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Dissertation Information
"Unless you are prepared to give up something valuable you will never be able to truly change at all, because you'll be forever in the control of things you can't give up."
-- Andy Law Creative Company
Curriculum and Competencies
Leadership, change, and contribution represent the bedrock competencies upon which the program is based. These major program strands are developed across three years culminating in a major contribution to the field. Each year spotlights a specific arena: personal/interpersonal, teams and organization. These arenas become the focus for mastering the tools and processes of leadership and change. Some examples of tools and processes are: decision making, communication, conflict management, planning/organizing, facilitation, coaching, data analysis, visioning, process observation and intervention, and decision making. Program competencies are developed and refined through fieldwork that fits the student's organizational environment.
First-year students concentrate on building knowledge and skills in the personal/interpersonal arenas. Second-year students expand their knowledge and skills to groups and teams, and third-year students concentrate on the organizational arena. For example, students first learn about communication as it relates to themselves and to others. They then expand their knowledge of communication to teams and then to organizations. This developmental approach to learning allows for knowledge and skills to be continually refined and reinforced over time in real world application. This spiraling effect results in greater depth and proficiency in the tools and processes of leadership and change.
Year 1 Cohort
First year students focus on leadership and change in the personal and interpersonal arenas. Within these two arenas the specific processes and tools include planning, visioning, decision-making, communication, conflict theory and management, coaching and third party intervention. Students participate in a series of self-assessment activities followed by interpretation and guided feedback. This self-knowledge becomes the basis for a Personal Leadership Development Plan that guides the next three years of study.
Year 2 Cohort
In the second year leadership and change are studied in relation to groups and teams. In the team arena the specific tools and processes include facilitation, planning, team development, communication, dialogue and conflict management. Students begin with on-line instruction modules about teamwork and select areas of application pertinent to their interests and needs and those of their organizations. They review the core theories in leadership and change as they relate to teamwork
Year 3 Cohort
In the third year the leadership and change arenas are inter-team and organizations. Within these two arenas the leadership tools and processes include systems thinking and analysis, organizational theory, organization development, conflict management and communication. Students learn core theories in leadership and change as they relate to inter-team and organizations. They conduct action research around an inter-team problem and an organizational problem.
"Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself... Leadership is first being, then doing. Everything the leader does reflects what he or she is." Warren Bennis
