Faculty:
Brian LaValley, Department of Communication Studies, Program Director; Barry Berlin, John Dahlberg, Benjamin Dunkle, Barbara Irwin, Jamie O'Neil, Melissa Wanzer, Charles Wigley III.
What is needed to sustain a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace? A growing number of corporate and organizational CEOs point to organizational effectiveness, intellectual capital, and people as the critical elements needed to compete and survive in today’s global economy. For most businesses, this means shifting from the traditional approach of more efficient management of tangible resources to a new style, with an emphasis on more effective utilization of intellectual capital and human resources.
“Business as usual” is becoming an oxymoron. Knowing what used to work is insufficient today. The prevailing viewpoint that management is only about “hard” skills, such as financial analysis and strategic planning, is giving way to a broader perspective. Effective leaders in the twenty-first century will not be the prototypical managers who have come up through the ranks, hung in there and made it to the top. When middle managers and executives reach the top now, other attributes are also required, foremost of which are the ability to formulate and effectively communicate their ideas with the conviction and power to inspire and motivate.
What does this blending of functional knowledge and analytical skills with the ability to interact with others, understand them, interpret their behavior and communicate effectively with them mean for aspiring leaders? It means that managers with well-trained minds will find it difficult to reach top leadership positions without a correspondingly high development of their interpersonal intelligence and communication skills.
The master’s degree program in Organizational Communication and Development exists to meet this emerging need for a blended approach to organizational leadership. It provides persons working in the private, public and nonprofit sectors with the opportunity to learn how to become leaders. The multidisciplinary program is directed toward current and future professionals in any facet of organizational communication, organizational development, human resources or general management, and is uniquely positioned to make more effective and more human leaders in the new millennium.
Admission
Application for admission to this master’s degree program is open to qualified holders of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, regardless of undergraduate major field of study. The Admissions Committee evaluates applicants on the basis of academic records, scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), work experience, professional accomplishments and subjective appraisal of motivation and likelihood of successful program completion.
To qualify for admission, the student should have one of the following:
- A minimum total of at least 950 points based on the formula: 200 times the undergraduate QPA (4.0 system) + the GMATor converted GRE score.
OR - At least 1000 points based on the formula: 200 times the junior and senior year QPA (4.0 system) + the GMAT or converted GRE score.
The converted G.R.E. score is calculated as follows:
[(3.0 x verbal) + (2.0 x quantitative) + (100 x analytic)]/6.
OR - A minimum total of 600 points on the TOEFL examination for international students (as well as appropriate undergraduate credentials).
In order to apply, applicants need to complete an application form, have their GMAT, GRE or TOEFL scores forwarded from the testing service, provide two official transcripts of all college work, write a brief essay describing their interest in the OCD program, and submit such other information as requested by the Admissions Committee. Eligible students may enter in the fall, spring or summer semester. Preferred consideration will be given to those who complete the application process by July 15 for the fall, November 15 for the spring and April 15 for the summer.
Organizational communication and development curriculum
I. Core Courses:
| OCD 602 | Organizational Communication | 3 | ||
| OCD 603 | Communication Technology | 3 | ||
| OCD 604 | Persuasion and Social Influence | 3 | ||
| OCD 610 | Leadership and Motivation | 3 | ||
| MBA 502 | Organizational Behavior 1 | 3 |
II. Graduate Business Courses:
| MBA 640 | Management Skills Development | 3 | ||
| MBA 641 | Human Resource Management | 3 | ||
| MBA 647 | Organization Change and Development | 3 |
III. Elective Courses:
| OCD 630 | Interpersonal Communication in Organizations | 3 | ||
| Any single MBA course | 3 | |||
| Any two MBA courses appropriate for meeting student’s career goals | 6 | |||
IV. Capstone Courses Taken during student's final academic year.
| OCD 605 | Research Methods: Measurement and Analysis (offered only in fall semester) |
3 | ||
| OCD 699 | Capstone Project (offered only in spring semester) |
3 | ||
| TOTAL |
36 |
COURSES 2004-2006
OCD 602 Organizational Communication (3 credits)
The challenges of communication within organizational settings. Emphasis on elements that help or delay the adoption of change, conflict management and practical knowledge and skills for communicating effectively within organizations.
OCD 603 Communication Technology (3 credits)
Implementation and utilization of new technologies in organizations. Diffusion of technological innovations within organizations as well as the impact of technologies on organizations.
OCD 604 Persuasion and Social Influence (3 credits)
The nature of social influence in organizations, and methods for influencing others. Methods for seeking and acquiring compliance, e.g., in superior-subordinate interaction.
OCD 605 Research Methods: Measurement and Analysis (3 credits)
Examination of the approaches to qualitative and quantitative inquiry that are identified, compared and contrasted and discussed. Provides the foundation for the Capstone Project.
OCD 605 should be taken during the fall semester of student's final academic year.
OCD 610 Leadership and Motivation (3 credits)
Understanding leadership processes and motivation of people in groups. Strong emphasis on experiential learning with interactive activities. Exercises, questionnaires, demonstrations and experiments foster self-disclosure and provide feedback.
OCD 630 Interpersonal Communication in Organizations (3 credits)
Study and practice of communication in one-on-one settings which occur in business. Focus on ways content and relationship influence verbal and non-verbal messages and business interaction and productivity.
OCD 699 Capstone Project (3 credits)
Academic inquiry, case study, field project or directed study, under supervision of faculty adviser in the program.
Prerequisite: OCD 605. OCD 699 should be taken during the spring semester of student's final academic year.
MBA 502 Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
Individual, group and organizational principles within a framework of high functioning and high quality performance. Critical organizational issues and strategies to effectively manage them.
MBA 640 Management Skills Development (3 credits)
Seminar intended to provide students with opportunity to better understand and internalize concepts and theories of organizational behavior through application of behavioral science concepts and tools. Prerequisite: MBA 502.
MBA 647 Organizational Change and Development (3 credits)
Contemporary approaches through application of behavioral science concepts and tools. Systems concepts and operational components; need for change and development; action research and intervention strategies; overcoming resistance to change; managing paradigm shifts in organization culture.
Prerequisite: MBA 502.
1 MBA 502 is a prerequisite for all other MBA courses.