Organizational Leadership (ORGL)

This course offers an introductory overview of critical educational theories, key historical milestones in education, policy implications, and ongoing discussions on equity in education. The exploration of these concepts is contextualized within their relevance to current professional goals and future aspirations. Additionally, the course acquaints students with educational research design, methodologies, discoveries, and considerations related to target audiences, laying a solid groundwork for addressing real-world challenges through their Problem of Practice. CRD/NCR only. Not challengeable.

Formerly ORGL 675 and ORGL 611. This course focuses on developing self-awareness and exploring diverse leadership styles across organizational contexts. Students will examine transformative and visionary leadership models while reflecting on their own values, strengths, and leadership approaches. Through assessments and applied learning, participants will gain insights into leading with authenticity, purpose, and inclusivity. CRD/NCR only. Not challengeable.

Formerly ORGL 622. This course explores how leaders build, sustain, and lead high-performing teams in complex settings. Students will examine strategies for fostering collaboration, trust, and accountability while navigating interpersonal dynamics and institutional goals. Emphasis is placed on practical approaches for leading cross-functional teams and driving results in community college and broader organizational contexts. CRD/NCR only. Not challengeable.

This course will explore qualitative research methods specifically aimed at facilitating organizational change within educational contexts. Students will gain proficiency in employing qualitative data analysis techniques to identify both strengths and challenges within their schools and districts. The focus is on leveraging research methods to inform strategic improvements within educational institutions. CRD/NCR only. Not challengeable.

Formerly ORGL 678. This course explores various classic and contemporary models of leadership that have been developed from both a theoretical and practical perspective. For each model studied, students are expected to understand the theoretical basis of the model, its strengths and weaknesses, and how to apply the model to practical situations. By investigating the different leadership models, students will develop their own personal leadership theory and professional leadership style.

This course explores social issues related to equity and justice that frame the work of organizational leaders. Drawing from multiple social theory frameworks, students will engage with critical perspectives of equity, justice, and social change. Not challengeable.

Formerly ORGL 623. This course examines how leaders address and transform conflict while making effective decisions in complex organizational settings. Students will explore common sources of conflict and apply communication strategies, emotional intelligence, and consensus building techniques to resolve issues constructively. The course also introduces strategic decision-making models that help leaders evaluate options, anticipate outcomes, and align actions with organizational values. Through case studies and applied learning, students will build the skills to lead with clarity, foster collaboration, and navigate uncertainty with confidence. CRD/NCR only. Not Challengeable.

This course examines the multiple ethical frameworks, principles, and theories as they apply to the study and practice of leadership. The curriculum will consider a variety of moral dilemmas that exist in societies and organizations. Attention will be given to how the leader's values and beliefs affect decision making along with the key factors involved in ethical decision-making. Students will develop an understanding of the consequences of ethical and unethical practices. Their impact on individuals and organizations will be examined. Not challengeable.

Formerly ORGL 634. This course prepares leaders to guide organizational change in technology driven environments. Students explore strategies for navigating digital transformation, fostering innovation, and adapting structures to meet evolving institutional and student needs. Emphasis is placed on agility, data-informed decision-making, and leading change in complex systems. CRD/NCR only. Not Challengeable.

This course will explore quantitative research methods specifically aimed at facilitating organizational change within educational contexts. Students will gain proficiency in employing quantitative data analysis techniques to identify both strengths and challenges within their schools and districts. The focus is on leveraging research methods to inform strategic improvements within educational institutions. CRD/NCR only. Not challengeable.

This course offers a hands-on approach to acquaint students with research design and methodology, aimed at deepening their understanding of research within educational administration. The focus is on cultivating the skills needed to critically evaluate research studies and conduct comparative assessments of organizational analyses. Students will gain practical knowledge and tools essential for advancing their proficiency in conducting impactful research within educational settings. Key Assignment: POP proposal. CRD/NCR only. Not challengeable.

This course offers a comprehensive grounding in the principle theoretical and empirical traditions of organization studies literature. Organization theories are the locus of research and action for organization design.

This course will help students cultivate a creative and innovative mindset within the process of program development. The learning experience will include developing ideas to address an issue or need, testing the feasibility of an idea, understanding the creative process, and applying innovative applications. Students will develop a skillset for leadership in the areas of program development and training programs that encourage innovation. The course includes techniques for improving flexibility, creativity, and originality of their thinking to generate and sustain high levels of innovation within the process of program development. Not challengeable.

Formerly ORGL 633. Examines strategies for fostering innovation within dynamic and interdependent organizational environments. Emphasizes systems thinking, adaptive leadership, and change management to navigate and lead transformative initiatives in complex institutional settings. Focuses on the theory and practice of leading intentional change in organizational settings. Emphasizes strategic planning, vision development, stakeholder engagement, and the leadership skills needed to guide sustainable transformation. CRD/NCR only. Not Challengeable.

This course explores action research as a driving force for the professional development of educators and administrators, fostering improvements in instructional methodologies. Emphasizing practitioner inquiry, participants will engage in careful documentation and systematic analysis of practices over an extended period. Through diverse data collection and analysis techniques, students will create customized action research projects tailored to their individual school environments. The course serves as an introduction to the fundamental principles, objectives, and methodologies of action research and practitioner inquiry, empowering participants to make meaningful improvements within their educational settings. Key Assignment: POP Action Plan. CRD/NCR only. Not challengeable.

This course provides doctoral students with fundamental writing strategies, techniques, and structures related to conducting and completing research projects, including their proposal and dissertation. Not challengeable.

This course will provide doctoral students with guide instruction related to the process of transforming projects into publications for research, practitioner and/or policymaker audiences. Not challengeable.

This course examines the interconnected roles of policy, finance, and human resources in shaping effective leadership within community colleges and higher education institutions. Students will explore key policy frameworks at the local, state, and federal levels that impact institutional governance, funding models, and strategic decision-making. The course also investigates how financial structures and human resource practices—including labor relations, collective bargaining, and equity-driven HR policy— affect institutional planning and workforce development. Emphasis is placed on applying policy and finance knowledge to real-world leadership challenges faced by educational leaders in community college settings. CRD/NCR only. Not Challegeable.

This course equips students with the knowledge and skills to lead transformative change in community colleges and higher education institutions. Focusing on strategic planning, change management, and innovation, students will explore frameworks for assessing institutional needs, engaging stakeholders, and implementing sustainable change initiatives. Emphasis is placed on applying theory to practice in designing strategic plans that address real-world institutional challenges. CRD/NCR only. Not Challengeable.

This course investigates the dynamic role of campus cultures in shaping institutional identity, student success, and organizational effectiveness within community colleges and higher education. Students will explore cultural frameworks and organizational theories to analyze how values, beliefs, traditions, and power dynamics manifest across campus groups. Emphasis is placed on fostering inclusive, mission-aligned cultures that support equity, engagement, and institutional improvement. CRD/NCR only. Not Challengeable.

This course explores theories and practices of organizational development with a focus on leading transformational change in complex systems. Students will examine frameworks for diagnosing organizational challenges and designing strategic interventions to enhance performance and adaptability. Emphasis is placed on change leadership, systems thinking, and fostering innovation in dynamic environments. Case studies from higher education, healthcare, business, and nonprofit sectors provide practical context for applied learning. CRD/NCR only. Not Challegeable.

This course integrates financial management and human resource leadership to equip students with the tools to make data-informed, ethical decisions that drive organizational success. Topics include budgeting, financial planning, talent development, and workforce strategy, with an emphasis on aligning people and fiscal resources with institutional goals. Students will analyze real-world scenarios across sectors to develop competencies in resource optimization, strategic HR leadership, and sustainable planning in dynamic organizational environments. CRD/NCR only. Not Challengeable.

In this course, students will engage in the process of strategic planning and organizational visioning to lead effectively in diverse, mission-driven settings. Participants will learn to assess internal and external environments, set strategic priorities, and design long-term initiatives that align with institutional values and goals. Tools for stakeholder engagement, data-driven decision-making, and evaluation metrics are emphasized. The course prepares leaders to navigate complexity and drive sustainable innovation in higher education, health, and business contexts. CRD/NCR only. Not Challengeable.

The first semester research course is designed to provide doctoral students with an introduction of the process of conducting academic research. The focus of this course is on the instruction in the nature and types of research, research processes and procedures, an overview of quantitative and qualitative methods, academic reading and writing, the research problem, purpose statement, research questions, process and purpose of the literature search, preliminary literature review, and an orientation to the online library resources. Credit/no credit only. Not challengeable.

The second semester research course further develops skills in evaluating and critiquing research, formulating key sections in the introduction of a research study including background, problem statement, purpose statement, research questions, significance, definition of key terms, and limitation and delimitation, writing the academic literature review, understanding research ethics and biases. Also, the quantitative and qualitative research designs and philosophical foundations will be discussed in the course. Not challengeable.

Second year research students continue to deepen their understanding of research methods focusing on theoretical and practical preparation in quantitative research design, including: instrumentation; data collection; statistical analysis; ethics and politics of the conduct of research; and analytical skills for critiquing quantitative research. Using real data bases, students will conduct both univariate and multivariate analyses, including correlations, ANOVAs, and multiple regressions. Students will prepare the methodology section of a research project and write up quantitative results of their analyses. Upon completing the course, students will be able to locate, understand, evaluate, and interpret quantitative research and use these skills to identify possible thesis topics. Credit/No Credit only. Not challengeable.

This course is designed to provide doctoral students with an understanding of qualitative research methods and design. The focus of the course is on the identification and formulation of research problems, the development of designs, data collection, and analysis procedures to address those problems. Students are urged to develop solid conceptual frameworks from the social sciences and to formulate reasonable research questions based on those frameworks. Upon completing the course, students will be able to locate, understand, evaluate, and interpret qualitative research and use these skills to identify possible thesis topics. Credit/No Credit only. Not challengeable.

Candidates work with an adviser to conduct individual research and writing in order to complete their Problem of Practice. Candidates demonstrate the immediate and long-term impact of the proposed plan on their organization. As culmination, candidates present their plan to their regional cohort faculty and peers. Capstone: Problem of Practice Presentation and Defense. CRD/NCR only. Not challengeable.

Creates a dissertation under the guidance of a dissertation committee, demonstrating scholarship skills in writing, reasoning, and interrelating theory and practice. The dissertation is defended in a public oral exam. Can be taken for credit/no credit only. Not challengeable.

Creates a dissertation under the guidance of a dissertation committee, demonstrating scholarship skills in writing, reasoning, and interrelating theory and practice. The dissertation is defended in a public oral exam. Can be taken for credit/no credit only. Not challengeable.