Master of Arts in Intercultural Leadership – Courses

PART I: CORE COURSES (14 hrs total)

Gives students an overview of the entire program and lays the foundation for the rest of the courses and projects.

IIE 500 Program Orientation and Technology Training (1 hr)

This course provides a basic orientation to the program and training on the multiple technological environments of the program including the Course Management System, Web Videoconferencing, use of online library resources and other important aspects. Co-requisites: IIE 505 and IIE 510.

Intercultural Leadership Sequence

IIE 505 Self-Development for Intercultural Leadership (3 hrs)

This course helps students define their own leadership style from cognitive, behavioral, and emotional perspectives. Students will integrate conceptual knowledge of reflective practice and self-awareness in the context of ethical action, social justice, and an entrepreneurial approach to leadership. In this course students engage and develop philosophical and conceptual perspectives on action and action research, intercultural communication and social justice. The central aim of this course is to provide students with frameworks for taking a partnering stance to community and organizational development. Co-requisites: IIE 500 and IIE 510.

IIE 510 Leadership in Intercultural Organizations (3 hrs)

Blends an intellectual exploration of organizational development, organizational behavior and intercultural communication theories with a focus on acquiring and developing skills in project management. Students will learn to how to develop networks both within and between organizations that support social justice and ethical action. Co-requisites: IIE 500 and IIE 505.

Capstone Project Preparation Sequence

IIE 520 Action Research & Program Evaluation Methods (3 hrs)

Provides an overview of action research theory and methods and describes how action research can be used for the purpose of assessing community needs and program effectiveness. The steps for conceptualizing, designing, implementing, and analyzing an action research project will be examined. Particular attention will be given to the study of these elements within the context of organizations. Special attention will also be given to the study of key concepts essential to the design & implementation of program evaluation efforts. Pre-requisites IIE 600 and 601.

IIE 525 Capstone Project Development (4 hrs)

Focuses on assisting students in developing an appropriate research design for each student’s capstone project. Building on the knowledge acquired in the research and program evaluation methods course, students will develop the initial design for their capstone project. As part of this process, students will identify the main research questions, choose the design and articulate its appropriateness to the inquiry at hand, discuss the assets and limitations of the design, human subjects and other ethical concerns, and proposed methods for data collection and analysis. Pre-requisite: IIE 510.

PART II: SUPPORTING COURSES (12 hrs total)

Gives students direct access to experts in key areas of management and social change.

IIE 622 Methods and Techniques of Positive Social Change (3 hrs)

Introduces students to the theories, principles and techniques of sustainable social change, positive change theory and positive organizational scholarship. Students will build practical competencies necessary to carry out various positive change interventions based on theories and techniques of organization development and change management. Pre-requisites: IIE 500, 505, and 510

IIE 624 Foundations of Social Justice (3 hrs)

Provides a framework for students to explore philosophical, theoretical, spiritual, and personal foundations of social justice. Students will engage with diverse texts and perspectives from a variety of cultural and spiritual traditions in order to develop a critical perspective that stretches beyond the surface of challenging social issues. Pre-requisites: IIE 500, 505, and 510.

IIE 626 Strategic Human Resources Planning (3 hrs)

In the increasingly diverse environment of the 21st century, human resources have become key inimitable resources for change and innovation. Unfortunately, few organizations successfully include HR in strategic planning. This course will introduce HR’s role in strategy development and implementation. Topics include aligning HR with organizational values and management strategy, creating high performance work systems, implementing HR planning, and managing HR in contexts such as non-profit organizations, community service groups, and community development. Pre-requisites: IIE 500, 505, and 510.

IIE 628 Community Development and Social Action (3 hrs)

Provides basic knowledge and skills in community outreach, education, and social mobilization for self-help and advocacy in community based organizations. This course focuses on the professional roles of leaders in community based groups including the role of founder, developer, manager, and other supervisory roles in which development activities are required in order to support social action and social change. Pre-requisites: IIE 500, 505, and 510.

PART III: CAPSTONE PROJECT (10 hrs total)

Students will execute and document an individual project begun in their Core Courses.

In the “IIE 690s” sequence of the curriculum, students will develop and execute individual capstone projects begun in IIE 525. IIE 690 and 692 will focus on specific tasks required to complete the project, while IIE 691 (taken during the third residency) will function as an intensive workshop-style writing retreat to help ensure successful completion of a quality project.

IIE 690 Capstone Project: Theoretical Frameworks and Data Collection (3 hrs)

Building on the foundation established in the Core Courses, this course will provide an overview of the processes of literature review and data collection. Students will complete an extensive written review of pertinent literature, articulate their theoretical framework, and collect data for their final capstone project. Pre-requisites: IIE 505, IIE 510 and IIE 525

IIE 691 Capstone Project: Findings, Conclusions and Peer Review (6 hrs)

Provides an overview of the process, layout, and content of the final written version of the Capstone Project. Students will gather during the third residency of their program and engage in intensive writing and peer review sessions during eight days of that residency followed by 5 weeks online. The goal of this course is to provide a rigorous writing environment that supports students in completing their experiential projects. Pre-requisite: IIE 690

IIE 692 Capstone Project: Defense and Presentation (1 hr)

Serves as the culmination of the Capstone Project and will provide students with an overview of the process of converting project documents into a presentation for a community audience. The course will take place during the final session of the student’s program, and will include a defense of their project that their adviser will oversee. As the final exercise in this course, students will deliver a public presentation on their work. Pre-requisite: IIE 691