Bachelors (BA) in Management and Organizational Leadership
Overview
The management and organizational leadership major offers a 36-semester-hour course of study that is designed for working professionals in business, public, and non-profit organizations. This program offers an innovative curriculum that attains a balance of management, organizational, and leadership theory and practice. Through specific instruction and practical experience, students will learn how to successfully manage and lead people, teams, and organizations.
Degree Outcomes
- Function as self-directed learners who engage in continuous professional growth through the application of experiential learning principles and practices, and support the learning and growth of others.
- Express understanding of leadership and management functions, theories, and models; describe their own professional philosophy, and serve effectively as a team leader and a team member.
- Utilize the management tools, analytical methods, and research skills necessary to identify organizational problems and to formulate solutions for those problems.
- Apply the principles of organizational environment, design, systems, and change to facilitate improvements in operations and strategy.
- Exhibit effective leadership communication skills and an understanding of organizational communication strategies and methods.
- Describe how their understanding of ethics and Christian values informs their leadership and management practices in an organizational context.
Course Requirements
Students are required to obtain a minimum grade of C- in all courses taken for the major.
Major Requirements
Complete the following:
In Organizational Behavior, students study organizations and the people who work in them. Emphasis is placed on leadership and management roles and responsibilities, including team and group behaviors, biases, values, and attitudes, and their effects on organizations.
In Organizational Theory, students will explore how internal and external environments influence organizational designs, structures, cultures, processes, practices, and people. Change identification and execution will be discussed.
In Organizational Communication, students build communication competencies by employing audience-appropriate messaging skills, listening skills, and emotional intelligence. From a management & leadership perspective, this course focuses on the role of communication in creating a productive global and culturally diverse organizational culture. Emphasis will be given to the development of ethical communication strategies, especially in the use of technology.
In this course, students will investigate concepts of worldview as it relates to personal identity, cultural assumptions, interpersonal communication, individual decision-making, and faith. Students will explore the roots of the Christian faith and the influence of Christianity on society, seeking to construct a personal worldview that informs their understanding of the meaning of life.
In Financial Decision Making, students will learn to analyze and interpret both historical and estimated financial data used by leaders and managers to conduct daily operations, plan future operations, and develop overall business strategies.
In Law and Ethics in the Workplace, students will learn to identify and transform inappropriate workplace behaviors, unethical situations, and legal dilemmas in the global workplace. Emphasis will be placed on workplace behaviors that cause ambiguity and destructive environments within organizations. Students will learn how to apply managerial decision making based on ethical principles, processes, and formats.
In Innovation & Strategy, students will explore the formulation and implementation of organizational strategies. To support strategic thinking, students will investigate what it means to be innovative and how that influences strategy and organizational success. This capstone course will provide students opportunities to apply concepts they have learned throughout the program.
Complete the following:
MGOL 475 is optional and not required for Management and Organizational Leadership majors.
In Research-Informed Decision Making, students learn the art and science of using research in decision making in a professional context. Students will explore research methodologies, critically evaluate data sources, and apply evidence-based strategies to problem situations and decision-making scenarios to make informed decisions.
In Data-Informed Decision Making, students will become familiar with how to evaluate and analyze data to determine its relevance to organizational needs.
In Operations Management students will be introduced to concepts and techniques for design, planning, and control of service and manufacturing operations. Students will learn the basic definitions of operations management terms, tools and techniques for analyzing operations, and strategic context for making operational decisions.
In Human Resource Management, students examine policies and practices regarding employee planning, recruitment, selection, compensation, training, and development. Attention is given to current regulatory employment issues.
In Organizational Dynamics, students will discuss current societal forces that influence managers and leaders in organizations. By delving into a variety of topics, such as DEI, cybersecurity, and sustainability, students will explore the significance of decision making to organizational culture.
Supervised experiences in businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies.