Master of Science in Leadership

This course focuses on differentiating the conceptual and theoretical aspects and models of leadership and leadership studies to enable you to apply leadership skills and principles to your workplace. The fundamentals of leadership are taught within the context of present and past leaders, with an emphasis on how to practice these fundamentals in an ethical manner.

Developing your EQ

This course provides information about evaluating emotional intelligence, or EQ. You will be given the tools and the opportunity to evaluate your capacity to think about work through the lens of reflection and introspection as a guide to understanding the behavioral aspects of working together and providing customer service. By examining thinking patterns, you will gain new skills in developing intuitive reasoning that will enhance your professional interpersonal relationships with peers and customers.

Strategic communication is a vital skill in today's demanding, fast-paced, virtual or global workplaces. In this course, you will identify your personal leadership style, your tendencies and preferences as a professional, and how you assimilate and apply information. Experiential learning is a large component of this course. You will practice your skills at work and report your experiences through your Leadership Development Portfolio (LDP) and, as in all courses, learn from your peers in classroom discussions.

This seminar focuses on the fundamentals of project management and practices. The key elements of project management from the project management framework, the project life cycle, project process and key project management knowledge areas are discussed. Additionally, the project integration, scope, time, cost, quality, resource and schedule management are studied. Other areas of focus are project management procurement and overall project communications.

The focus of this seminar is the building of business supply chain strategies, which include: supply chain performance, fit and scope, supply chain drivers and metrics, processes, the management of suppliers, inventory strategies, parts management and distribution. Examines demand forecasting, aggregate planning and sales and operation planning, uncertainty, and archetype strategies with a focus on flexibility, speed and technology.

Students explore key technology management concepts related to strategy, planning, processes, the application technologies in key business operational areas from engineering, production, assembly, warehousing, distribution, transportation, procurement, contracts, networking, inventory and overall business operations. 

This seminar addresses the strategic management of international organizations, providing a theoretical framework to compare, contrast, and evaluate the differences between domestic-only and internationally active organizations. Students are to examine and apply concepts pertaining to the globalization of business, the internationalization of a specific organization, and the factors that influence these two outcomes. Learn how to make decisions rooted in the increasingly international context of today's business world. 

This seminar focuses on strategic management of intangible assets of an organization: human capital, information capital, and organizational capital. Human motivation, workforce utilization, performance measurement, leadership, organizational culture and change, management information systems, knowledge management, and contingency planning are discussed.

Strategic management of entire organizations, which implies total responsibility for integrating and coordinating all activities and the accomplishment of long-term goals that determine organizational survival are discussed. Analytical models are used to dissect actual case scenarios, identify business problems, and develop strategic recommendations. Students debate topical and controversial current issues in corporate management and have the opportunity to interact with industry leaders. A project that integrates results of prior seminars into a cohesive strategic analysis of an international company is required along with a comprehensive outcomes assessment.

A leader’s ability to understand and follow the change management process in a collaborative manner is a vital skill to master. This course focuses on the strategic leadership of change in organizations. You will learn about change from a leadership as well as a management perspective in organizations, both national and multinational. This broad-based course differentiates the conceptual and theoretical change models in order to assist the student in understanding the best ways to lead and manage change. You will learn the importance of understanding and following the change management process in a collaborative manner. The course helps students learn about and practice leadership skills that foster positive changes in people and organizations.

This course addresses the dynamic economic, social, and cultural transformations faced by contemporary leaders in the public sector, government, and military organizations as they strengthen agencies for tomorrow’s challenges. Part of these challenges comes from the need to cope with new forms of competition, market demands, technological innovations, and global economic and terrain shifts. Combining the latest leadership theories with the most effective lessons from the private sector, students will gain theoretical frameworks and practical tools to help effectively improve and enhance their skills to manage complex systems, influence organizational context, engage stakeholders, and shape institutional culture. The topics covered include: history and theories of successful public sector/government/military management, contemporary leadership strategies, and innovative responses to public sector challenges in a growing global marketplace.

To paraphrase Jack Welch from his book, Straight from the Gut, if the rate of change outside your organization is greater than the rate of change inside your organization, the end is in sight. In order to remain competitive, companies are continually changing and evolving in myriad ways. This course is focused on helping students develop the tips, tools, and techniques to be a successful consultant on change management. You will examine models for implementing change initiatives, learn how the models can be adapted for various circumstances and situations, evaluate the key attributes of successful consultants, and analyze personal strengths and weaknesses for being a consultant.

This course focuses on strategic organizational behavior in organizations. You will learn about the importance of strategic alignment in order to enable effective organizational behavior. Systems thinking and organizational behavior provide a framework that you can use both to analyze and influence the behavior of individuals and groups within the organization. This broad-based course analyzes and applies various holistic strategic organizational behavior models in order to assist you in understanding the best ways to assess and impact the strategic alignment of organizations. You will also learn the importance of a leader’s ability to understand and use various organizational behavior and organizational strategy models.

This course explores the broad scope of leadership responsibilities challenging senior leaders within the nonprofit sector. Among the topics to be studied are strategic planning, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, governance, marketing, and performance management. Students will also examine trends in social entrepreneurship and the use of technology, such as social media, that are transforming the field. The course focuses on developing flexible leadership skills that can be applied in a variety of settings, across the life cycle of both small and large scale nonprofit organizations.

This course explores the legal and regulatory foundation of financial reporting and accountability for public organizations. Topics include development of transactions, enactment of appropriations, and incurrence of obligations or encumbrances. Other topics include financial reporting, analysis of governmental financial performance, costing of government services, and auditing governmental organizations. Students will be provided with the current study guides published by the Association of Government Accountants' Certified Government Financial Manager, designed specifically to prepare professionals and students for the CGFM certification examination.

This course focuses heavily on competencies and skills needed by senior health care managers with major responsibilities in such areas as the administrative aspects of managing a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that is focused on health care delivery, system delivery and evaluation. The course addresses all of the competencies outlined in the NCHL Health Leadership model, including: transformation, execution, and people.

This course addresses the history and evolution of human resources leadership, along with current trends and future needs regarding various leadership strategies that are utilized within a broad range of organizations. You will examine the impact that factors such as globalization, technology, and worker diversity have on achieving the work/life balance needs and capabilities required by organizations and individuals. You will also explore the role of the leader in developing a value-based organizational culture capable of achieving strategic goals and objectives. Through the discussion and understanding of human resource leadership principles and personal reflection and integration, you will gain the ability to help design, develop, and construct strategies at an executive level while concurrently helping employees grow and develop as individuals.

This course explores the role of leadership in public organizations by examining how leadership is intrinsically tied to the organization. Students will gain an understanding of how effective leaders articulate their leadership philosophy, how they embody the ideals and values of the organization, and how they motivate and reward their subordinates. The course also examines the role of leadership in crisis situations including how decisions are made and implemented, how information is communicated in critical situations, how political leaders are held accountable for crisis situations, and how communities can be returned to a state of normalcy after a critical incident has occurred.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

This course examines law enforcement best practices, police leadership, workforce development, accountability, internal affairs, productivity, and the management of special units. Students will also study the role of community policy, community policing, restorative justice programs, crime prevention, and the role of technology, integrated justice systems, and information system security.

This course examines administration in the corrections environment. Topics include personnel management, budgeting and public finance, workforce development, staffing, special units, correctional policy development, and planning. The roles of technology and integrated justice systems are examined, as well as information system security.

This course explores public administration within the scope of critical incidents and crisis management. Topics include domestic terrorism and counterterrorism, the roles of the National Incident Management System and the National Response Framework, best practices for first responders, and constitutional issues related to the execution of first responder duties. Students will also study the use of specially trained and equipped units such as SWAT teams, and the roles of community policing and community partnerships in responding to crises, whether manmade or natural.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

This course explores the legal and regulatory foundation of financial reporting and accountability for public organizations. Topics include development of transactions, enactment of appropriations, and incurrence of obligations or encumbrances. Other topics include financial reporting, analysis of governmental financial performance, costing of government services, and auditing governmental organizations. Students will be provided with the current study guides published by the Association of Government Accountants' Certified Government Financial Manager, designed specifically to prepare professionals and students for the CGFM certification examination.

This course introduces students to four major areas of financial concern: preparation of budgets, creating management strategies for the organization based on the principles of strategic financial management, obtaining financial resources by issuing bonds and levying taxes, and managing cash and employee retirement funds. Students will also examine contemporary perspectives on professional ethics and ethical behavior of leaders in the public sector, particularly in regard to their fiduciary responsibility in investing and managing public funds.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

This course addresses the history and evolution of human resources leadership, along with current trends and future needs regarding various leadership strategies that are utilized within a broad range of organizations. You will examine the impact that factors such as globalization, technology, and worker diversity have on achieving the work/life balance needs and capabilities required by organizations and individuals. You will also explore the role of the leader in developing a value-based organizational culture capable of achieving strategic goals and objectives. Through the discussion and understanding of human resource leadership principles and personal reflection and integration, you will gain the ability to help design, develop, and construct strategies at an executive level while concurrently helping employees grow and develop as individuals.

This course focuses on the various management systems and best practices utilized within an organization to leverage human capacity to achieve strategic goals. The coursework will help you increase your knowledge of workforce development and retention strategies, through studying topics such as rewards and recognition, motivation and productivity, training and development, cultural awareness, and achieving customer excellence through teamwork and collaborative improvisation. Additionally, you will study how maximized utilization of human capital has become the centerpiece for success in an increasingly complex world, and how human resource leaders must confront ambitious goals while balancing a volatile economic market, environmental and legal risks, advancements in technology, and workforce needs that are all evolving at an increasingly rapid pace. You will also explore various measurement tools designed to help assess the efficiency and effectiveness of management systems employed and analyze methods for developing a blueprint for executing strategic objectives.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

To paraphrase Jack Welch from his book, Straight from the Gut, if the rate of change outside your organization is greater than the rate of change inside your organization, the end is in sight. In order to remain competitive, companies are continually changing and evolving in myriad ways. This course is focused on helping students develop the tips, tools, and techniques to be a successful consultant on change management. You will examine models for implementing change initiatives, learn how the models can be adapted for various circumstances and situations, evaluate the key attributes of successful consultants, and analyze personal strengths and weaknesses for being a consultant.

Organizations of all types are clamoring for employees or consultants with the expertise to lead the implementation of change initiatives. As such, this course aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to help others make an immediate impact in their organizations. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on practical application of implementing change initiatives. You will analyze and synthesize information from real-world case studies of successful and unsuccessful change initiatives to determine what worked and what did not work.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

This course explores the broad scope of leadership responsibilities challenging senior leaders within the nonprofit sector. Among the topics to be studied are strategic planning, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, governance, marketing, and performance management. Students will also examine trends in social entrepreneurship and the use of technology, such as social media, that are transforming the field. The course focuses on developing flexible leadership skills that can be applied in a variety of settings, across the life cycle of both small and large scale nonprofit organizations.

This course of study focuses on the administration and management of tax-exempt organizations that derive their funding and mandates from individuals, foundations, and governmental sources. Topics include the legal framework of nonprofit organizations, organizational design, fiscal management, fundraising, grants, contracts, assessment and planning. Students will study best practices for leadership and management, nonprofit governance, and the effective use of volunteers. Finally, students will review the role of technology with special attention to information integration and assurance.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

A leader’s ability to understand and follow the change management process in a collaborative manner is a vital skill to master. This course focuses on the strategic leadership of change in organizations. You will learn about change from a leadership as well as a management perspective in organizations, both national and multinational. This broad-based course differentiates the conceptual and theoretical change models in order to assist the student in understanding the best ways to lead and manage change. You will learn the importance of understanding and following the change management process in a collaborative manner. The course helps students learn about and practice leadership skills that foster positive changes in people and organizations.

This course focuses on strategic organizational behavior in organizations. You will learn about the importance of strategic alignment in order to enable effective organizational behavior. Systems thinking and organizational behavior provide a framework that you can use both to analyze and influence the behavior of individuals and groups within the organization. This broad-based course analyzes and applies various holistic strategic organizational behavior models in order to assist you in understanding the best ways to assess and impact the strategic alignment of organizations. You will also learn the importance of a leader’s ability to understand and use various organizational behavior and organizational strategy models.

You will apply principles of leading change, strategic organizational behavior, and strategic leadership to people and organizations to impact performance and ensure future success. This course develops an understanding of the implications of strategic alignment and organizational learning to the organization’s success. It differentiates conceptual and theoretical change models to assist students in understanding the best ways to lead change and foster a learning organization while considering individual and group behavior as tied to strategy. The course demonstrates how strategic leadership, organizational behavior, and change theories are applied in a collaborative manner and will lead to aligning stakeholder’s interest. Prerequisites: OL530 and OL550, or permission of the program director.

This seminar focuses on the fundamentals of project management and practices. The key elements of project management from the project management framework, the project life cycle, project process and key project management knowledge areas are discussed. Additionally, the project integration, scope, time, cost, quality, resource and schedule management are studied. Other areas of focus are project management procurement and overall project communications.

This seminar focuses on project management leadership, effective communications and the management of project teams. Students explore the fundamental principles of good project management, including: leadership skills, winning stakeholder cooperation, writing the rules to manage expectations, project risk management, creating realistic schedules, achieving accurate project estimates, trade-offs between project cost, schedule and quality, building strong project teams, clear communications, measuring progress, problem solving, defining clear requirements and applying lean principles in project management. This seminar discusses project leadership, communication and team management skills integrating them with  concepts from previous seminars, resulting in fundamental principles of project management being integrated with leadership, communications and team building practices and challenges.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

This course addresses the dynamic economic, social, and cultural transformations faced by contemporary leaders in the public sector, government, and military organizations as they strengthen agencies for tomorrow’s challenges. Part of these challenges comes from the need to cope with new forms of competition, market demands, technological innovations, and global economic and terrain shifts. Combining the latest leadership theories with the most effective lessons from the private sector, students will gain theoretical frameworks and practical tools to help effectively improve and enhance their skills to manage complex systems, influence organizational context, engage stakeholders, and shape institutional culture. The topics covered include: history and theories of successful public sector/government/military management, contemporary leadership strategies, and innovative responses to public sector challenges in a growing global marketplace.

This course explores the role of leadership in public organizations by examining how leadership is intrinsically tied to the organization. Students will gain an understanding of how effective leaders articulate their leadership philosophy, how they embody the ideals and values of the organization, and how they motivate and reward their subordinates. The course also examines the role of leadership in crisis situations including how decisions are made and implemented, how information is communicated in critical situations, how political leaders are held accountable for crisis situations, and how communities can be returned to a state of normalcy after a critical incident has occurred.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

The focus of this seminar is the building of business supply chain strategies, which include: supply chain performance, fit and scope, supply chain drivers and metrics, processes, the management of suppliers, inventory strategies, parts management and distribution. Examines demand forecasting, aggregate planning and sales and operation planning, uncertainty, and archetype strategies with a focus on flexibility, speed and technology.

Students learn supply chain “movement”, warehouse design, capacity management, delivering customer value, measuring logistics cost and performance, matching up supply with demand, creation of a responsive supply chain and the management of complexity and risk.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.

Students explore key technology management concepts related to strategy, planning, processes, the application technologies in key business operational areas from engineering, production, assembly, warehousing, distribution, transportation, procurement, contracts, networking, inventory and overall business operations. 

This seminar focuses on the fundamentals of project management and practices. The key elements of project management from the project management framework, the project life cycle, project process and key project management knowledge areas are discussed. Additionally, the project integration, scope, time, cost, quality, resource and schedule management are studied. Other areas of focus are project management procurement and overall project communications.

This course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous courses and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to an organizational challenge or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, organizational analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources, and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration courses, or permission of the program director.