2023-2024 Graduate Bulletin

Organizational Leadership

Office: University College Student Support Center
Mail Code: 2211 S. Josephine St., Denver, CO 80208
Phone: 303-871-2291, 800-347-2042
Email: ucolsupport@du.edu  
Web Site: www.universitycollege.du.edu

The Organizational Leadership Program exists to help students achieve their full potential as leaders as they learn to effectively manage change, people, and processes within dynamic environments across sectors.  As students progress in their own leadership development, they will explore how to connect mission to values within organizations; investigate how organizational culture impacts ethics and conflict; learn how to integrate strategy and innovation to drive organizational effectiveness; and hone the skills required to transform organizations, industries, and the world. 

The Organization Leadership program prepares students to:

  • Analyze evidence of oral, written, and nonverbal communication techniques that display clear purpose and directly reflect principles of effective leadership.
  • Apply relevant program theory and principles in order to formulate arguments that clearly and directly reflect the leadership principles upon which they are based.
  • Articulate a vision for themselves as leaders by identifying gaps in current knowledge and practice.
  • Generate a plan to align mission, vision, people, resources, and goals to maximize success and value over time for an organization.
  • Justify appropriate change management and communication strategies to transition organizations, processes, and/or employment tasks from one stage to another using employee empowerment while minimizing disruption to business functions, organizational goals, and employee morale.
  • Evaluate the characteristics of successful organizational partnerships among private, public, not-for-profit, and governmental organizations to determine how to implement them.
  • Design strategies and implementation plan for successfully traversing key internal and external issues—such as new product offerings, organizational development, restructuring, and financial decisions—facing contemporary organizations, while meeting organizational scope and mission.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP WITH A CONCENTRATION IN Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Organizations 

Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to achieving organizational goals, positioning organizations for success in today’s world, and creating environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. In this master's degree concentration, you will gain skills that are crucial for advancing equity as an integrated part of organizational strategy while developing solutions that meaningfully leverage diversity to create a culture of belonging. Learn about the historical, cultural, and economic factors that shape identity and apply appropriate tools and techniques to help organizations achieve their vision for change as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.  

This degree prepares students to: 

  • Assess the influence of historical, social, cultural, and economic factors in shaping one’s identity and conceptions of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.  
  • Integrate an understanding of social and cultural difference, perspective-taking, and empathy to better inform interpersonal communication and problem-solving strategies. 
  • Develop practices that advance equity as an integrated component of organizational strategy.  
  • Design solutions that meaningfully leverage diversity to achieve organizational goals and cultivate a culture of belonging across different organizational settings.  
  • Apply change models, tools and techniques to successfully achieve a vision for change. 

Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with a Concentration in Human Capital in Organizations

The Human Capital in Organizations master's degree concentration is offered entirely online to meet the needs of busy adults. 

The concentration in Human Capital in Organizations prepares students to ethically develop and maintain human capital while learning the best practices to do so. Students will learn to determine, cultivate, and maintain the symbiotic relationship between individuals and the organizations in which they work and lead. Strategic human capital can be a key element of a successful organization. Students will learn to innovate, maximize organizational and individual success, and master the process of developing and retaining employees to engage and achieve objectives. 

Led by instructors who work in the fields in which they teach, classes introduce students to innovative and creative approaches to structuring and sustaining the development of human capital. Students explore knowledge and information management, communication tactics, vertical and horizontal partnerships, and organizational learning to promote the successful development of capital. Students will define the attributes, challenges, and advantages of human capital and strategies for leveraging each while integrating personal and organizational achievement. 

This degree prepares students to do the following:

  • Analyze organizational partnerships both vertically and horizontally
  • Create a strategy for leveraging the attributes, challenges, and advantages of human capital
  • Critique the theories and processes used for integrating knowledge management and organizational learning as a concept for enhancing personal and organizational success
  • Evaluate the opportunities, challenges and options to have employees participate in decision making through the use of various techniques
  • Assess best practices in ethically developing and maintaining human capital

Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with a Concentration in Organizational Development

The Organizational Development master's degree concentration is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults.  

Successful organizations are dynamic entities that are constantly adjusting goals, organizational structures, and strategies in response to varying organizational needs and influences. Sometimes these adjustments are large, but quite often there are a series of small to mid-size changes that affect employees and processes, resulting in the need for an organizational development (OD) intervention. In this concentration, students learn about organizations, organizational culture, and effective intervention strategies.  Students also learn the history, challenges, and successes of OD and the different models and techniques to warrant a productive culture in a variety of organizational sizes, sectors, and types. An OD intervention strategy is created by defining the role ofthe practitioner as an internal or external consultant and constructing a diagnosis plan, synthesizing data from interviews and observations, and effectively communicating the findings in various applicable formats. Finally, a personal philosophy regarding change is developed and then examined through the context of analyzing organizational values and ethics, culture, and the human impact of change on employees.

This degree prepares students to do the following:

  • Articulate and define organizational development, history of OD, and challenges and possibilities using an intentional OD intervention.
  • Develop and defend a personal philosophy of organizational change.
  • Evaluate the impact of organizational culture and core values on OD interventions.
  • Integrate the contract for a successful OD intervention with the organizational culture and determine the role of an OD practitioner in each stage of an OD intervention, distinguishing between an internal and external consultant.
  • Assess, compare, and contrast different models of change and describe the impact of each model on an OD process.
  • Define and organize OD strategies for different types of organizations (sectors, life cycle, size, industry, types of innovation, or other defining characteristics) for maximizing impacts of OD interventions.
  • Summarize the importance and impact of the different organizational structures and design on OD strategy and interventions.
  • Construct an organizational diagnosis plan by using interviewing, group facilitation, process observation, synthesis of data, and writing effective reports, with providing effective presentations of the findings.
  • Analyze the human side of change and build strategies for successful implementation of an OD intervention that honor the loss, resistance and acceptance of changes.

Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with a Concentration in Project Management

The Project Management master's degree concentration is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults. 

Students will receive hands-on, practical instruction from professional practitioners, who work in the fields in which they teach, on the tools and techniques of effective project management. Students will learn how to develop a clear plan that places a project in the context of an organization's strategic plan, while considering budgetary, scheduling, and human capital implications in any given project. 

The content for this concentration has been developed to align with the current edition of the Project Management lnstitute's (PMI)® A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide), Project Management Institute, Inc. The unique curriculum equips students with the information and skills needed for the PMI® Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification Exam.  

This degree prepares students to do the following:

  • Apply the basic principles of project management to become proficient in the use of project management software
  • Demonstrate the use of agile concepts and techniques to deliver complex projects
  • Design a comprehensive risk management plan for a project
  • Create strategies to manage the complexity inherent in large-scale projects
  • Relate project scope to cost, time, and resource requirements
  • Develop procurement plans and assess project contracts

Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with a Concentration in Strategic Innovation AND Change

The Strategic Innovation and Change master's degree concentration is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults.  

Students learn tactical innovation and change management using vision, values, and mission as an overall guide. Led by professional practitioners who work in the fields in which they teach, classes provide professionals the skills to manage change, encourage innovation, and develop effective strategic initiatives while fulfilling an organization's mission. 

Students can expect to develop environmental scanning skills to identify and evaluate external factors that affect an organization on a micro or macro level and prepare them to be solution-oriented leaders. While learning to take advantage of current realities and seize opportunities for an organization through strategy, degree-seekers explore the change theories and concepts required for effective and ethical change leadership while understanding how the relationships within an organization are affected. 

This degree prepares students to do the following:

  • Analyze the roles of mission, vision, values, and goals as a start of strategic planning
  • Summarize the advantages and limitations of the strategic planning process
  • Create strategies to address organizational challenges when implementing innovation and change and assess how this plan relates to customers, competitors, suppliers, and technology
  • Evaluate the change theories,  concepts, and skills required for effective and ethical change leadership and how the relationships within an organization are affected
  • Align financial management strategies and budget and planning requirements with the vision, values, and goals of an organization

master of science in organizational leadership with a concentration in supply chain management

The Supply Chain Management master's degree concentration is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults.  

Students learn tactical innovation and change management using vision, values, and mission as an overall guide. Led by professional practitioners who work in the fields in which they teach, leadership classes provide professionals the skills to manage change, encourage innovation, and develop effective strategic initiatives while fulfilling an organization's mission. 

In the Supply Chain Management concentration, students learn the six pillars of the field, and how to solve problems through the use of Six Sigma principles and the use of data analytics.  Through hands-on projects with companies students gain real-world experience on the challenges facing global supply chains in the 21st-century while learning from current leaders in the field.  

This degree prepares students to do the following:

  • Articulate the six pillars of supply chain management to diagram the process to appraise their role in the market system.

  • Apply the six pillars of supply chain management to realistic problem scenarios to develop strategies to diagnose and address future supply chain problems.

  • Assess supply chains using a multidimensional perspective that includes connections between supply chain processes and fundamental business topics such as financial management and technology.  

  • Solve supply chain problems using a nonlinear process that addresses connections between supply chain pillars, market trends, and business best practices. 

  • Apply best practices to address an authentic supply chain problem in a work setting.

Certificate in Organizational Leadership with a Concentration in Human Capital in Organizations

The graduate certificate in Human Capital in Organizations is offered entirely online to meet the needs of busy adults.

The certificate in Human Capital in Organizations prepares students to ethically develop and maintain human capital while learning the best practices to do so. Students will learn to determine, cultivate, and maintain the symbiotic relationship between individuals and the organizations in which they work and lead. Strategic human capital can be a key element of a successful organization. Students will learn to innovate, maximize organizational and individual success, and master the process of developing and retaining employees to engage and achieve objectives. 

Led by instructors who work in the fields in which they teach, classes introduce students to innovative and creative approaches to structuring and sustaining the development of human capital. Students explore knowledge and information management, communication tactics, vertical and horizontal partnerships, and organizational learning to promote the successful development of capital. Students will define the attributes, challenges, and advantages of human capital and strategies for leveraging each while integrating personal and organizational achievement.

Students will also gain additional knowledge in organizational leadership through elective coursework. Credits earned through this graduate certificate may apply toward a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

Certificate in Organizational Leadership with a Concentration in Organizational Development

The graduate certificate in Organizational Development is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults.  

Successful organizations are dynamic entities that are constantly adjusting goals, organizational structures, and strategies in response to varying organizational needs and influences. Sometimes these adjustments are large, but quite often there are a series of small to mid-size changes that affect employees and processes, resulting in the need for an organizational development (OD) intervention. In this concentration, students learn about organizations, organizational culture, and effective intervention strategies.  Students also learn the history, challenges, and successes of OD and the different models and techniques 

to warrant a productive culture in a variety of organizational sizes, sectors, and types. An OD intervention strategy is created by defining the role of the practitioner as an internal or external consultant and constructing a diagnosis plan, synthesizing data from interviews and observations, and effectively communicating the findings in various applicable formats. Finally, a personal philosophy regarding change is developed and then examined through the context of analyzing organizational values and ethics, culture, and the human impact of change on employees.  

Students will also gain additional knowledge in organizational leadership through elective coursework. Credits earned through this graduate certificate may apply toward a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

Certificate in Organizational Leadership with a Concentration in Strategic Innovation AND Change

The graduate certificate in Strategic Innovation and Change is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults.  

Students learn tactical innovation and change management using vision, values, and mission as an overall guide. Led by professional practitioners who work in the fields in which they teach, classes provide professionals the skills to manage change, encourage innovation, and develop effective strategic initiatives while fulfilling an organization's mission. 

Students can expect to develop environmental scanning skills to identify and evaluate external factors that affect an organization on a micro or macro level and prepare them to be solution-oriented leaders. While learning to take advantage of current realities and seize opportunities for an organization through strategy, degree-seekers explore the change theories and concepts required for effective and ethical change leadership while understanding how the relationships within an organization are affected.  

Students will also gain additional skills and knowledge in organizational leadership through elective coursework. Credits earned through this graduate certificate may apply toward a master's degree in Organizational Leadership.

Specialized graduate certificate in HUMAN CAPITAL IN ORGANIZATIONS

The specialized graduate certificate in Human Capital in Organizations is offered entirely online to meet the needs of busy adults. 

The specialized graduate certificate in Human Capital in Organizations prepares students to ethically develop and maintain human capital while learning the best practices to do so. Students will learn to determine, cultivate, and maintain the symbiotic relationship between individuals and the organizations in which they work and lead. Strategic human capital can be a key element of a successful organization. Students will learn to innovate, maximize organizational and individual success, and master the process of developing and retaining employees to engage and achieve objectives. 

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The specialized graduate certificate in Organizational Development is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults.  

Successful organizations are dynamic entities that are constantly adjusting goals, organizational structures, and strategies in response to varying organizational needs and influences. Sometimes these adjustments are large, but quite often there are a series of small to mid-size changes that affect employees and processes, resulting in the need for an organizational development (OD) intervention. In this specialized graduate certificate, students learn about organizations, organizational culture, and effective intervention strategies.  Students also learn the history, challenges, and successes of OD and the different models and techniques 

to warrant a productive culture in a variety of organizational sizes, sectors, and types. An OD intervention strategy is created by defining the role of the practitioner as an internal or external consultant and constructing a diagnosis plan, synthesizing data from interviews and observations, and effectively communicating the findings in various applicable formats. Finally, a personal philosophy regarding change is developed and then examined through the context of analyzing organizational values and ethics, culture, and the human impact of change on employees. 

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN STRATEGIC INNOVATION AND CHANGE

The specialized graduate certificate in Strategic Innovation and Change is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults.  

Students learn tactical innovation and change management using vision, values, and mission as an overall guide. Led by professional practitioners who work in the fields in which they teach, classes provide professionals the skills to manage change, encourage innovation, and develop effective strategic initiatives while fulfilling an organization's mission. 

Students can expect to develop environmental scanning skills to identify and evaluate external factors that affect an organization on a micro or macro level and prepare them to be solution-oriented leaders. While learning to take advantage of current realities and seize opportunities for an organization through strategy, degree-seekers explore the change theories and concepts required for effective and ethical change leadership while understanding how the relationships within an organization are affected. 

Master's Degree Admission

Degree and GPA Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.
  • Grade point average: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree. An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution supersedes the minimum standards for the baccalaureate. For applicants with graduate coursework but who have not earned a master’s degree or higher, the GPA from the graduate work may be used to meet the requirement. The minimum GPA is a cumulative 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework undertaken.
  • Program GPA requirement: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for this program is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

English Language Proficiency Test Score Requirements

The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:

  • Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80 with minimum of 20 on each sub-score
  • Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5 with minimum of 6.0 on each band score
  • Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176
  • Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115

English Conditional Admission: No, this program does not offer English Conditional Admission.

Certificate Admission

Degree and GPA Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.
  • Grade point average: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree. An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution supersedes the minimum standards for the baccalaureate. For applicants with graduate coursework but who have not earned a master’s degree or higher, the GPA from the graduate work may be used to meet the requirement. The minimum GPA is a cumulative 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework undertaken.
  • Program GPA requirement: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for this program is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

English Language Proficiency Test Score Requirements

The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:

  • Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80 with minimum of 20 on each sub-score
  • Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5 with minimum of 6.0 on each band score
  • Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176
  • Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115

English Conditional Admission: No, this program does not offer English Conditional Admission.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP WITH A CONCENTRATION IN ADVANCING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN ORGANIZATIONS

Core coursework requirement
ORL 4500Leadership Development4
ORL 4510Building the 21st-Century Organization4
ORL 4520Principles of Financing for Organizations4
ORL 4910Research Practices and Applications4
ORL 4901Capstone Project4
or ORL 4902 Capstone Seminar
or ORL 4904 Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar
Concentration Requirement
GS 4020Culture, Identity, and Power4
GS 4050Diversity and Organizational Structure4
HRA 4170The Inclusive Organization4
ORL 4420Leading Change for Transformation4
Elective requirement (Choose three courses)12
Total Credits48

Minimum number of credits required: 48

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

In University College graduate-level programs, grades of C or greater are considered passing, whereas grades of C- or lower are considered failing. Courses with a grade of C- or below will not count toward meeting degree or certificate requirements. Also, no more than one-fourth of the hours accepted toward the degree be grades of “C”. A cumulative and program grade-point average of 3.0 or better must be maintained at all times.

Master of Science in Organizational leadership with a Concentration in Human Capital in Organizations

Degree Requirements

Core coursework requirements
ORL 4500Leadership Development4
ORL 4510Building the 21st-Century Organization4
ORL 4520Principles of Financing for Organizations4
ORL 4910Research Practices and Applications4
ORL 4901Capstone Project4
or ORL 4902 Capstone Seminar
or ORL 4904 Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar
Concentration requirements
ORL 4160Integrating Personal and Organizational Success4
ORL 4170Developing Human Capital in Organizations4
ORL 4190Values-Driven Decision Making4
ORL 4550Strategic Organizational Partnerships4
Elective requirements (Choose three courses)12
Total Credits48

Minimum number of credits required: 48

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

In University College graduate-level programs, grades of C or greater are considered passing, whereas grades of C- or lower are considered failing. Courses with a grade of C- or below will not count toward meeting degree or certificate requirements. Also, no more than one-fourth of the hours accepted toward the degree be grades of “C”. A cumulative and program grade-point average of 3.0 or better must be maintained at all times.

Master of Science in Organizational leadership with a Concentration in Organizational Development

Degree Requirements

Core coursework requirements
ORL 4500Leadership Development4
ORL 4510Building the 21st-Century Organization4
ORL 4520Principles of Financing for Organizations4
ORL 4905Graduate Social Research Methods4
ORL 4901Capstone Project4
or ORL 4902 Capstone Seminar
or ORL 4904 Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar
Concentration requirements
ORL 4110Fundamentals of Organization Development4
ORL 4115Organizational Culture and Organizational Development Impacts4
ORL 4120Team Effectiveness and Interventions4
ORL 4125Evaluate and Sustain Change4
Elective requirements (Choose three courses)12
Total Credits48

Minimum number of credits required: 48

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

In University College graduate-level programs, grades of C or greater are considered passing, whereas grades of C- or lower are considered failing. Courses with a grade of C- or below will not count toward meeting degree or certificate requirements. Also, no more than one-fourth of the hours accepted toward the degree be grades of “C”. A cumulative and program grade-point average of 3.0 or better must be maintained at all times.

Master of Science in Organizational leadership with a Concentration in Project Management

Degree Requirements

Core coursework requirements
ORL 4500Leadership Development4
ORL 4510Building the 21st-Century Organization4
ORL 4520Principles of Financing for Organizations4
ORL 4905Graduate Social Research Methods4
ORL 4901Capstone Project4
or ORL 4902 Capstone Seminar
or ORL 4904 Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar
Concentration requirements
ICT 4100Principles of Project Management4
ICT 4105Project Contracts and Procurement4
ICT 4110Project Risk and Quality Management4
ICT 4115Project Management Dynamics4
Elective requirements (Choose three courses)12
Total Credits48

Minimum number of credits required: 48

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

In University College graduate-level programs, grades of C or greater are considered passing, whereas grades of C- or lower are considered failing. Courses with a grade of C- or below will not count toward meeting degree or certificate requirements. Also, no more than one-fourth of the hours accepted toward the degree be grades of “C”. A cumulative and program grade-point average of 3.0 or better must be maintained at all times.

Master of Science in Organizational leadership with a Concentration in Strategic Innovation and Change

Degree Requirements

Core coursework requirements
ORL 4500Leadership Development4
ORL 4510Building the 21st-Century Organization4
ORL 4520Principles of Financing for Organizations4
ORL 4905Graduate Social Research Methods4
ORL 4901Capstone Project4
or ORL 4902 Capstone Seminar
or ORL 4904 Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar
Concentration requirements
ORL 4400Leading Strategic Planning in Organizations4
ORL 4410Principles of Environmental Scanning4
ORL 4420Leading Change for Transformation4
ORL 4530Leading a Culture of Organizational Innovation4
Elective requirements (Choose three courses)12
Total Credits48

Minimum number of credits required: 48

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

In University College graduate-level programs, grades of C or greater are considered passing, whereas grades of C- or lower are considered failing. Courses with a grade of C- or below will not count toward meeting degree or certificate requirements. Also, no more than one-fourth of the hours accepted toward the degree be grades of “C”. A cumulative and program grade-point average of 3.0 or better must be maintained at all times.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP WITH A CONCENTRATION IN supply chain management

Degree Requirements

Core coursework requirements
ORL 4510Building the 21st-Century Organization4
ORL 4500Leadership Development4
ORL 4520Principles of Financing for Organizations4
ORL 4910Research Practices and Applications4
ORL 4901Capstone Project4
or ORL 4902 Capstone Seminar
or ORL 4904 Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar
Concentration requirements
TRAN 4100Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management4
TRAN 4110Fundamentals of Supply Chain Planning4
TRAN 4120Fundamentals of Supply Chain Execution4
TRAN 4130Structured Problem Solving in Supply Chain Management4
Elective requirements (Choose three courses)12
Total Credits48

Minimum number of credits required: 48

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

In University College graduate-level programs, grades of C or greater are considered passing, whereas grades of C- or lower are considered failing. Courses with a grade of C- or below will not count toward meeting degree or certificate requirements. Also, no more than one-fourth of the hours accepted toward the degree be grades of “C”. A cumulative and program grade-point average of 3.0 or better must be maintained at all times.

 

Certificate in Organizational leadership with a Concentration in Human Capital in Organizations

Program Requirements

Concentration requirements
ORL 4160Integrating Personal and Organizational Success4
ORL 4170Developing Human Capital in Organizations4
ORL 4190Values-Driven Decision Making4
ORL 4550Strategic Organizational Partnerships4
Elective requirements (Choose two courses)8
Total Credits24

Minimum number of credits required: 24 

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

Certificate in Organizational leadership with a Concentration in Organizational Development

Program Requirements

Concentration requirements
ORL 4110Fundamentals of Organization Development4
ORL 4115Organizational Culture and Organizational Development Impacts4
ORL 4120Team Effectiveness and Interventions4
ORL 4125Evaluate and Sustain Change4
Elective requirements (Choose two courses)8
Total Credits24

Minimum number of credits required: 24

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

Certificate in Organizational leadership with a Concentration in Strategic Innovation and Change

Program Requirements

Concentration requirements
ORL 4400Leading Strategic Planning in Organizations4
ORL 4410Principles of Environmental Scanning4
ORL 4420Leading Change for Transformation4
ORL 4530Leading a Culture of Organizational Innovation4
Elective requirements (Choose two courses)8
Total Credits24

Minimum number of credits required: 24

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

specialized graduate certificate in Human capital in organizations

ORL 4170Developing Human Capital in Organizations4
ORL 4160Integrating Personal and Organizational Success4
ORL 4190Values-Driven Decision Making4
ORL 4550Strategic Organizational Partnerships4
Total Credits16

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN organizational development

ORL 4110Fundamentals of Organization Development4
ORL 4115Organizational Culture and Organizational Development Impacts4
ORL 4120Team Effectiveness and Interventions4
ORL 4125Evaluate and Sustain Change4
Total Credits16

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN strategic innovation and change

ORL 4400Leading Strategic Planning in Organizations4
ORL 4410Principles of Environmental Scanning4
ORL 4420Leading Change for Transformation4
ORL 4530Leading a Culture of Organizational Innovation4
Total Credits16

Courses

ORL 4110 Fundamentals of Organization Development (4 Credits)

This course explores the history of organizational development (OD), definitions, models, approaches, and how OD is and can be used in organizations today. An organizational development professional requires a multitude of skills to be effective. Students will assess their own skills and develop a plan to develop or increase required skills.

ORL 4115 Organizational Culture and Organizational Development Impacts (4 Credits)

Organizational culture encompasses the organization’s vision, mission, values, systems, symbols, structures, language, beliefs, and norms. This course proposes organizational development strategies that match, support, or are synergetic with organizational cultures.

ORL 4120 Team Effectiveness and Interventions (4 Credits)

To be successful, organizations of all types depend on teams of people who work together to complete tasks, achieve goals, and to help accomplish organizational change and strategy. As a result, focusing on the effectiveness of teams is a key value in organizational development. In this course, students learn how teams work and what makes them effective. Students investigate the tools and methods needed to conduct team assessments, diagnose the symptoms, and prescribe and evaluate targeted interventions that help teams achieve goals that impact organizational outcomes.

ORL 4125 Evaluate and Sustain Change (4 Credits)

This course explores organization impacts and change processes that are inherent in organizational development. Students will analyze various change models and assess how they explain the impact of change on organizations and their stakeholders. Students will also evaluate leadership and managerial practices that play a role in sustaining organizational change.

ORL 4130 Individual Interventions (4 Credits)

This course explores the theory and practice of an individual intervention as part of an organizational development process. Specifically, students will examine the roles of leadership and how it affects individual development strategy and interventions. A successful internal or external consultant needs to be well-versed in the intervention process and theory that supports it, as well as the different types of individual interventions. In this course, students will learn about the wide array of intervention tools, skills, and resources to successfully facilitate an individual intervention.

ORL 4135 Large Scale Interventions (4 Credits)

This course explores the theory and practice of a large-scale or organization-wide organizational development process--including entering the organization, assessing a strategy for a unique organizational culture, and presenting results--while understanding the human side of change. There are many organizational development strategies that can be used based on unique organizational considerations. This course examines the roles of organizational structure, type of organization, and the depth and breadth of the organizational change affecting organizational development strategy and large-scale interventions.

ORL 4160 Integrating Personal and Organizational Success (4 Credits)

This class explores the dynamics that help organizations, teams and individuals become more successful together. An empowering cycle develops when everyone is successful, but how does that happen? This course explores concepts such as systems thinking, learning organizations, the Theory U process for individual and group transformation, and appreciative inquiry. Students will discover how to develop self-awareness and other critical competencies that support innovative learning organizations. Students will also have the opportunity to build a personal model for success that will be useful at all levels of formal and informal leadership in any organization.

ORL 4170 Developing Human Capital in Organizations (4 Credits)

Human capital represents the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to implement the strategy of any organization – public, private or nonprofit. Unlike other forms of capital such as financial and equipment, human capital resides within the individual. This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the strategic role and typical responsibilities that organization leadership, along with human resources, play in unleashing the potential of employees. Developing Human Capital examines current challenges and trends in developing talent as new core competencies and ways to work emerge, technology enables collaboration, and demographics shift employee expectations. The Developing Human Capital in Organizations course provides a talent management and human capital development framework that demonstrates and supports integrated processes and systems that position and enhance employee and leadership development. Students explore the role of leaders and HR in unleashing talent, an organization's most important source of competitive advantage. Students will assess, analyze and apply concrete strategies that ensure talent development is strategic, relevant, culturally sustainable, and competency-driven.

ORL 4190 Values-Driven Decision Making (4 Credits)

This course explores both objective and subjective decision making models. Emphasis is placed on decision making for organizational effectiveness. The rational approach will be taught via maximization of expected outcomes and decision tree analysis. The course will also explore managers’ preferred decision making styles. The irrational side of decision-making will be covered through demonstrations and discussion of decision bias and judgment heuristics. Decision making is a complex and challenging process. The need for an effective and efficient methodology that is simple, systematic, and logical is more important today than ever. This course is an answer to that problem by using examples from our text and up-to-date articles on decision making from experts in the field.

ORL 4400 Leading Strategic Planning in Organizations (4 Credits)

Beginning with a clear mission, strategic planning is an iterative, dynamic process of translating the mission into a series of goals and outcomes in public, private, and non-profit organizations. The organization’s vision, values, mission, and goals are the core of the process; strategic planning involves a series of options, understanding opportunities, evaluating risks, developing the plan and building in ethics, communication, implementation, and evaluation. The strengths and limitations of rational planning processes are explored and strategies for coping with unintended consequences are developed. The role of the leader in the process is also discussed.

ORL 4410 Principles of Environmental Scanning (4 Credits)

Environmental scanning is the process of identifying and evaluating environments, both internal and external, that may affect an organization’s ability to create and sustain competitive advantage in the pursuit of organizational effectiveness. Knowledge of environmental scanning models are critical to the role of leadership and management teams in organizations. This course provides students the opportunity to develop a process for making strategic decisions using environmental scanning models and tools.

ORL 4420 Leading Change for Transformation (4 Credits)

In the 21st Century, change is a constant in organizations that want to remain competitive. At the heart of organizational change are the people of the organization who must continuously adapt their ways of thinking/doing to help the organization adapt and transform. This course prepares students to become leaders of change in their organizations through an exploration of change theory as well as the tools, models, and techniques for facilitating organizational change. Students will also learn how to enable and inspire other individuals in organizations to create change.

ORL 4500 Leadership Development (4 Credits)

This course explores leadership as a dynamic relationship with the organizational environment, stakeholders, and followers. Leadership in context is an essential concept, as well as the research-based core leadership competencies that effective leaders exemplify. Leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors will be studied in an inclusive context to assess their core leadership competencies and those practices that may vary due to the organizational structure. Relevant contemporary leadership topics will be examined to gain a broad perspective on leadership and considering the diversity of human interrelationships. The importance of ethical, strategic, and system wide decision-making is examined from the standpoint that leadership opportunities exist at all levels of organizations, in the community as well as the workplace. Strategies used to influence culture, promote learning, and implement change to move organizations forward are addressed. Students will assess their own leadership competencies and areas for growth to construct a personal leadership development plan.

ORL 4501 Leadership Development in Action (4 Credits)

Developing effective and successful leadership competencies is a lifelong endeavor that begins with the self and evolves throughout our career journey. In this course, inclusive leaders will be examined, including core leadership competencies and practices that may vary due to the organizational culture and structure. Students will identify core behaviors and practices along with effective communication skills and problem-solving tools to effectively move an organization forward. Students will assess their own leadership competencies and areas for growth to construct a personal leadership development plan.

ORL 4510 Building the 21st-Century Organization (4 Credits)

This course examines organizations in various sectors, and assesses the impact of internal and external factors on their designs and structures. Students will analyze group and individual behavior and organizational culture to understand their impact on organizational design, while also taking into account contemporary issues such as diversity and inclusion, unanticipated environmental events, and the role of stakeholders. Students will evaluate the appropriateness of current organizational designs, and provide recommendations for innovation and improvement.

ORL 4520 Principles of Financing for Organizations (4 Credits)

This course introduces basic financial concepts that lay the foundation for financial literacy. These financial concepts have varying relevance and different applications among public, private, and non-profit organizations. To understand these varying relationships, the course will focus on comparing and contrasting the use, non-use, and relevant application of financial concepts across sectors. Students will begin developing a skillset for applying these concepts appropriately to varying organizational types and structures. Additionally, the assessment of financial conditions will be combined with other indicators, such as an organization's strategy, to learn how to diagnose an organization's overall health.

ORL 4530 Leading a Culture of Organizational Innovation (4 Credits)

This course examines a proven process of innovation and how it applies to private, public and non-profit organizations; leading to entrepreneurship. The course identifies how organizational culture can have a positive or negative effect on innovation. The role of the leader is also discussed. Determining the right strategy for effective innovation and how to structure organizations to innovate best is explored. Students describe how to implement management systems to assess ongoing innovation, using metrics throughout the process, and determine how to incentivize innovation in work teams. Using the seven rules of innovation, students assess a selected organization on its degree of innovation and propose a plan for integrating innovation.

ORL 4550 Strategic Organizational Partnerships (4 Credits)

Partnerships extend the capability of the organization; public, private or nonprofit; and help to leverage available resources. Strategic partnerships also provide an alternative to vertical integration and a way to complement the organization's core competencies. This course defines and discusses the roles of various types of organizational partnerships, including internal and external, strategic partnerships, and joint ventures, and explores strategies for ethically managing these external and internal organizational relationships.

ORL 4701 Topics in Organizational Leadership (4 Credits)

The content of this course varies each time it is offered. The topics may include time-sensitive issues, elective courses that are not scheduled regularly during the course of the year, or advanced inquiry into core-course subjects. Each time the course is offered, the specific content is announced in the quarterly course schedule. Depending on the subject matter, students may be required to have completed prerequisite courses.

ORL 4901 Capstone Project (4 Credits)

The Capstone Project provides students the opportunity to research a topic, problem, or issue within their field of study, and work individually with a Capstone advisor. Similar in weight to a thesis, but more flexible, this final project will synthesize and apply core concepts acquired from the program. The student will select an appropriate Capstone advisor who is knowledgeable in the field of study to work closely with and whom can guide the research project. Evaluation will be focused on the quality and professionalism of applied research and writing; critical and creative thinking; problem-solving skills; knowledge of research design, method, and implementation; and contribution to the field and topic of study. Please see the Capstone Guidelines for additional details. Prerequisites: A Capstone Proposal that has been approved by both the Capstone Advisor and the Academic Director, acceptance as a degree candidate, completion of at least 40 quarter-hours (including all core courses) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

ORL 4902 Capstone Seminar (4 Credits)

The Capstone Seminar is a graduate seminar in which students utilize the knowledge and skills gained through the degree program to create a culminating work that critically addresses a problem in their degree field of study. The students produce a Capstone of 7000-8000 words that presents a position on a relevant problem, supports the position with professional and academic literature, analyzes and tests the proposed solution, and discusses the findings as related to the field of study. The seminar is dependent upon quality, collegial discussion, and feedback of students’ research and work products, under the facilitation of a faculty member. The course structure guides the students through the process of independent, secondary research and writing of a Capstone. No primary research is allowed. Students generate the course content through ongoing discussion and peer feedback on the Capstone process and individual topic areas under investigation. Students professionally and academically communicate through written work and oral presentation. Students must have: acceptance as a degree candidate, completion of at least 40 quarter-hours (including all core courses) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Students must complete the Capstone Seminar in one quarter; no incomplete grades are assigned.

ORL 4904 Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar (4 Credits)

The Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar is a graduate seminar in which students utilize the knowledge and skills gained through the degree program to create a culminating work that critically addresses a problem or issue in the degree field of study. Members of the class will include students from various UCOL programs, representing multiple topics of study. On campus offerings of this course include required online components. The student produces a paper of 7000-8000 words that presents a position on a relevant problem or issue, supports the position with professional and academic work in the field, analyzes and tests the paper position, and discusses the role of the findings within the field of study. Students professionally and academically communicate their findings through written work and oral presentations. The seminar is dependent upon active and collegial discussion and critique of student research and work under the facilitation of a faculty member, and it is governed by the quality of participation and contributions of the students. Students must have: Acceptance as a degree candidate, completion of at least 40 quarter-hours (including all core courses) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Students must complete the Capstone Seminar in one quarter; no incomplete grades are assigned.

ORL 4905 Graduate Social Research Methods (4 Credits)

This course provides graduate students with a basic background in the methods of research in the social sciences. In our information-rich society, organizations and institutions have become more aware of the value of research data for informing critical decisions. As leaders in their organizations, graduates should have a knowledge base that allows them to critically examine basic research in the social sciences and to understand the methods involved in generating research results. They should understand the value of research to their organizations, be able to identify opportunities to gather information through research that will benefit those organizations, and participate in the ethical design of basic studies to gather that critical information. Students will develop and write a research proposal around a specific research question informed by a review of the literature.

ORL 4910 Research Practices and Applications (4 Credits)

This course develops competencies including principles and practices of: academic inquiry, writing, and ethics. Students will complete Institutional Review Board (IRB) training, data collection, analysis, and evaluation; and synthesize application of peer-reviewed literature. Competencies will be applied and integrated throughout the course of study and demonstrated in the culminating work of the master’s degree. Competencies are additionally developed for use in professional employment settings.

ORL 4980 Internship (0-4 Credits)

The ORL internship is designed to offer students a practical educational experience in an industry related setting. The internship is an individualized learning experience that is directly related to the knowledge and skills covered in the ORL master’s degree program. Students are responsible for finding their own internship site and proposing their internship ideas. University College sends notification to all ORL students if they hear of internship possibilities. Students may also work through the DU career center to explore opportunities for internship experiences. The objectives, activities, responsibilities, and deliverables for the internship are defined in a training plan that is developed by the student jointly with the internship supervisor at the sponsoring organization. The training plan is approved by the academic director. Prerequisites: The student must be unconditionally accepted in the ORL degree program, have completed a minimum of 28 hours of graduate coursework, including at least two core courses, and have earned a GPA of 3.0 or better. Enrollment must be approved by the academic director.

ORL 4985 Industry Innovation Project (1-4 Credits)

Students in this course will participate as a part of a team of cross-discipline students working on an innovation project that is scoped to meet the specific needs of its industry client. Students will have a choice between a variety of project types so that each student can select the industry and team role that best supports their specific area(s) of study. Teams will consist of 4-8 students pursuing a mix of technical, business, and liberal arts degrees. Every project will be led by an experienced industry advisor who will be responsible for managing the project workplan, client engagement, and end product quality. Students will gain direct industry experience in their area of study with an emphasis on innovative thinking, team collaboration, and independent project management skills. Prerequisite: Academic director and academic advisor approval is required. Selection criteria will include academic status and project availability.

ORL 4991 Independent Study (1-8 Credits)

This is an advanced course for students wishing to pursue an independent course of study. The student must be accepted into a degree program, have earned a grade point average of 3.0 or better, obtained the approval of the department director, and have completed the Independent Study form and filed the form with all appropriate offices before registering for the independent study. Independent study is offered only on a for-credit basis.

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