When any organization disappoints its clients, begins losing employees, drops market share, misses profit targets, or just fails to meet goals and expectations, the finger of blame is often pointed at leadership.

“It was a failure of leadership…”

But what is leadership? Is it a list of “do’s” and “don'ts”? Is it about authority or is it about vision? Is it a natural gift, or can it be taught and developed? Is it supposed to be flexible and adaptive, or firm and consistent?

“Leadership is an often misused and misunderstood term,” said Professor of Leadership and Ethics Helen Mitchell. “Even less understood is the biblical basis for leadership and how to walk in it as a holy calling, how to hold an eternal perspective and fulfill God’s work here on earth.”

With this in mind, the Crowell School of Business is pleased to announce the launch of a new online degree program in Fall 2022 — the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership.

“In this biblically grounded program, under the guidance of proven business leaders, graduates will have a greater understanding of being called to business,” said Mitchell. “They will develop a high degree of self and social awareness while being equipped with the knowledge and tools to lead a diverse workforce in bringing solutions and ideas to the business world.”

The Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership will provide students with the tools to advance their careers and develop themselves as leaders. Through a year-round, asynchronous, fully online 48-unit program, students can complete their degree on a schedule that works for them, while receiving a quality curriculum, caring professors, integration of biblical values and a focus on “Business as Ministry” for which the Crowell School of Business is known.

The new organizational leadership program is a business degree that includes a focus on leadership as well as important business topics such as management and marketing.

“It’s a business degree because we’re still covering many areas of business,” said Associate Dean Dave Bourgeois, “but it reduces the focus on some of the quantitative aspects such as accounting and finance in favor of more coursework in leadership and organizational decision-making skills. This degree is an excellent precursor to a master’s in leadership, such as the new Crowell Master of Arts in Leadership and Innovation.”

One distinctive of the program is the potential for transmuting professional experience into college credit. Known as “credit for prior learning,” this option recognizes that the classroom is not the only way to obtain college-level knowledge, and accounts for workplace training, military training and service, independent study, professional certification and civic and volunteer service, among other things. More information on “prior learning” can be found here.

Another unique aspect is the strong emphasis on a biblical understanding of leadership and how each student’s individual strengths can be developed into servant leadership. In collaboration with Biola’s Talbot School of Theology, Crowell’s business professors have developed deeply integrated courses that provide both professional and theological foundations for understanding and practicing leadership. This program also includes a focus on diversity from a biblical perspective and what it looks like to lead in a diverse organization.

“We think that’s key,” said Bourgeois. “Students need to understand the role of diversity in a successful organization.”

Crowell faculty, including in-house experts in leadership such as Mitchell, Jake Aguas, and Jeff McHugh, will be key in class instruction. Despite being online, professors will create a tight-knit community of students and faculty and provide a genuinely collegial experience. The program is designed for people who want the flexibility of seven-week courses and the convenience of taking those courses online on their own schedule.

Those interested in a more traditional business degree or who want to go on to an MBA should consider Crowell’s Bachelor of Science in Business Management, which involves coursework in accounting, finance, and data analysis and finance and data analytics, how to use Excel and other tools, as well as marketing and strategies and international business.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership.


Photo by Mitchell Luo on Unsplash, used by permission.