Online Organizational Leadership Certificate

Be the change you want to see. The Townsend Institute's graduate certificate program for Organizational Leadership at Concordia University provides intentional & engaging coursework to grow your leadership toolbox. Guided by Dr. John Townsend, the Institute Fellows, and our hand-picked faculty, you will extend your effectiveness in two arenas: your Competence - increasing your skills, strengths and expertise; and your Character - those internal abilities that drive your level of competence. Certified Organizational Leaders gain highly marketable skills that today's businesses are looking for.

Dr. John Townsend is a New York Times best-selling author, leadership consultant, psychologist and relationship expert. For more than twenty years Dr. Townsend has engaged with leaders, organizations and individuals offering life-changing solutions to common challenges. He bring this depth of experience to the courses offered in the Townsend Institute's Organizational Leadership program.

Help People Reach Their Fullest Potential

You will learn how to help organizations perform at optimum levels to further their mission and vision. While an MBA focuses the student on analytics and strategic thought, organizational leadership trains you not only in strategy and organizational structure, but it also centers on the “people power” aspect: how to work with teams, lead change, enhance performance, overcome obstacles, create healthy culture, inspire followers, and engage in difficult conversation while maintaining positive alliances. Graduates will excel in the marketplace with these cutting edge, practical skills.

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Personally learn from Dr. John Townsend

  • Begin with a 4-day Kick-off Conference with your community of fellow students, faculty, and Institute Fellows. Dr. Townsend will conduct a series of trainings to jump-start your Certificate program.
  • Connect with your cohort in a guided-process group experience to earn your first three credits, where you will learn to unpack key moments in your life story and grow your character.
  • Join a virtual classroom once a month where Dr. Townsend and Fellows of the Institute personally instruct your cohort with time allotted for interaction and Q&A.
  • Engage with Dr. Townsend’s exclusive training videos and podcasts created for each course.
  • Gain access to white papers written by Dr. Townsend for topic areas that draw on his decades of experience in leadership development and consulting.
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The leader who pays attention to personal transformation will continue to be on the path of change and improvement.

- Dr. John Townsend

Receive a Certificate in Organizational Leadership

You can choose to earn Professional Certification or Advanced Certification for Organizational Leadership and begin in the Fall or Spring semester. The entire program is 30 weeks for a Professional Certificate (12 credits) or 11 months for an Advanced Certificate (18 credits). Students will take one 7-week course at a time. Learning activities will involve approximately 13 to 16 hours of your time invested each week.

Term Start Date
Fall August 6, 2018

Info Nights

Join Dr. John Townsend on our beautiful Irvine campus and learn about the counseling and leadership programs while you experience the Concordia difference! You will be able to hear first hand the uniqueness of John's approach to leadership and counseling and the learning process. You will also see first-hand what class sessions, classrooms, instructors and Institute Fellows are all about; as well as meet fellow students. Learn more about the Admissions process and Financial Aid. Parking is free and there is no cost to attend this exciting event. RSVP today!

This informational meeting will also be streamed live. We are set up to answer any questions you might have that evening. Join us by clicking the "View Live Stream" button.

View Live Stream

Please register so we can adequately prepare for your participation.

For problems or help registering for this event, please contact Sarah Martini at [email protected] or call 714-795-0124.

April

10

Info Night

Tuesday 6:00pm - 7:30pm (PST)

Grimm Hall North, Conference Center
1530 Concordia West, Irvine, CA 92612

The April 10th Information Session will be Live Streamed only. We will not host an In-Person session for the April event.

Register Now for Live Stream
 

Transformation through relational education

To earn your certification in Organizational Leadership, you’ll be taking 12 units for the Professional Certificate, or 18 units for the Advanced Certificate. You will be supported through virtual classroom sessions with your professors and classmates, and through experientially-focused assignments that connect you with fellow students.

  • Certificate Courses
  • 6 Units
  • ORGL 600: Personal Development Skills Process Group
  • 3
Students will participate in a process group training experience led by a trained faculty facilitator. They will grow in the critical relational skills that are necessary to lead well, have stimulating interactive times and receive targeted feedback. Students will have a confidential place for personal character development.
  • ORGL 601: Organizational Leadership and Character Development
  • 3
Students will gain an historical overview of leadership theory development and effective leadership characteristics. The Townsend Character-Growth Model and its seven developmental character structures will be a focus for student learning. A beginning integrative framework between Christian theology and leadership research and theory will be established.
  • Select two additional courses from the options below for the Professional Certificate or four additional courses to complete the Advanced Certificate
  • 6-12 Units
  • ORGL 602: Building Healthy Culture and Performance
  • 3
The various aspects of organizational structure will be explored. Students will learn how leaders create a healthy culture that drives individual, team and organizational performance. Various drivers and obstacles to performance will be discussed along with strategies to enhance performance.
  • ORGL 603: Leadership Styles, Neuroscience and Emotional Intelligence
  • 3
Students will gain an overview of the different styles of leading a team or organization. The latest research from neuroscience will be explored and applied to leadership. Students will understand the concept of emotional intelligence and its different relational and self-management skills.
  • ORGL 604: Leading Change and Motivation
  • 3
The major drivers or inhibitors of motivation and organizational change will be explored. Students will learn the leadership competencies to provide rapid, profound and sustainable change. This course will also focus on how to assess and make structural changes in the organization’s culture that make change easier.
  • ORGL 605: Team Building, Conflict Management and Managing Difficult People
  • 3
Students will learn the key elements of a high performing team and how to build each element. An 8-step process for managing conflict will be presented. Students will develop the skills to manage team members who have a challenging character structure and contentious relationships.
  • ORGL 606: Leadership and Transformation
  • 3
Students will learn the different affective, cognitive and behavioral strategies that lead to transformational change in a coaching relationship. Emphasis will be placed on creating affective experiences that lead to character growth. Students will also learn to design leadership programs for organizations.
  • ORGL 607: Decision Making, Creativity and Problem Solving
  • 3
Students will learn various decision-making strategies and the common pitfalls to good decisions. The critical role that creativity plays in leadership will be explored. Using a variety of methods, students will gain experience in creativity and problem-solving.
  • ORGL 610: Leadership and Organizational Assessment
  • 3
This course will review the various assessment instruments for individual leaders, teams and entire organizations such as: Emotional Competency Inventory; Kolb Learning Style Inventory; Inventory of Leadership Styles; Organizational Climate Survey). Students will learn how to communicate findings to leaders to empower them.
  • ORGL 611: Systems and Project Management
  • 3
Leadership requires the capacity to get things done on a scalable level, from large projects to designing systems that integrate resources in the proper channels. This involves thinking strategically, accumulating resources, bringing the right talent into the right teams, and driving the process.
  • ORGL 612: Executive Coaching and Character Development
  • 3
.
  • ORGL 613: Developing the Executive Coaching Relationship
  • 3
Students will learn the skills to create a coaching relationship that establishes trust, understanding, acceptance and active exploration of the underlying issues driving performance. These interpersonal skills include attunement, immediacy, confrontation, powerful questioning and observation of themes. The course includes assessing the clients character structure and strengths, designing actions, planning and goal setting and managing progress and accountability.
  • ORGL 614: Advanced Executive Coaching
  • 3
Students will develop advanced skills to deal with resistance and obstacles to performance. Students will learn process group skills to lead their own groups. Students will become proficient in coaching clients in the following areas: financial, marital and parenting. Students will learn how to build, market and manage their coaching practice.

A deep bench of experience

When you make a choice to invest in your future by continuing your education, you want to be sure your time is well spent. That’s where the Townsend Institute at Concordia University, Irvine offers a distinct advantage. In addition to top-tier Faculty, Dr. Townsend has assembled a world-class team of influencers, the Institute Fellows - author-teachers with broad platforms who are widely recognized.

Meet our Fellows Meet our Faculty

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are listed here for your convenience, but are subject to change without notice.

See Financial Aid
Tuition/Fee Cost
Application Fee $50
Graduation Fee Graduation Fee
Tuition $545/unit

Apply now.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but we encourage you to have all documentation in early because there are a limited number of spaces available. If you have any questions about the admissions process or need any assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Application Requirements

  • An application with nonrefundable application fee of $50
  • One official transcript from a regionally accredited college or university that shows your confirmed bachelor’s degree. Official college transcripts must be sent in a sealed envelope.
  • Must have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
  • Written essay (2 pages, 500 words) addressing the following items:
    • Personal, professional, and educational goals
    • In your experience, what is the best way that a person grows or changes?
    • What interested you in applying to the Townsend Institute as opposed to other programs?
  • Minimum of 1 professional reference required. Personal reference optional.
  • A current professional resume
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Get Started Today.

Have questions about the Townsend Institute’s online certification for Organizational Leadership? Not sure how to get started? Fill out the form below, and one of our admissions counselors will get in touch with you.