This course guides participants in understanding nonprofit organizations and their management. Topics include motivations for starting nonprofit organizations as well as theories and strategies to balance the unique needs of nonprofits within market economies. This course covers considerations for staffing and volunteer management, funding sources, asset management, program evaluation and leadership structures as elements of identifying qualities of successful nonprofit organizations at various stages of development. Projects may include interviewing, building a nonprofit business plan, and presentations.

This integrative course is the final course in the Master of Science in Leadership. All other required coursework must have been completed prior to receiving approval to register for this course. The focus of the course is on defining and researching a leadership issue or problem. The applied research provides the opportunity to utilize strategy, research skills, analytical tools and models, as well as decision sciences with a culminating research project that can be of strategic benefit to the student and/or a current organization. After documenting the above, students will discuss and defend their project orally.

This course examines a wide range of business theories and practical applications related to effective management. In addition to learning about what management is and what managers do, students also explore and assess their own management skills and styles. Students apply critical thinking skills to core business functions. Focus is on contributing factors to management styles such as communication, the role of the manager, design of the organization, ethical issues, social responsibility and globalization. Course format may include the application of these management roles and competencies through experiential activities, group exercises and case analysis.

This course focuses on practical application of current research and concepts in human behavior in order to understand and analyze organizations. Interpersonal processes, problem-solving, and managerial decision-making are considered through examination of the roles of power, politics, ethics, and conflict in organizations. Topics may include individual behavior, motivation and performance, interpersonal relations, small group relations, the role of leadership, and organizational culture.