Leadership and Organizational Management (M.S.A.)

Faculty

Ms. Rehva Jones, MBA, Director of Business Programs (program chair) 

Description

The Master of Science in Administration (MSA) promotes and facilitates the development of leaders in public, private, and nonprofit organizations by focusing on key competencies, which positively influence others to achieve goals and realize a shared vision. Learn real world applications of behaviors and attitudes of effective leaders rooted in positive values aligned with your organization’s strategic vision and mission. The MSA offers courses to help leaders develop unique attributes of self-awareness, self-mastery, interpersonal influence, critical thinking, and a problem-solving mindset. MSA leaders influence organizations, agencies, and associations in the private, nonprofit, non-government, education, and government sectors including, private business, consulting groups, government agencies, public utilities, schools, colleges, museums, parks and recreation, workplaces, healthcare facilities, and public health settings.

The Master of Science in Administration (MSA) is an alternate weekend, 36-credit, 20-month program with an 18-credit focus in the following career specializations:

• Dynamic Leaders and Organizations
• Education Leadership
• Human Resource Management

Degree Requirements

ALL of the universal resources for leaders core courses (18 credits):

ADMN 601 Excellence in Managing Contemporary OrganizationsReviews principles of effective management, and surveys contemporary and historical research on organizational effectiveness. Emphasizes skill development in managing basic administrative and managerial functions, including decision making, planning and implementation, problem solving, and communication. Experiential learning methods, such as case studies, simulations, and role playing, are employed extensively.
3 credits
ADMN 603 Excellence in Leadership: Theory and PracticeExcellence in Leadership: Theory and Practice is an introduction to historical and current leadership theories, effective contemporary leadership practices, and how the scholar and the practitioner might inform each other for greater effect. This course will emphasize the student's analysis of themselves as leaders while preparing them to make use of their strengths and opportunities. Topics included in this course will include transformational leadership, women in leadership, multicultural leadership, classic management theories, and ethical management. Formerly titled Theories of Leadership and Organizational Change
3 credits
ADMN 607 Accounting and Finance for Evaluation and ControlThe Accounting and Finance for Managerial Evaluation and Control course emphasizes the use of accounting and financial information to fa cilitate effective management decisions. Topics include the accounting process, the accounting cycle, accounting systems, inventories, investments, cost determination, cost control and analysis, budgeting, analysis of financial statements, and capital investment analysis. Students in this course will use spreadsheet software to develop and analyze data. This course requires computer literacy and access outside the classroom to a computer with spreadsheet software. Formerly ADMN 607 Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 613 Ethics for LeadersIn the Ethics for Leaders course students will compare and contrast ethical frameworks, stakeholder relationships, and social responsibility in decision making, risk management, and corporate governance. Students will exercise critical thinking, consider the elements of ethical decision making, analyze current and emerging ethical issues in the business environment, appraise the role of values, morals of relevant stakeholders through advanced readings, analysis and presentation of alternative outcomes based on and case studies form current business and organizational contexts. Students will demonstrate values based leadership through advanced readings, experientia l exercises, the examination of case studies, and presentation of analysis and negotiated resolutions.
3 credits
Prerequisite: Student must have completed a minimum of 21 graduate credits.
ADMN 628 Project ManagementThe Project Management course provides the framework for managing a project from initiation to project completion, from a systems perspective. This course is intended to provide students with an understanding of the project management (PM) life cycle and the core PM processes-initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling-that are essential to effective project management. Areas covered include managing team structure, scheduling, budgeting, costing, resource allocation, staffing, communication, quality management, risk management, and procurement.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None
INT 601 Intro to Research Design and MethodsThis course instructs students in the importance of research design and methods in producing reliable and verifiable data for use in making evidence based analysis and conclusion in applied "real world" research that will have a direct relation to the student's career. Students will learn to define scientific knowledge and how worldviews and philosophical underpinnings inform research methodologies, cite and reference in APA style, and write an argument in an academic voice. Topics covered in this course include developing a research topic, identify, analyze, and synthesize literature in the field of study, writing the literature review, developing the research question, a review of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research methodologies and designs, units of analysis, ethical issues and the role of an institutional review board in conductin research, data collection, describe and analyze the data, test hypotheses, form a reasoned argument and conclusions based on a synthesis and evaluation of the evidence provided by the research design. Students may use this course to develop a pilot study for their thesis or capstone course. Formerly: ADMN 609, COM 602 and ISS 680
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None

Specialization Requirements

Dynamic Leaders and Organizations

The Dynamic Leaders and Organizations program facilitates the development of leaders who have a positive influence on their followers, organizations, and their stakeholder communities to produce outstanding, innovative, and provocative results. The Dynamic Leaders and Organizations specialization prepares students to assume positions in executive leadership and senior management in in complex organizations experiencing increased globalization, competition, and stakeholder expectations. Overall, the Dynamic Leaders and Organizations program facilitates the examination of the relationship between leader and organization to support success.

ALL of the dynamic leadership courses (18 credits):

ADMN 615 Comparative Global Management PracticesADMN 615 Comparative Global Management- is an interdisciplinary analysis, critique, and comparison of management and managerial functions and practices from a regional outlook and a global perspective. Through discussion and case studies this course will present students with an opportunity to think beyond one's prevalent paradigm. In this course, cultural, economic, and political theories are introduced and amalgamated into a discourse on applied management.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 617 Crisis Leadership: Response and ResolutionContemporary organizations face a multitude of threats and dangers every day. Responsible and ethical leaders plan not only for the surviving and thriving of their institutions, they plan for organizational continuity and to prevent or mitigate negative fallout effecting their stakeholders and society at large. Planning, practice, and effective communication determine organizational thriving, the extent of fallout, and the strengthening of community ties. Students of Crisis Leadership develop, plan, and implement action plans for responding to a variety of modern management crises stemming from factors such as leadership practice, organizational culture, suc cession planning, embezzlement and accidents to natural disasters, health pandemics, sabotage, and workplace violence. Students will analyze and assess strategies for mitigating crises and evaluating their organizations response and resolution of crises that face leaders of contemporary organizations. Formerly ADMN 617 - Leadership: Response and Resolution of Crises
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 661 Leaders and Complex OrganizationsExplores leadership?s profound influence on the functionality, culture, and effectiveness of organizations, which are complex, dynamic, and nuanced. Outcomes include creating and implementing a leadership development plan that identifies elements of effective organizations, proposes adaptive organizational design, applies assessment measures, and establishes roles for leaders as agents of organizational transformation. Formerly ADMN 661 Organizations and the Individual.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 665 Strategy and Organizational CultureLeaders when faced with a changing environment, shifting goals, and high expectations discover their organization is not as adaptive and agile as necessary and the process of adaptation or change takes too long. Leaders learn late they have formed and promoted an organizational culture that is not reflective of nor responsive to external forces and events. Organizational culture drives organizational strategy, structure and processes, organizational performance, and response to events in the external environment. Strategy and strategic initiatives that leverage the learning organization's culture and are more successful. Students recogniz e and id entify the leader's role in promoting cultural factors in organizations. Students analyze organizations and diagnose cultural factors that promote, facilitate, inhibit, or resist organizational learning, progress, and change. Students develop strategic plans that leverage organizational culture and facilitate positive change experiences and outcomes. Formerly ADMN 665 Organizational Strategy.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 669 Engaging Organizational ChangeOrganizations engage in organizational change processes to develop strategic plans, reconfigure or improve structures and processes, and increasingly for whole-system change. Successful organizational change initiatives are strategic by design and inclusive by intention; they are focused on a positive future outcome, challenge conventions, and improve the organizational life of the members and relations with stakeholders. Leaders and change agents express a compelling vision to establish the urgency to change, build coalitions, plan systematically, and model the change to anchor it in the organization's culture. Students analyze an organization's needs , cultur e, strategy, expected outcomes, and categorize its stakeholder's power and influence to determine the appropriate change approach and methods for the organization. Students determine participants and roles, develop a plan for implementing a change initiative, instruct others in change methodology, and present as if to a prospective client. Formerly ADMN 669 Org Intervention and Change Implementation.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 699 Capstone: Strat Applied LeadershipThis is the final course in the MSA in Dynamic Leadership and Organizations program and the final product represents a culmination of a student's journey and learning. Students develop a strategic program plan, develop a grant proposal, or other strategic initiative to positively affect an organization, agency, department, or individual. The successful student is able to synthesize their knowledge and experiences to conduct a needs assessment, determine outcomes, design a programmatic response, identify organizational supports, develop an implementation plan, and a n evalua tion strategy to assess the initiative's effect. Students collect and analyze primary and or secondary data to support the validity and viability of the strategic initiative. Students are expected to express a holistic understanding of the problem, the strategic plan or program design, and how the outcomes affect the target population. Students are expected to complete this course in the final semester. Students must pass this course with a B or better to qualify to graduate from the MSA in Dynamic Leaders and Organizations program. Required for all students in the program. Formerly ADMN 699 - Capstone Project.
3 credits
Prerequisites: INT 601 and the successful completion of 27-30 credits prior to the Capstone semester.

Education Leadership

The MSA in Education Leadership engages students in curriculum program development and teaching toward cultural diversity and inclusion. This program is designed for education professionals who have a career interest in educational administration or educational program management and do not require professional licensure.

ALL of the education leadership courses (18 credits):

EDAD 602 Technology and SystemsExamines the national standards for integrating technology into a school and/or district. Theories and current research in technology integration will be included in reading assignments and discussions. Students will have experience using computer applications that support management and operational functions necessary in a school setting. Students will complete journal writing and group activities that promote problem solving from the school administrator's perspective. Students will be provided with a process for assessing the technological needs of a school and aligning school resources with these assessed needs. As a Final Project, students will develop a comprehensive technology plan that addresses the use of technology to support the management and instructional goals of the school.
3 credits
Hybrid Online Course
EDAD 603 The School, the Community, and the SocietySurveys historical, social, economic, political, and philosophical foundations of education, with an emphasis on theories of American education in an interdependent world and the multicultural character of the American classroom. Implications of understanding contemporary educational issues, policy, and decision making are stressed. Students investigate successful models of school, family, business, community, government, and higher education partnerships.
3 credits
EDAD 605 Curriculum and Program DevelopmentReviews historical and current approaches to curriculum development and implementation. Topics include competency-based learning, authentic assessment, curriculum design, and program evaluation. Students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to be effective instructional leaders.
3 credits
EDAD 607 Cultural DiversityExamines the effects of diversity and multiculturalism on society. International and economic issues are explored to help students broaden their knowledge of the complexities and interdependence of contemporary schools. Students study cross-cultural communications while developing the skills to accommodate specific needs that arise in culturally diverse environments.
3 credits
EDAD 608 Teaching and Learning in a Trauma Informed SchoolThis course is designed to provide candidates with the knowledge and skills needed to be effective instructional leaders.The focus of the course is the art and science of instructional leadership and the exploration of how theories of teaching, learning and research can be applied in the classroom. Candidates will review historical and current approaches to teacher supervision, professional development, conferencing, and learning strategies that best support student learning. Topics include visioneering, ACEs and brain-based research, marginal teacher improvement and resiliency and assessments.
The course will prepare candidates to create a school-wide environment that is conducive to optimal teaching, learning and well-being by using existing school resources differently to integrate trauma-informed practices and procedures into school-wide behavior management and instructional systems.Candidates will analyze the influence of principals on the promotion of professional growth, encouragement of critical study, and the building of resilience and support in teachers, in students, and in the school culture.
ADMN 699 Capstone: Strat Applied LeadershipThis is the final course in the MSA in Dynamic Leadership and Organizations program and the final product represents a culmination of a student's journey and learning. Students develop a strategic program plan, develop a grant proposal, or other strategic initiative to positively affect an organization, agency, department, or individual. The successful student is able to synthesize their knowledge and experiences to conduct a needs assessment, determine outcomes, design a programmatic response, identify organizational supports, develop an implementation plan, and a n evalua tion strategy to assess the initiative's effect. Students collect and analyze primary and or secondary data to support the validity and viability of the strategic initiative. Students are expected to express a holistic understanding of the problem, the strategic plan or program design, and how the outcomes affect the target population. Students are expected to complete this course in the final semester. Students must pass this course with a B or better to qualify to graduate from the MSA in Dynamic Leaders and Organizations program. Required for all students in the program. Formerly ADMN 699 - Capstone Project.
3 credits
Prerequisites: INT 601 and the successful completion of 27-30 credits prior to the Capstone semester.

Human Resources Management

Promote an inclusive and engaged workforce of talented and committed individuals in vibrant and energetic organizations.  Human Resources Management has rapidly evolved from a functional to a strategic member of any organization, agency, or association; collaborating with executive leadership and senior management to engage teams in the vision and goals of an organization.  Human Resources professionals are leaders who understand the purpose of the organization, the global environment, and climate to promote the ethical treatment of diverse individual members and facilitate the development and retention of top talent and high performing members.

ALL of the following human resources management courses (18 credits):

HRM 603 Negotiation & Conflict in HRMHuman Resources occupies a unique position in organizations, which requires both the protection, development, and management of the workforce and managing the interests and risks of the organization. HR is often central to handling organizational crises requiring competence in negotiation and conflict. Students examine the theories and practice of negotiating for results and determine potential positions and alternate scenarios. Students also analyze and assess of the perspectives parties to plan intervention in, the management of, and the prevention of conflict. Students apply and implement negotiation and mediation skills to recog nize, ma nage, or prevent conflicts. Students evaluate negotiation and conflict initiatives for effectiveness in fostering teamwork. Students exhibit competence in assessing conflict situations, the design and implement of interventions use of dialogue, reframing, and negotiation to moderate and manage conflict revealing opportunity in a business context and the organizational environment.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None
HRM 611 Employment Law & HRMLabor and Employment law in the United States play a pivotal role in the relationship between management and labor to establish a fair and equitable workplace and protect both the organization and the employee. US Employment and Labor laws are difficult to navigate and contain nuances that might have enormous influence on either the organization or the employee. Human Resources utilizes critical thinking and problem-solving to interpret and implement these laws in the workplace. Students assess and evaluate the policies and practices of the organization compared to US employment and labor laws to determine effective strategies for promoting positive and producti ve relat ionships with the workforce, individually or collectively. Students examine the history and application of US labor laws covering topics such as the National Labor Relations Act, alternative dispute resolution, public employment, regulating union activities, OSHA, discrimination laws, ADA, and employee privacy to develop effective assessments of compliance. Formerly ADMN 673 Key Legal Issues in HR Management.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
HRM 621 Workforce DevelopmentExplores strategic initiatives organizations employ to attract, manage, and retain a workforce capable of and committed to actualizing the mission. Human Resources facilitates a shared organizational vision, culture, and goals by scanning strategic expectations, conducting employment needs assessments, and implementing initiatives to create and sustain its workforce. Focuses on appraisal and implementation of policies, practices, and evaluations for an effective workforce, including recruitment, hiring, development, retention, and exiting. Also examines policies and practices for job analysis, pre-hiring assessment, placement, promotion, and legal compliance. 3 credits
Prerequisites: None
HRM 623 Motivation, Compensation & BenefitsHuman Resources develops and manages policies of compensation and benefits to attract and retain a workforce capable of and committed to actualizing the organization's vision and mission. Essential to good long-term employee - employer relationships is intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Categories of employees might require differentiation in motivators and compensation and motivation packages. Organizations, which are successful in attracting and maintaining an effective workforce approach compensation and benefits strategically with attention to detail and effect. Students assess and evaluate cost-effective pay a nd incen tive pay structures to meet the organization's human capital and workforce development goals and objectives. Students evaluate compensation systems and determine their effectiveness, and appraise the organization's total compensation system to promote external competitiveness and internal effectiveness and meet the organization's strategic goals and objectives.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
HRM 641 Human Resources DevelopmentHuman Resources occasionally finds it imperative to engage in organizational development to enable the organization's strategic management goals and objectives by implementing intervention initiatives to restructure and realign the organization, improve processes and practices, or to develop and sustain the organizational learning. When HR undertakes these initiatives, it requires familiarity with the organization's vision and mission, understanding the needs assessment, determining outcomes and objectives, and to implement and organization development (OD) program or intervention. Students determine organizational problems and nee ds, asse ss the motivational drive and development requirements of the workforce. Students design and develop programs or interventions, determine performance objectives, and plans for evaluation of effectiveness. Successful students are able to design and implement programs or interventions that promote the development of positive organizational culture and continuous learning, and are able to evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
HRM 699 Capstone in Strategic Planning for HRMThis is the final course in the MSA in Human Resources Management program and the final product represents a culmination of students' journey and learning. Throughout the program students have developed elements of a strategic program to affect an organization, agency, or department through training, talent development, organizational learning, recruitment, retention, compensation, or strategic initiatives. The successful student is able to synthesize their knowledge and experiences to conduct a needs assessment, determine outcomes, design a programmatic response, develop organizational supports, implementation plan, and evaluate the program's influenc e on the organization. Students collect and analyze primary and or secondary data to support the validity and viability of the strategic plan. Students are expected to express a holistic understanding of the problem, the strategic plan, and how the outcomes affect the organization. Students are expected to complete this course in the final semester. Students must pass this course with a B or better to qualify to graduate from the MSA in Human Resources Management program. Required for all students in the program.
3 credits
Prerequisites: INT 601 and the successfully completed at least 27 credits prior to the Capstone semester.

Program Management for Government Concentration (optional)

The Dynamic Leaders and Organizations track also offers an optional concentration in Program Management for Government (PMG).

The Program Management for Government (PMG) concentration prepares graduates for professional certification in Program Management from the Project Management Institute (PMI). The PMG students also prepare for the National Contract Manager’s Association (NCMA) certification as a Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM) or as a Certified Project Contract Manager (CPCM).

ALL of the advanced skills and knowledge for leaders courses (6 credits):

ADMN 615 Comparative Global Management PracticesADMN 615 Comparative Global Management- is an interdisciplinary analysis, critique, and comparison of management and managerial functions and practices from a regional outlook and a global perspective. Through discussion and case studies this course will present students with an opportunity to think beyond one's prevalent paradigm. In this course, cultural, economic, and political theories are introduced and amalgamated into a discourse on applied management.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 617 Crisis Leadership: Response and ResolutionContemporary organizations face a multitude of threats and dangers every day. Responsible and ethical leaders plan not only for the surviving and thriving of their institutions, they plan for organizational continuity and to prevent or mitigate negative fallout effecting their stakeholders and society at large. Planning, practice, and effective communication determine organizational thriving, the extent of fallout, and the strengthening of community ties. Students of Crisis Leadership develop, plan, and implement action plans for responding to a variety of modern management crises stemming from factors such as leadership practice, organizational culture, suc cession planning, embezzlement and accidents to natural disasters, health pandemics, sabotage, and workplace violence. Students will analyze and assess strategies for mitigating crises and evaluating their organizations response and resolution of crises that face leaders of contemporary organizations. Formerly ADMN 617 - Leadership: Response and Resolution of Crises
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None

ALL of the dynamic leadership courses: (12 credits):

ADMN 622 Public Finance and AdministrationThe ethical and management and disposition of public funds require attention to detail, regulation, and quality controls to ensure public agencies and governments meet their obligations. Students examine the role of public finance in promoting government policy, legislation, and initiatives. Students assess the political and social mechanisms involved in financing program design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Students analyze the systems of government finance including taxation and spending and their effect on the budget process, and final budgets. Students engage in systems for assurance and compliance in managing and reporti ng public funds. Students use these systems as perspectives for budget analysis, assessing accountability, and the ethical management of public funds in program management. Formerly ADMN 622 Public Finance.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 623 Program Management in GovernmentProgram directors and managers in government agencies in governmental and contracting organizations oversee and direct complex systems designed to meet agency and legislative mandates. Legislation and policy require programs that ensure the intent and the integrity of these mandates. Program managers drive the program life-cycle from definition to delivery to closure. Students develop programs design requirements, administrative support systems, and measures of evaluation. Students assess and evaluate the process of design, the controls, governance, quality assurance, and evaluation required in leading managers of p roject, contracts, and acquisitions and the various vendors to deliver mandated benefits to the program's clients and stakeholders. Formerly ADMN 623 Prog Mgmt: Design, Assurance, & Eval.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
ADMN 625 Contracts & Procurement for Public ProgramsThe management and negotiation of public contracts and acquisitions is a complex process requiring a high level of self-knowledge and awareness of other, the effects of differences (culture, gender, and others) and conflict on the negotiation process. Students identify, discern, and apply appropriate strategies for developing proposals, managing bids and negotiating public contracts and acquisitions. Students analyze mandates for contract requirements, vendor offerings, and assess bargaining positions. Students implement the principles and processes of federal procurement Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) an d their application to successful contracting decisions, enforcement of contract terms, financial analysis and management, and disputes and appeals in these processes. Students evaluate progress, work scope, cost and price, terms and conditions, and contract changes. Formerly ADMN 625 Contracts & Negotiations.
3 credits
Prerequisite: None
ADMN 699 Capstone: Strat Applied LeadershipThis is the final course in the MSA in Dynamic Leadership and Organizations program and the final product represents a culmination of a student's journey and learning. Students develop a strategic program plan, develop a grant proposal, or other strategic initiative to positively affect an organization, agency, department, or individual. The successful student is able to synthesize their knowledge and experiences to conduct a needs assessment, determine outcomes, design a programmatic response, identify organizational supports, develop an implementation plan, and a n evalua tion strategy to assess the initiative's effect. Students collect and analyze primary and or secondary data to support the validity and viability of the strategic initiative. Students are expected to express a holistic understanding of the problem, the strategic plan or program design, and how the outcomes affect the target population. Students are expected to complete this course in the final semester. Students must pass this course with a B or better to qualify to graduate from the MSA in Dynamic Leaders and Organizations program. Required for all students in the program. Formerly ADMN 699 - Capstone Project.
3 credits
Prerequisites: INT 601 and the successful completion of 27-30 credits prior to the Capstone semester.

MSA/MPH Dual Degree Program

The dual MSA/MPH degree plan allows students to complete one degree program prior to completing requirements for the other totaling 66 credit hours. Twelve credits overlap the two curricula, including up to six elective credit. See MPH Curriculum.

Program Policies

Capstone Semester:

The MSA in leadership and organizations program requires students to complete a comprehensive capstone project, paper, and presentation in a capstone course as required by the degree and the relevant specialization. The comprehensive capstone project will consist of a program proposal, a research article, or a project developed by the student and approved by the instructor.  Students must earn a grade of “B” or better in the Capstone Seminar to complete the program.

Dual Concentrations:  If you are interested in more than one concentration or specialization to take advantage of unique career opportunities, please discuss this with your advisor or the program chair.

Cross-tallied Courses:
Unless noted otherwise, courses that are cross-tallied represent identical courses offered with a different program prefix. Students may not enroll in or receive credit for more than one iteration of a cross-tallied course even in different semesters.

Grades in Graduate Courses:
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to graduate, no more than one grade of “C” on the transcript can satisfy degree requirements, and no grades below a “C” can satisfy a degree requirement.

Elective Courses:
All courses must be for graduate credit at the 500-level or higher to count toward the degree.

Pass/No Pass:
Graduate students may not take courses on a Pass/No Pass basis; courses taken Pass/No Pass do not fulfill certificate requirements.

TELL Policy:
TELL credits are not applicable toward the degree.

Transfer Policy:
Students may transfer up to 6 graduate credits from other appropriately accredited institutions of higher learning toward the degree with approval from their faculty advisor. Associations recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEA) confer appropriate accreditation; these associations include but are not limited to regional accreditors.