The accelerated Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL) program at St. Ambrose University is an interdisciplinary graduate program of study designed to develop skills and nurture abilities for effective leadership. Effective leadership is essential to the success of any endeavor in both the public and private sectors. Businesses, government agencies, elected offices, charitable organizations and churches, to name a few, need valuable leaders who can identify, promote, and accomplish organizational goals and objectives. In this context, MOL program students will become more aware of their own strengths, attitudes, and behaviors, and the effects they have on others as leaders. The MOL program also provides individuals currently in or seeking leadership positions with the conceptual and analytical skills necessary for successful leadership. The Master of Organizational Leadership program reflects St. Ambrose University's commitment to promoting community service, personal growth, and practical professional training opportunities for students.

Mission Statement
The Master of Organizational Leadership program at St. Ambrose University nurtures students' abilities and enables students to strengthen their capacities as leaders through the development of tools and skills for effective leadership in organizational settings including promoting the importance of service to communities.

Goals and Objectives
Students will:

• Learn multiple theoretical frameworks of leadership.
• Gain skills to communicate and participate effectively in organizational and community settings including oral, written, and electronic formats.
• Be empowered to act competently and confidently in leadership roles.
• Identify and address the relationships between leaders and systemic processes, such as organizational, behavioral, political, incremental, and global influences on policy change.
• Understand the importance of diversity and tolerance as essential to organizational success and effective leadership.
• Become more reflective as ethical human beings and ethical leaders.
• Develop research competencies founded in accepted methodological, philosophical, and scientific principles as they relate to organizational and leadership practices.

Degree Requirement
33 credits -- each course is 3 credits

Core and Foundation Course
21 credits from the following courses:
MOL 510. Leadership Theories, Practice and Context
MOL 512. Assessing Leadership Skills or
MOL 515. Critical Thinking and Decision Making
MOL 518. Ethics, Integrity, and Social Responsibility
MOL 529. Conflict Resolution
MOL 540. Organizational Communication
MOL 690. Leadership Through People Skills (LTPS)*
MOL 720. Thesis or
MOL 722. Practicum
*Additional course fee may apply

Electives/Concentration
Select 12 credits
MOL 550. Psychology of Motivation
MOL 555. Managing Diversity
MOL 557. Building Teams
MOL 650. Public Policy and Government Regulations
MOL 655. Political and Civic Leadership
MOL 685. Human Resources
MOL 790. Independent Inquiry in Leadership

Certificate in Organizational Leadership
A master's level Certificate in Organizational Leadership comprised of 15 credit hours is also available through St. Ambrose University. The certificate consists of four courses of three credit hours each. An intense, one-week leadership Through People Skills (LTPS) seminar (which may be taken on a credit or non-credit basis) completes the requirements for the certificate. By opting to take LTPS for credits, a student who successfully completes the certificate program will have completed the first year of study toward a Master of Organizational Leadership degree.

Course Descriptions

MOL 501. Leadership Theories, Practices, Context 3 credits
Description: Analysis of contemporary theories and practices of leadership. Emphasis on application of theoretical concepts to actual leadership situations. Impact of organizational history and structure on leadership.

MOL 512. Assessing Leadership Skills 3 credits
Investigation of developmental psychology, leadership abilities, and learning styles based on personal and professional experiences, values, and attitudes. Students develop a personal profile of their leadership style utilizing several inventories for identifying leadership competencies. Focus is on applying various instruments to effectively ascertain group leadership styles and increase knowledge of organizational dynamics.

MOL 515. Critical Thinking and Decision Making 3 credits
Examination of integrative thinking and problem solving as it pertains to leadership. Exploration of relationship between creative and critical thinking. Analysis of scientific methodology and logic and their influence on the study and practice of leadership.

MOL 518. Ethics, Integrity, and Social Responsibility 3 credits
A study of how personal values and ethical perspectives shape the concept and practice of leadership. Includes the role of values in determining the moral obligations of leaders and followers in shaping moral environments, in policy making, and vision. How leaders can and do create ethical basis for action.

MOL 529. Conflict Resolution 3 credits
Techniques and issues involved in managing conflict in interpersonal and intergroup settings.  Role of the leader in using team dynamics to move groups or individuals to reach consensus and advance the organization.

MOL 540. Organizational Communication 3 credits
Focus on communication issues confronted in organizations. Examines theories and models of communication and the skills necessary for a leader to effectively communicate within the organization. Internal communication issues, strategies for effective communication, use of and issues surrounding new communication technologies are also explored.

MOL 550. Psychology of Motivation 3 credits
Examines contemporary approaches to motivation and the design and implementation of motivational strategies for effective personal and group performances.

MOL 555. Managing Diversity 3 credits
Covers issues involved in multi-cultural organizations, including developing consensus within the organization for valuing diversity, relationship building, communicating across cultures, and managing people of different genders, races and cultures. Issues of stereotype, bias, and resistance are examined from both a personal and organizational perspective with an emphasis on making meaningful contributions to diversity initiative within your organization and with external constituencies.

MOL 557. Building Teams 3 credits
This course combines theory and application of team developments, issues of readiness, the strengths and weaknesses of individual members and their impact on organizational effectiveness. The interdependency of corporate structures is investigated, as are ways in which to enhance the effectiveness of these interactions.

MOL 650. Public Policy and Governmental Regulations 3 credits
Examines ways businesses and non-profit organizations can work with local and state governments to address issues of mutual concern. Provides an overview of governmental structures, process, and the policy-making environment. Looks at effective methods of communication and lobbying to enhance laws, concerns, and organizations.

MOL 655. Political and Civic Leadership 3 credits
Addresses the essentials of political, civic, and community service as both a full-time and part-time endeavor. Topics include civic literacy, citizen power, running for elected office, organizing and managing political and charitable organizations. Examines community service as an essential part of successful leadership.

MOL 685. Human Resources 3 credits
Human Resource managements at the first-line and middle management levels of personnel administration. Forecasting employment needs, attracting and orienting personnel, legal aspects of personnel selections, performance appraisal, motivations training and development, salary and promotion policies, discipline, and labor relations.

MOL 690. Leadership Through People Skills (LTPS) non-credit/3 credit option
Intensive five-day seminar (normally 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) that transforms managers into leaders by creating the skills necessary to meet today's business and organizational challenges, and turn vision into reality. Emphasis on small-group learning, role-playing, action learning, and problem solving to improve leadership skills. 

MOL 701. Planning Strategically 3 credits
Reviews the traditional organizational process and then examines the organization from a strategic perspective. Students will learn how to apply a variety of tools and techniques for decision-making and will develop strategic approaches to management decisions. Encourages students to think strategically about organizations in increasingly diverse environments.

MOL 710. Logistics and Transportation Management 3 credits
Human Resource managements at the first-line and middle management levels of personnel administration. Focus on 1) setting of objectives and design of optimal strategies for the managements of transportation and logistics firms, and 2) alternative means for implementing logistics and transportation strategies within different types of managerial organization.

MOL 715. Logistics Systems Managements 3 credits
Provides a systemic overview and analysis of all elements of logistics functions in widely varying types of industries and agencies. Coverage includes physical supply and distribution activities such as transportation, storage, facility location, inventory control, traffic, materials handling, warehouse and organization.

MOL 717. Procurement and Supply Management 3 credits
Provides coverage of the complexities, opportunities analytical methods and current research relating to domestic and international management for supply requirements in firms. Coverage relating to domestic and international management for supply requirements in firms. Coverage includes management of procurement process in logistics supply chains for goods and services with emphasis upon third party, contractual relationships.

MOL 719. Seminar in Business Logistics 3 credits
Provides seminar-type coverage of topics relating to the design, analysis and management of logistics systems for firms and agencies of widely different types and a broad range of theoretical and empirical subject matter in transportation economics and policy.

MOL 720. Thesis in Leadership 3 credits
Student with approval of program of Study Committee writes and presents an original, empirically based research paper of substantive length and depth. The thesis should surpass the expectation for research papers prepared for courses by emphasizing the synthesis of work from throughout the MLS curriculum. Analysis, and creative approaches to leadership are emphasized. An oral defense of the research project by the program of Study Committee is an exit requirement. Prior to the oral defense a copy of the completed thesis should be submitted to the MLS director for placement in the MLS library. Prerequisite: Completion of foundation course, 15 credits of the core curriculum, and at least six credits in the concentration. Pass/No-pass grade option. In progress option.

MOL 722. Practicum 3 credits
Field observation and research paper pertaining to leadership in an internship experience or work place practicum. The field project and research paper requires the approval of program of Study Committee. The research paper should surpass the expectations of research papers prepared for courses by emphasizing the synthesis of work from through out the MLS curriculum. Creative approaches and analysis of leadership in practice should be emphasized in a research project. An oral defense of the research project by the program of Study Committee is an exit requirement. Prior to the oral defense a copy of the completed research project should be submitted to the MLS director for placement in the MLS library. Prerequisite: Completion of foundation course, 15 credits of the core curriculum, and at least six credits in the concentration. Pass/No-pass option. In progress option.

MOL 790. Independent Inquiry in Leadership 3 credits
This course is an experiential and theoretical exploration in an area of focused study regarding organizational development. This course incorporates case studies and experiential skill development. Focuses on integration of information leading to an action plan for effective organizational future positioning. Course may be taken on-line depending on instructor. Prerequisite: Permission of program director.

MOL 792. Special Topics 3 credits
Deals with specific topics not covered in regular course offerings. Course content to be agreed upon between student and the program director.