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 Organizations
ADMN 603 Excellence in Leadership: Theory and Practice
ADMN 607 Accounting and Finance for Evaluation and Control
ADMN 613 Ethics for Leaders
ADMN 628 Project Management
INT 601 Intro to Research Design and Methods

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 Practices
ADMN 617 Crisis Leadership: Response and Resolution
ADMN 661 Leaders and Complex Organizations
ADMN 665 Strategy and Organizational Culture
ADMN 669 Engaging Organizational Change
ADMN 699 Capstone: Strat Applied Leadership

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 Systems
EDAD 603 The School, the Community, and the Society
EDAD 605 Curriculum and Program Development
EDAD 607 Cultural Diversity
EDAD 608 Teaching and Learning in a Trauma Informed School
ADMN 699 Capstone: Strat Applied Leadership

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 HRM
HRM 611 Employment Law & HRM
HRM 621 Workforce Development
HRM 623 Motivation, Compensation & Benefits
HRM 641 Human Resources Development
HRM 699 Capstone in Strategic Planning for HRM

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 Practices
ADMN 617 Crisis Leadership: Response and Resolution

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

ADMN 622 Public Finance and Administration
ADMN 623 Program Management in Government
ADMN 625 Contracts & Procurement for Public Programs
ADMN 699 Capstone: Strat Applied Leadership

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.