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2014-2015 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Transformative Leadership, M.S.
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The Bethune-Cookman University master’s program in Transformative Leadership is built upon the values of its founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune in civic participation and social responsibility The program trains leaders who can analyze the socio-economic and cultural forces producing rapid change, who are able to understand the impact of such change on various workplace environments, who will be innovative leaders within their workplace, and who can assist in moving their organizations forward to meet change productively and effectively.
The program provides a solid foundation in the theory and practice of civic participation and social responsibility in the historical and contemporary context at the national and international levels. It develops and enhances personal and professional skills in individuals who have or will assume a leadership role within the for-profit and non-profit, public and private sectors of the economy. Its interdisciplinary structure prepares leaders with the political, communication and advocacy skills needed to meet the challenges of a global economy.
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Residency I
The initial Residency requirement is held for three days prior to the beginning of the semester (Thursday through Saturday). The residency is held either on the Bethune-Cookman campus or at a corporate site. During this residency period, the student takes a leadership inventory, attends seminars and presentations by faculty members, fellow graduate students, and invited speakers, and begins work on his/her action research problem. There is also an orientation to Blackboard, the competencies required for online learning, the library online facilities, and an overview of the research process. At the end of this intense residency, the student will have created a bond with faculty members and fellow students in his/her cohort and will be equipped with the technological skills to be efficient and effective in the online course work.
Semester I: Foundations of Leadership
The first semester emphasizes a foundation in the literature of leadership theory and critical thinking. The course content and the program pedagogy work together to prepare students to identify, analyze, and evaluate issues and problems of leadership within organizations.
Residency II
The second residency is scheduled for three (3) days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. During this residency, students meet with their professors and begin their semester coursework. Students also meet with students beginning their initial residency to listen to invited speakers. Finally, students will meet with their thesis advisors for instruction and approval of research design.
Semester II: Leadership Skills
The second semester emphasizes developing the interpersonal leadership skills needed for leadership and the quantitative and qualitative skills required to do action research.
Residency III
The third residency will be scheduled for three (3) days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. During this residency, students meet with their professors and begin their semester coursework. Students also meet with students beginning their initial residency to listen to invited speakers. Finally, students will meet with their thesis advisors for consultation on the thesis.
Semester III: Organizational Leadership
In these courses, focus will be placed on leadership within organizations and communities.
Residency IV
The fourth residency will be scheduled for three (3) days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Students will meet with students in other cohorts to listen to invited speakers, and will meet with their advisors for consultation on the thesis.
Semester IV: Global Leadership
It is in the fourth semester that leadership transformation and its impact on society is fully developed. Coursework in this semester emphasizes the ability of a leader to see beyond traditional boundaries and barriers to a changing world where all peoples and economies are intricately bound together in a virtual universe.
Residency I
The initial Residency requirement is held for three days prior to the beginning of the semester (Thursday through Saturday). The residency is held either on the Bethune-Cookman campus or at a corporate site. During this residency period, the student takes a leadership inventory, attends seminars and presentations by faculty members, fellow graduate students, and invited speakers, and begins work on his/her action research problem. There is also an orientation to Blackboard, the competencies required for online learning, the library online facilities, and an overview of the research process. At the end of this intense residency, the student will have created a bond with faculty members and fellow students in his/her cohort and will be equipped with the technological skills to be efficient and effective in the online course work.
Semester I: Foundations of Leadership
The first semester emphasizes a foundation in the literature of leadership theory and critical thinking. The course content and the program pedagogy work together to prepare students to identify, analyze, and evaluate issues and problems of leadership within organizations.
Residency II
The second residency is scheduled for three (3) days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. During this residency, students meet with their professors and begin their semester coursework. Students also meet with students beginning their initial residency to listen to invited speakers. Finally, students will meet with their thesis advisors for instruction and approval of research design.
Semester II: Leadership Skills
The second semester emphasizes developing the interpersonal leadership skills needed for leadership and the quantitative and qualitative skills required to do action research.
Residency III
The third residency will be scheduled for three (3) days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. During this residency, students meet with their professors and begin their semester coursework. Students also meet with students beginning their initial residency to listen to invited speakers. Finally, students will meet with their thesis advisors for consultation on the thesis.
Semester III: Organizational Leadership
In these courses, focus will be placed on leadership within organizations and communities.
Residency IV
The fourth residency will be scheduled for three (3) days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Students will meet with students in other cohorts to listen to invited speakers, and will meet with their advisors for consultation on the thesis.
Semester IV: Global Leadership
It is in the fourth semester that leadership transformation and its impact on society is fully developed. Coursework in this semester emphasizes the ability of a leader to see beyond traditional boundaries and barriers to a changing world where all peoples and economies are intricately bound together in a virtual universe.
Thesis Track
Thirty-six semester hours to include LEAD 601 , LEAD 605 , LEAD 611 , LEAD 613 , LEAD 615 , LEAD 621 , LEAD 623 , LEAD 625 , LEAD 638 , LEAD 640 , LEAD 645 (or LEAD 646 /647), and LEAD 650 (plus one credit in LEAD 651 every semester until thesis completion).
Non-Thesis Track
Thirty-six semester hours to include LEAD 601 , LEAD 605 , LEAD 611 , LEAD 613 , LEAD 615 , LEAD 621 , LEAD 623 , LEAD 625 (or LEAD 525 ), LEAD 638 , LEAD 640 , LEAD 633 , LEAD 652 .
Graduation Criteria:
Graduate students must successfully complete the following assessment requirements to earn the M.S. in Transformative Leadership degree:
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA or better
- Complete 36 semester hours of graduate work
- Successfully complete an action research thesis or Capstone project (non-thesis track)
- Present and defend the action research thesis or Capstone project to a panel of reviewers
Course Curriculum:
The curriculum of the Master of Science in Transformative Leadership is planned around three themes and four levels. The three themes are: Leadership, Ethics, and Action Research.
The Leadership theme emphasizes the organizational and community aspects of leadership. Within this section, curricular emphasis is on educational, business, and political leadership and management theory. The post-industrial society’s organizations are constantly exploring new and more effective ways of leading that respond to a new global ethic. Courses in transformative leadership and civic engagement will examine theories of leadership and management with respect to changes in society, such as, globalization, technology, diversity, and collective behaviors.
The Ethics theme emphasizes a continuous process of critical reflection that involves identifying, abstracting, and synthesizing leadership assumptions, customs and values through a critical pedagogical process which concentrates heavily on the ethics of Transformative Leadership. This theme begins in the course in LEAD 605 - Critical Reflection & Transformative Leadership. This course introduces the student to a pedagogy that emphasizes critical thinking and emancipatory learning. Through a focused, academic inquiry into the traditional approaches to leadership, including the study of their own leadership styles, learners explore innovative and visionary leadership directions. Consistent with the emphasis on critical thinking, the course in ethical decision-making uses a case-study approach to consider with social and philosophical precision the ethics of Transformative Leadership. The course elaborates what it means to serve as transformative leaders focused on values such as justice, emancipation, and compassion. Finally, the course titled Social Justice for Multicultural Global Leadership considers how various understandings of justice relate to leadership in varied cultural contexts, with an emphasis on restorative justice and conflict resolution.
The final theme is Action Research. Students learn to lead change through data-based decision making. Working on this research project constitutes practical leadership experience necessary for this course of study. Students will select their action research topic based the needs of their workplace or research context, with an emphasis on solving real problems faced by those in such contexts. Action research is defined as a methodology which has the dual aims of action, i.e., bringing about change in the community or organization, and research, i.e., the process of scientifically analyzing by either a qualitative or a quantitative approach some problem in the organization. Action research optimally will begin a continuous process of re-evaluation of the problem or issue through planning, action, critique and feedback. The student will be led through his/her thesis by steps corresponding to semesters. The first step involves an overview of action research methodology and the second step entails classes on statistics and research methodology. The third step involves implementing the action research at the workplace through data gathering and application. The last step consists of analyzing the data and writing the thesis. Throughout the process, the student will have structured help from a faculty advisor.
In addition to three themes, the program has four levels associated with the semesters. The first semester involves introduction to the literature of leadership. The second semester introduces the student to the tools and methodology of action research. The third semester increases in breadth and complexity by including theoretical and applied coursework in organizational and community structures and processes. It is in the third semester that the student is expected to collect the data for his/her thesis. The final semester emphasizes transformation; the student studies the global community and begins to see himself/herself as an ethical responsible contributing and effective leader. The student normally completes and defends his/her thesis during this semester. If additional time is needed, the student may sign up for a single credit of thesis continuation coursework in the subsequent semester.
The Master of Science in Transformative Leadership is an interdisciplinary degree which does not require a specific undergraduate course of study. Nevertheless, the coursework is substantially more demanding, requiring exceptional critical reflection, writing requirements, extensive reading assignments and an action research thesis that requires incorporation of course content into a workplace leadership situation.
Residencies: Students are required to attend an initial residency, scheduled at the beginning of each term, at their own expense. Intensive mid-term sessions are held in addition to initial residencies and weekly coursework. The mid-term sessions are held on-line using virtual course delivery systems (in a manner similar to weekly on-line coursework). While travel is not required, full participation is expected (normally on a Friday evening, and all day Saturday during the middle of the term. Students may contact the School of Graduate Studies for a list of convenient hotels. If a student cannot attend the first residency, he or she will need to postpone enrollment until he or she can. Students missing the second or third Residency must have permission from the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and must make arrangements for missed work. No student may miss more than two residencies and/or mid-term intensives.
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