides the flexibility to prepare you for leadership roles no matter where you are in your career. The program incorporates group dynamics, global leadership perspectives, theory, and practice. Many organizational leadership courses are offered in a variety of formats to accommodate busy students and professionals.

Skills and abilities the major develops: communication, leadership, human resource management, project management, analytical, and decision-making.

Engaged learning experiences

Regardless of your major or future career, engaged learning is vital to your present and future. It makes you more marketable for jobs and professional schools upon graduation, it enables you to build deeper connections with faculty and staff in your field of study, and it makes your learning personal by connecting your interests and values with the curriculum from your classes. Check out the three ideas below for places to get started, or learn more at IU Indianapolis’s Institute for Engaged Learning website.

Student organizations

ET has many student organizations, which are a great way to build your skills, network, and grow as a professional.

Professional work experience

Grow your skills through internships, co-op, or part-time jobs.

Study abroad

ET has many program-specific study abroad opportunities—a great way to gain cultural competency and grow your skills.

Opportunities after graduation

Employment of human resources managers is projected to grow 5% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. About 15,500 openings for human resources managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as retirement (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023).

According to the IUPUI (now called IU Indianapolis) First Destination Survey in 2021, the average starting salary reported for graduates with a B.S. in Organizational Leadership was $46,149, and the median salary was $47,000.

The national median annual salary for human resources managers was $136,350 in 2023 (Occupational Outlook Handbook).

(This section is intended for informational purposes, not prediction of actual salary.)

Organizational leadership graduates often pursue advanced degrees in areas such as:

Business administration
Human resources management
Industry-specific areas

Quick facts

Sample coursework

Ethical decision in leadership
Global workforce leadership
Human resource management
Organizational behavior
Project management

Possible careers

General manager
Human resource generalist
Production supervisor
Project management leader
Quality control coordinator
Training and development specialist

Where could I work?

Ascension Health
Covance
Cummins
Duke Energy
IET, Inc.
John Wiley & Sons
TRIMEDX

Complementing interests

EEnterprising

RRealistic

SSocial

Get your interest code

Where to get more information

Purdue School of Engineering and Technology

(ET 331 or 317-278-1313)

American Management Association

Society for Human Resource Management

Enterprise, Policy, and Planning Cluster

This major is part of the Enterprise, Policy, and Planning (EPP) cluster. The EPP cluster is the academic home of University College students pursuing or interested in business; economics; labor studies; organizational leadership; public and environmental affairs; sport management; and tourism, conventions, and event management.

Learn about the EPP cluster

Learn about other clusters

Meet with an advisor or career consultant

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