What is Organization Development?

Bowling Green State University's Master of Organization Development program defines Organization Development as the application of behaviorally-sound processes for the purpose of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of individuals and organizations.

How can I benefit from studying organization development?

The MOD degree provides graduates with a solid foundation in a variety of areas: change leadership, organizational structure and design, leadership development, team building, strategic planning and goal setting, and human resource management to name just a few. Skills such as these are critical for managers to possess in today's competitive, global economy. 

What type of jobs do your students occupy?

Our EMOD students have diverse career patterns.   An EMOD class could be made up of managers, directors, consultants, as well as professionals in areas such as human resources, information technology, training and development, education, non-profit, sales/marketing, engineering, and accounting.  The industries our students represent are just as varied: manufacturing, higher education/non-profit, consumer products, financial services, business-to-business services just to name a few. 

What type of work experience should I have prior to applying to the EMOD program?

Candidates should possess at least 3 years of professional work experience. 

Do I have to take the GRE/GMAT?

Yes.  However, you may qualify for a waiver if you posses a minimum of 10 years of professional work experience and a minimum of a 2.7/4.0 undergraduate GPA.  Those with a prior Master's degree from a regionally accredited US school also might qualify for a waiver. 

How many letters of recommendation do I need?

You will need to solicit one nomination letter (basically a letter of recommendation) from your current employer.   The recommender can be a supervisor, director, someone in human resources, etc.  The recommender should be someone familiar with your work and your motivation for pursuing a master's degree. Click here for a nomination form.  

What types of financial aid are available?

Those students whose employers provide tuition reimbursement can participate in the Employer Reimbursement Program. Qualifying students’ bills are deferred until 30 days after the end of each term enabling students to submit their grades to the employer for payment of tuition.  Additionally, EMOD students may qualify for the standard federal student loan program (Perkins loans). Students should contact the Bowling Green State University Financial Aid office directly with questions or for application information.

When do classes start?

The Executive Master of Organization Development (EMOD) program starts a new class of students every January.

What does blended course delivery mean?

The EMOD program utilizes online resources strategically. This means significant course content is delivered via the Internet thereby reducing the number of on-campus class sessions (only three weekends per semester). Each course blends online and face-to-face components and there are no courses which are fully online. This allows you to have face-to-face interaction with each of your faculty even in the convenient format.

How is content delivered over the Internet?

Online course delivery takes many forms, including: discussion boards, online chats, video conferencing, conference calls, reviewing videos of lectures, etc. All of our courses feature a blend of online and face-to-face.

What type of work is involved with each class?

At the beginning of the semester course materials and books are provided.  Each class is different in the work which is required.  Typical assignments may include reading, writing papers, examinations, presentations, projects, participating in online discussion boards, video conferencing, etc. 

How much time will I spend on school work every week?

The amount of time you spend on course work will be dependent on your study habits and your familiarity with the course content and will vary by course and semester.  However, most of our students report spending an average of 10-20 hours a week on their studies. 

What is an Executive Residency Weekend?

Students are enrolled in two courses per semester.  These courses are delivered through a combination of online activities and classroom meetings.  Executive Residency Weekend refers to the time spent in the classroom, which is three weekends per semester. 

When does class meet during an Executive Residency Weekend?

Executive Residency Weekends are Friday 6-10 PM, and Saturday 8:00 - 5:00, and Sunday 8:00 - 3:00. 

Will I be required to stay on-campus during an Executive Residency Weekend?

No.  Students do not stay on campus during an Executive Residency Weekend.  Students needing lodging during the weekend can book rooms at area hotels, many of which have reduced rates for EMOD students.  

What airports are located around Bowling Green?

Students have several airports to choose from.  The closest are in Toledo, Ohio (30 minutes) and in Detroit, Michigan (60 minutes). 

How many students are in a class?

The EMOD program is cohort based.  This means you go through the program with primarily the same group of students.  Because of this, as well as the intense classroom experience, class sizes are kept small, around 20-25 per cohort.