Leadership - MA

In this course, students explore classic studies of organizational analysis and leadership. Students analyze various concepts and models, then apply them to the schools and divisions where they work.

Examines the theory and practice of personal leadership including the pursuit of self understanding, self management of continuous learning, and professional responsibility and accountability. Develops students' abilities to incorporate action inquiry and continuous learning in the practice of leadership and the ability to model espoused principles and values. Provides opportunities to enhance personal strengths and address challenges. Fosters an appreciation of the interdependent and contextual nature of effective leadership. Co-requisites: LEAD 527, LEAD 528. Health: LEAD 527.

Examines the theory and practice of leading productive teams and of facilitating groups. Fosters appreciation of students' abilities to communicate effectively in working relationships in support of productive collaboration. Develops students' expertise in promoting effective decision-making, optimizing the benefits of diversity, planning and implementing of team goals, and assessing of outcomes. Promotes awareness and application of ethical principles and concepts. Encourages a systemic perspective to ensure fluid communication with the immediate organizational environment and knowledge of influences of the environment on the team. Co-requisites: LEAD 526, LEAD 528. Health: LEAD 526.

Develops an appreciation for organizations and communities as open and interconnected systems by focusing on the interdependencies of contexts, structures, and relationships on their limits and possibilities. Combines systems thinking theory and concepts with leadership experience in the cohort, as a learning community and in an organization, to develop practical knowledge and skill in creating learning and work environments that generate engagement, productivity, and continuous improvement. Co-requisites: LEAD 526, LEAD 527. Health: LEAD 525.

Explores the complexities of relationships both within and beyond organizational boundaries, including leading and managing relationships with boards and other governance bodies, with employees and unions, with customers and communities, and within partnerships, collaborations and mergers. Explores the role of relationships in facilitating change in an organization. Students begin conversations with an identified sponsoring organization to identify an issue or opportunity of importance to the organization, which will lead to the student’s Organizational Leadership Project.

This course focuses on the role of non-financial leaders in organizational performance measurement and financial management. Students analyze, interpret, and apply knowledge of the distinctive characteristics of the non-profit and public sector organization. The course also covers making effective and efficient use of resources and ways to increase public accountability and public confidence. Students survey a variety of techniques including the Balanced Scorecard, Logic Models, Performance Indicators, Developing Proposals, Program Audit and Evaluation.

Advances students’ knowledge of action research principles and methods as they are applied within organizations seeking to prepare for and implement change as a response to organizational issues, opportunities or problems. Gives students the inquiry tools they will need to conduct their Organizational Leadership Project (OLP) or Thesis as well as what they will need to be action research focused leaders within their own organizations. Pre-requisites: LEAD526, LEAD527, and LEAD528, LEAD530.

Examines a range of options in leading change effectively, with multiple and diverse organizational issues, including context, structure, culture, politics, symbolism, and stakeholder involvement as sources of diversity, difference, unpredictability, and complexity. The course examines phases and strategies involved in complex organizational change, the leader’s possible roles in facilitating change, and the actions likely to be effective in such situations. *Co-requisites: LEAD627. Pre-requisites: LEAD 526, LEAD527, and LEAD528, LEAD530, LEAD618, LEAD628.

Examines inquiry tools students need to be evidence-informed leaders within their own organizations and to conduct their Organizational Leadership Project (OLP) or Thesis. The course introduces methodology and methods for inquiry-based leaders and includes experiential activities in which students gather and analyze inquiry data, including interviews, focus groups, surveys and other methods common to organizational inquiry. Delivery. *Co-requisites: LEAD626 *Pre-requisites: LEAD 526, LEAD527, LEAD528, LEAD530, LEAD618.

This component of the MA program integrates all program competencies foundational to the practice of influential organizational leadership. The OLP asks that students conduct a project in the role of leader-as-inquirer in an organization to support proactive organizational change. The OLP allows students to practice organizational inquiry, leadership, communication, organizational consulting, and problem-solving techniques and methods. It also requires the thorough understanding and application and synthesis of the OLP related competencies. The OLP fulfills three essential criteria in that it: (a) meaningfully engages the sponsoring organization; (b) creates if not the reality then at least the possibility for positive change within that organization, and c) requires a genuine leadership stretch for the student.

Engages students in a systematic and scholarly study of a significant organizational challenge or opportunity, and through it, creates the possibility of positive organizational change. The Thesis option provides a leadership experience for the student that allows for development, demonstration and assessment of program competencies. The Thesis document presents a careful analysis of the findings, conclusions, recommendations, and implications of the change inquiry, and synthesizes, compares, and contrasts the relevant theoretical and empirical scholarship, and the professional practice literature. *pre-requisites: LEAD618, LEAD626, LEAD627