Organizational Leadership

Master of Science

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About This Program

Program Purpose

The MSOL program focuses on developing creative and innovative leaders for contemporary organizations, professions, and communities. It considers the fundamentals of leadership and how leaders create strategic advantage through shared vision and organizational change. Leadership focuses on developing a vision, communicating it, and inspiring others to follow. Leaders must integrate ethics, self-knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and team dynamics, so the program emphasizes developing an understanding of self as well as of the organization. The MSOL program is designed to transform a high-potential participant into a confident, reflective leader who can promote organizational effectiveness.

Program Competencies

1. Oral Communication
   1. Speak with confidence, clarity, and conciseness.
   2. Research, prepare, and deliver professional presentations.
2. Written Communication
   1. Write clearly, concisely and appropriately using correct English grammar, punctuation, usage, mechanics, sentence structure, and vocabulary.
   2. Use appropriate APA format for scholarly writing.
3. Disciplined Inquiry
   1. Utilize quantitative, qualitative and scientific reasoning to solve problems.
   2. Exercise critical thinking strategies, including reasoning, problem solving, analysis and evaluation.
   3. Define a problem or issue and develop questions and methods to resolve the problem or issue and/or to create new knowledge.
4. Information Literacy
   1. Access, use, and evaluate information effectively, efficiently, and appropriately.
   2. Evaluate the reliability of information sources and content.
   3. Use technology to effectively locate and communicate information.
5. Ethics
   1. Demonstrate knowledge and application of prescribed ethical code(s) and/or behaviors promoted by the profession.
6. Professional
   1. Apply contemporary leadership models and theories
   2. Apply change frameworks and models.

Program Design

The MSOL program is designed for experienced managers and leaders (typically with five years of leadership experience) who wish to further develop their leadership skills. It provides opportunities for students to analyze their own leadership styles, reflect on personal values and ethics, and understand how their values align with those of their organizations. By understanding their leadership styles at the beginning and end of the program, students can better understand how to bring about change - in themselves as well as in organizations.

To enhance their educational experience, all MSOL students are asked to clearly identify their goals prior to entering the program. Every effort will be made to help them realize those goals by the time they graduate. Throughout the program, oral and written communication is emphasized, as is reflective writing. Technology-enabled classrooms help integrate technology into the learning process.

A distinguished Advisory Council helps develop strategic direction for the program. The Council consists of leaders from a wide variety of organizations: corporate (manufacturing and service), government, military, and not-for-profit. The Council is an integral part of the program. Often members volunteer as guest speakers.