Overview
The Organization and Leadership (O&L) Program at the School of Education offers a dynamic and unique program that educates people to create and sustain just institutions through active and responsible leadership. Leadership is an essential resource for creating and sustaining organizations, communities and societies. Leadership is understood as a summons to serve the other. The primary goal of the O&L program is to bring before students a continuum of new knowledge and understanding that reflects current theories, research and innovative practices.
Students may pursue the M.A. or Ed.D. in Organization and Leadership. In addition, courses and field experiences are offered leading to the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential and the Clear Administrative Credential.
Organization and Leadership graduates are prepared to assume leadership positions in a variety of settings. They may also consider consulting or higher education teaching positions.
For more information on the Organization and Leadership programs, please visit: http://www.usfca.edu/soe/programs/leadership/ol/
Educational Philosophy of the O&L Program
The O&L program collaboratively prepares graduate students who will possess the knowledge, skills, values and vision to transform and change organizations as leaders. We assume that adult learners bring skill sets to the learning environment where collaborative student-centered interactions can take place among faculty and peers. It is through dialog, new knowledge and experiences that new ideas and reform can take place. In the Jesuit tradition of valuing the student learner, faculty seek to provide students with opportunities for self-renewal and growth.
Master’s Programs
The faculty of the Organization and Leadership department offer three M.A. Programs: Master of Arts in Organization and Leadership, Master of Arts in Organization and Leadership with the Clear Administrative Services Credential or the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential, and the Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA).
The Master of Arts in Organization and Leadership gives students the opportunity to focus their study in several areas that represent current dimensions and challenges of leadership: the university, corporations, healthcare, technology, K-12 schooling, and international development. The M.A. in O&L requires the completion of 30 credits: 27 credits of course work and a 3-credit M. A. Thesis/ Field Project, O&L 655.
Requirements includes:
• O&L 614 Introduction to Organization and Leadership
• O&L 626 Sociocultural Foundations of Organization and Policy
• GEDU 603 Research Methods of Education or
• O&L 619 Participatory Hermeneutic Research
Students complete 12 credits in one of the of the following focus areas:
• Higher Education
• Interpretive Development and Organization Policy
• K-12 Instructional Leadership
• 21st Century Leadership
And 6 credits of electives in consultation with their faculty advisor and the O&L 655 M.A. Thesis/Field Project (3 credits).
Students may combine their course of study for the Master of Arts in Organization and Leadership degree with preparation for the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential. The M.A. in O&L with the Preliminary Administrative Credential requires the completion of 30 credits: 21 credits in course work, 6 credits of field experience and a 3 credit M.A. Capstone, O&L 650.
Students complete 21 credits in the following courses:
• O&L 615 Information Systems in Educational Management
• O&L 621 Budget and Finance
• O&L 622 Education Law
• O&L 624 Human Resources in Educational Management
• O&L 630 Educational Leadership
• O&L 652 Data-Based Decision Making for School Leaders
• O&L 654 School, Community and Society
6 credits of supervised Field Experience:
• O&L 648 Field Experience I
• O&L 649 Field Experience II
3 Credits of the Masters Capstone
• O&L 650 Instructional Leadership Capstone
The Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) within the Organization and Leadership (O&L) program combines a rigorous academic curriculum with practicum experiences in various areas of student life (e.g., intercultural center, student engagement, residence life) to prepare professionals working in or aspiring toward administrative leadership positions in Higher Education. Important objectives of the HESA concentration are to train professionals who will 1) understand issues of access and equity in higher education and the unique experiences and problems facing underrepresented groups and 2) think critically about the complexities involved in transforming organizations and programs in order to achieve equitable outcomes for all students. Requirements include 24 credits of course work, 3 credits of Practicum and a 3 credit Masters Capstone, ED 667.
Course work includes:
• O&L 744 Academic and Student Affairs
• O&L 614 Introduction to Organization and Leadership
• O&L 741 American Institutions of Higher Education
• O&L 663 Race, Diversity and Higher Education
• O&L 662 Campus Environments and Cultures
• O&L 656 Student Development in College
• O&L 626 Sociocultural Foundations
• O&L 657 Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education or
• O&L 619 Participatory Hermeneutic Research
3 credits in Practicum:
• O&L 645 Practicum in HESA I (1 credit)
• O&L 646 Practicum in HESA II (1 credit)
• O&L 647 Practicum in HESA III (1 credit)
In addition to the above, students are required to complete a Masters Capstone course, O&L 667 Capstone Seminar, for 3 credits.
Credential Programs
Preliminary Administrative Services Credential
All Preliminary Administrative Services Credential Applicants must submit evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree and one of the following: a valid teaching credential with verification of a minimum of two years successful, full-time classroom teaching experience in public or private schools; or a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services, library services, health services, clinical rehabilitation services, or a designated subject credential with verification of at least two years of successful, full-time experience appropriate to the credential held.
Verification of all credential(s) and experience(s) must be on school district letterhead and signed by a school district official.
The Preliminary Administrative Services Credential requires successful completion of 27 credits: 21 credits of course work:
• O&L 615 Information Systems in Educational Management
• O&L 621 Budget and Finance
• O&L 622 Education Law
• O&L 624 Human Resources in Educational Management
• O&L 630 Educational Leadership
• O&L 652 Data-Based Decision Making for School Leaders
• O&L 654 School, Community and Society
and 6 credits of supervised field experience:
• O&L 648 Field Experience I
• O&L 649 Field Experience II
Clear Administrative Services Credential
Student must be employed in a full-time paid position requiring a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential. Prior to program completion, the student must submit a verification of a minimum of two years of successful experience in a full-time administrative position in a public or private school of equivalent status while holding the Preliminary Services Credential. The Clear Administrative Services Credential requires successful completion of 12 semester credits of course work including:
• O&L 731 Politics of Education (2 credits)
• O&L 732 Data, Assessment and Curriculum (2 credits)
• O&L 736 Urban Superintendent (2 credits)
• O&L 737 Pressing Urban Issues (2 credits)
• O&L 738 Advocacy, Media and Law (2 credits)
• O&L 733 Professional Practice of Educational Leadership A (1 credit)
• O&L 734 Professional Practice of Educational Leadership B (1 credit)
Doctoral Program
The doctoral program consists of 60 credit hours of study beyond the master’s degree and culminates in the completion of a doctoral dissertation. Students will complete 60 credits of coursework that satisfy the following requirements:
The following Foundation Core courses are required (12 credits):
• GEDU 706 Applied Educational Statistics
• GEDU 708 Research Methods in Education
• One Foundation course selected in consultation with the student’s advisor
• One Advanced Research course selected in consultation with the student’s advisor
Students are required to complete 21 credits of O&L core courses. Students are required to complete the following 6 credits:
• O&L 726 Sociocultural Foundations of Organization and Policy
• O&L 751 Leadership Theories
Students can then select, with the consultation of their advisor, any doctoral level course within the O&L department to meet the remaining 15 credits.
The 12 credits of the elective courses may be drawn from the O&L courses or from other doctoral level courses within the School of Education. Students may elect to use the 12-credit block to design a minor.
The 9 credits associated with the development, research, and writing of a doctoral dissertation are:
• O&L 709 Dissertation Proposal Seminar
• O&L 790 Dissertation Proposal Development
• O&L 791 Dissertation Research and Writing
Students complete the program by successfully defending their dissertation research in Dissertation Research and Writing (O&L 791).
