
GROW YOUR CAREER, LEAD WITH CONFIDENCE
Every industry needs effective and innovative leaders.
On this page:
Become an effective and innovative leader with a competency-based program that prepares you for an impactful career in an increasingly technological and global society. Designed for working professionals, this program offers fully online coursework so you can plan your studies around your busy life. Receive credit for what you know and can do, then accelerate your degree completion and job promotion opportunities.

SEE YOURSELF SUCCEED WITH A DEGREE IN Organizational Leadership
Is this Program a Good Fit for You?
Organizational leadership students are typically interested in:
- Solving workplace leadership challenges
- Promoting job satisfaction and productivity
Terms
All competency-based programs in the College of Innovation and Design are offered in two seven-week terms per traditional semester with a break between each term.
2023
Semester | Term 1 | Break | Term 2 |
---|---|---|---|
Spring | Jan. 17 – March 3 | March 6 – 17 | March 20 – May 5 |
Summer | May 15 – June 30 | July 3 – 7 | July 10 – Aug. 25 |
Fall | Sept. 5 – Oct. 20 | Oct. 23 – 27 | Oct. 30 – Dec. 15 |
STUDENT SUPPORT
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
A degree in Organizational Leadership will offer you the opportunity to:
- Examine ethics in the workplace and the role organizational leaders play in fostering ethical behavior.
- Learn to communicate effectively, motivate teams, improve operational efficiency and solve problems.
- Discover issues related to organizational leadership, plus the characteristics and behaviors of leaders and the varying contexts under which they perform.
- Get a leg up in a wide range of fields such as business, government, technology and human resources.

Careers
Career Possibilities and Current Median Salaries
US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2018
Internship opportunities
Internship experience provides the foundation employers are seeking. Internships are offered as optional credit for this program and can be an important part of your educational experience. These are just a few of the companies that partner with Career Development and offer opportunities for organizational leadership students.

What You Will Learn
You will acquire in-depth knowledge of leadership skills, including instruction in organizational planning, dynamics of leadership, finance, team building, conflict resolution and mediation, communication, and other managerial skills.
You will also develop practical workplace competencies that meet current and future challenges in a variety of fields through real-world coursework.
As a current working professional, you will be required to use problem-solving skills to analyze, evaluate and recommend an implementation plan addressing an organizational leadership issue. Your performance in this hands-on exercise features input from multiple stakeholders, including employers and faculty.
Courses to Prepare You for Your Career
- Required courses include Issues in Organizational Leadership, Leadership Theory and a capstone course where you will apply workplace experience.
- General education courses and professional development electives are based on your chosen field.
Featured Courses
Admission Steps
Step 1: Demonstrate Your Knowledge
To demonstrate your knowledge, you will submit evidence of a level of competence in reading, writing and mathematics.
You are required to take or be exempt from the Texas Success Initiative Assessment prior to enrolling in college; students without assessment scores because of exemptions that are not test- or grade-based must take a placement test to determine entry level in math and English courses.
TSIA Exemptions
- ACT scores: Composite 23; English 19 or Math 19; no older than 5 years
- SAT scores: Composite 1070; Verbal 500 or Math 500; no older than 5 years
- TAKS scores: 2200 Math or 2200 English/Language Arts with a 3 writing sub score
- Received an associate degree or baccalaureate degree from a Texas public institution.
- Out-of-state/private institution transfer who has satisfactorily completed college level work with a “C” or better in areas of reading, math and writing.
- Has met readiness standard at another Texas public higher education institution; “C” or better in developmental course work.
- Serving in active military.
- Serving as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces for at least three years preceding enrollment.
- Honorably discharged, retired or released from active duty in military on or after August 1, 1990. Please provide us with your official DD214 with discharge status in order to apply this exemption.
- Additionally, you may submit scores from the THEA (Texas Higher Education Assessment), COMPASS or ASSET to satisfy the assessment requirement.
For more information about the assessment requirements, please contact the Office of Student Assessment & Evaluation.
Step 2: Submit Your Transcript(s)
Submit or request submission of official transcripts from high school or GED score report, including percentile scores, at each institution you attended. A transcript is considered official only if received directly from the sending institution or, if hand delivered, the transcript must be in a sealed registrar's envelope.
Send Transcripts To
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Texas A&M University-Commerce
P.O. Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011
For Faster Delivery
Check to see if your previous/current academic institution(s) can submit an electronic version of your transcript to the Admissions Office. We accept SPEEDE and Escript-Safe electronic transcripts.
Step 3: File for Financial Aid
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and designate TAMUC as the college to receive your FAFSA information. The A&M-Commerce school code is 003565. For more information, please contact Financial Aid at [email protected] or call at 903.468.6059.
Earn Course Credit Based on Your Experience
You may have transfer courses that complete the area of this degree where these credits would apply. Please email the Organizational Leadership Advising Office before proceeding with any of the following steps to check if you have applicable transfer courses.
- Work experience, volunteer service, training, and/or open-source learning
- Earn credit by exam
- The College Level Exam Program® or CLEP provides students of any age with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses. By receiving a satisfactory score, students can earn from 3 to 12 college credits toward a college degree for each CLEP exam taken, depending on the exam subject and the policy of the college or university. Students wanting to take advantage of the opportunity to earn credit by exam can do so through the Texas A&M University-Commerce testing center or through Excelsior College's UExcel® at a Pearson VUE location.
- Military training
- You may be eligible for a Joint Service Transcript. Please contact the American Council on Education.
- Work experience, professional training, and/or licenses
- Charter Oak State College can help you create your prior-learning portfolios to earn college credit for what you already know and have learned by offering prior-learning portfolios assessments for college credit.
- Coursework from Professional Training Schools
- Contract with Excelsior College's OneTranscript® service to have prior learning and courses transcribed into one consolidated transcript document. Please allow 4-6 weeks for Excelsior College to prepare a personal copy of your transcript after you submit the application and all your official documents. If you plan on using Excelsior College's OneTranscript® be sure to check out the application.
Costs for contracting with Excelsior OneTranscript, UExcel®, CLEPs, CAEL's, and Charter Oak State College learning portfolios are your responsibility and in addition to the per term tuition rate. Texas A&M University-Commerce is not affiliated with these third-party agencies.
We accept transfer credit from universities accredited through regional, national and professional and specialized accrediting agencies on a course by course basis as determined by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Questions concerning the evaluation of transfer credit should be directed to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions 903.886.5000.
Institute for Competency-Based Education
The College of Innovation and Design at A&M-Commerce is associated with the Institute for Competency-Based Education. Come learn how they can help you!
Program Costs
Tuition is a flat rate per seven-week term. Texas residents pay $750 per term and out-of-state residents pay $1,500 per term. Many of the courses include e-textbooks incorporated in the online competency modules.
Meet our faculty and staff
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours should I take?
Students initially register for six hours (two courses per-term). You have the opportunity to accelerate into another course with the expectation that you will complete the coursework by the end of the term. You may continue to add courses, one at a time, through the 5th Friday of the term.
Do I have to come to campus for competency-based programs?
No. The competency modules/courses for the program are fully online.
What is the BAAS in Organizational Leadership Program?
The BAAS in Organizational Leadership is a competency-based education program that prepares innovative leaders for employment in an increasingly technological and global society. This entire program is available online and is tailored specifically for adult learners. The degree program focuses on leadership skills, including instruction in organizational planning, dynamics of leadership, finance, team building, conflict resolution and mediation, communication, and other managerial skills that are applicable to all types of organizations including business, government, non-profits and education.
The BAAS in Organizational Leadership is an affordable way to earn a baccalaureate degree with a total of 120 semester credit hours. The competencies and courses are offered in seven-week terms so students will be able to accelerate their time to degree completion.
What is competency-based education?
Competency-based education is a flexible way for you to earn credit for what you already know while building knowledge and skills in new areas. For more information: https://appsprod.tamuc.edu/CBE/WhatIsCBE.aspx
How long are the terms for competency-based programs?
May I receive credit for prior work experience and/or professional training?
There are several opportunities for you to demonstrate prior learning and earn college credit. You can receive credit for military service (ACE), work experience, professional training, licenses, certifications, and by exam through the College Level Exam Program ® (CLEP).
See “What is Competency Based Education” above.
Can I use my employer’s tuition reimbursement program?
The answer is determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact [email protected] to see if you can use your employer’s tuition reimbursement program.
Is there an application fee?
No, there is not an application fee. However, you will be charged a one-time $60 enrollment fee the first term.
When may I start my major courses?
You will be permitted to start your Applied Major courses only after all General Education and Professional Development Electives are complete.
If I retake a course, do I have to pay for it again?
The flat-rate tuition fee for each seven (7) week term is not waived for repeat courses.
Do my applied major courses need to be taken in any specific order?
Yes, you need to take the Applied Major courses in the order listed on the degree guide.
How much is the tuition for BAAS – Organizational Leadership?
Texas-Residents pay a flat-rate tuition fee of $750 per seven-week term regardless of how many courses you enroll in during the term. Tuition for general education/core curriculum courses and all professional development competencies also includes e-textbooks incorporated in the online competency modules.
Out-of-State Residents* pay a flat-rate tuition fee of $1,500 per seven-week term regardless of how many courses you enroll in during the term. Tuition for general education/core curriculum and all professional development competencies also includes e-textbooks that are incorporated in the online competency modules.
*A&M–Commerce has been approved to offer educational programs to select states. Check to see if your state is on the State Authorization of Online Programs list.
Do I need to come to campus for orientation?
Once you are accepted to the university you will contacted by [email protected] via your LEOmail with further instructions.
May I use financial aid?
Yes. For financial aid information, please visit the Financial Aid website.
Can I get credit for prior learning and training?
Please contact the A&M-Commerce Testing Center ([email protected] or 903.886.5122) for information about receiving credit for your previous learning and training.
How do I upload documents to my ManeSync ePortfolio?
To upload documents to your ManeSync ePortfolio, please complete the following:
- Sign into ManeSync.
- Click the icon with your initials located in the top right corner.
- A menu will pop up from the initial icon with multiple options. Select “Experiences.”
- You will be taken to a new page titled “My Experiences.” Click the “Add Experience” button located in the upper right corner.
- Once you have clicked “Add Experience,” a menu will appear. Select “Academic.”
- A form will pop up. Complete the form with the necessary information and the document you want to upload. If you are unsure of what information to put in the form please refer to the following:
- Experience name: Put the class name and document title
- Date: Use the date you are submitting your experience
- Reflection: What you learned from this experience
- Contact: Include your student information
- Upload your document. Documents over 10 MB will not be accepted. It is suggested to compress or upload in sections to reduce megabytes.
- Once finished, click submit. Your form will be reviewed and approved.
Contact Us
- College of Innovation and Design
- 903.468.3318
- 903.468.8799
- [email protected]
- P.O. Box 3011
- Commerce, TX 75429-3011