FAQs

Jesuits have been educating people since 1540. Gonzaga was founded in 1887 and continues to pursue a mission of educating leaders with the capacity for reflective and critical thought. Gonzaga's master's programs offer you the opportunity to pursue a degree that strives to educate the whole person: intellectually, spiritually, physically and emotionally.

Yes, Gonzaga is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Schools (NWCCS). Gonzaga is also member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

The average student completes the program in 2 to 2.5 years. If you are able to add additional credits in any given period, you can accelerate your graduation.

You will take ten classes to complete the degree. Five core classes to set the foundation of your organizational leadership education along with five elective courses that can be customized to your interests and goals.

There are four optional concentrations you can choose to declare. They will be noted on your transcripts as an additional specialty. They are a way to structure your elective courses to dive further into a special area of study. You do not have to choose a concentration, but you have the option to select from the following topics:

• Change Leadership 
• Global Leadership
• Servant Leadership
• Strategic & Organizational Communication

No, students come from all areas of the world, professional fields, and career levels. They hold job titles like: team leader, project director, public affairs officer, program manager, training manager and executive.  This diversity provides exposure to different problems, solutions and ways of thinking that will challenge you in surprising ways and expand your repertoire of skills. The curriculum is uniquely designed to not only teach leadership theory and best practices, but to help you actively challenge yourself, your assumptions, and your beliefs about leadership and your abilities.

Our Master's in Organizational Leadership program challenges you to formulate your own leadership practice, allowing you to lead change, resolve conflict and motivate groups within your organization.  We focus on diversity, global strategy and organizational behavior.

Our Master's in Communication & Leadership program challenges you to harness communication on all levels and in all types of organizations, whether through a crisis communication plan, an internal strategic plan or a social media strategy.  You will learn to analyze your audience, understand your influence and leverage various platforms to communicate your message to become a more effective, ethical leader.

You can take elective courses within either program to fulfill your elective credit requirements.

You may transfer credits with the approval of the Department Chair, the Dean of your program and the Registrar's Office.  A maximum of 1/5 of program credits, usually 6 semester credits, may be transferred.

Coursework must be distinctively graduate level by the transfer institution and must have been taken within the last five years.  A minimum grade of a B* must be earned.  Courses previously applied to a completed degree are not transferable to the student's current program.

The majority of our classes are online, but you do have the opportunity to take courses on campus with our short term immersions.  Our immersions are a hybrid of online and on-campus coursework that involve coming to campus in Spokane for a few days.  We also offer other immersions that include travel to Mt. Adams in Washington and St. Andrew's Abbey in California.  There is one required 3-day on-campus immersion.  

In an 8-week online course you are required to accomplish the same type and amount of work you would have been required to complete for a traditional on-campus 16-week course.

Your final degree will read "Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership" from Gonzaga University.

Typically 15-20 students are in a course, which is often split into smaller discussion groups. Class sizes are kept small to allow professors more one-on-one time with individual students.

Every class is designed by our Gonzaga faculty. Most classes are taught by faculty who have a PhD or a Master's degree with extensive experience.

This will vary depending on the courses you are taking, your learning style and your course load. However, most students dedicate approximately 10-15 hours per week towards coursework. This may fluctuate. During a week with a major paper or project due, you might spend more time on coursework than other weeks. What remains true is that you will get out of this program what you put into it.

We believe the best learning is experiential and occurs in the context of community. The immersion is designed to be taken early in your graduate degree journey so that you can come to campus, meet fellow classmates, get to know faculty and ground yourself in the sense of what it means to be a Zag. Many of our students say this experience is one of the best parts of the program.

The Student Services team is available to answer your questions and connect you to the resources you need.  You will also be assigned a faculty advisor to help you meet your academic goals.

Online students have access to all of Gonzaga's resources including:

• Foley Library
• IT Help Desk
• Career Center
• Grad Student Association
• Disability Access
• University Ministry

We are all here to help you succeed.

Tuition is based on the cost of a credit. Currently a credit costs a competitive $1,050*. The ORGL program is 30-credits, with a total tuition cost of $31,500**.  Most students finish the program in two years, so the program ends up costing approximately $15,750** per year.

*Tuition rates subject to change.
**Does not include additional fees or travel for immersions.

We have a number of resources to help you fund your education.

As a graduate student, you qualify for Federal Student Aid. This funding is not need based, follow the link to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Gonzaga also offers payment plan options and other financial resources.

The Master's in Organizational Leadership program offers new student scholarships every semester, funds permitting. Contact an Admissions Counselor at (866) 380-5323 for an application.
Gonzaga's Financial Aid Office maintains a database of scholarships for students to access, search and apply for awards.

We offer a 10% discount to active members of the military and their spouses, as well as to veterans.

10% Discount

• Federal Employees
• Boeing Employees
• Bank of America Employees

15% Discount

• Alumni Graduate Education Scholarship -15% off the tuition rate for Gonzaga alumni

50% Discount

• Diocese of Spokane - qualified full-time teachers, principals and Pastoral/Diocesan Ministers working in schools or parishes under the auspices of the Diocese of Spokane