capstone

MOL630SYLLABUS.docx

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Course Description: The culminating project for the Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership will have students apply the research skills they learned throughout the program in conjunction with the leadership and management knowledge they have garnered to complete a research project of their choosing. Students will develop a research methodology best suited to the problem they identified in MOL 620 to explore in this course. Students will collect data and tabulate (quantitative or qualitative) and use their findings to present recommendations towards the problem they identify. The project will include a literature review, methods section, data collection and analysis, and recommendations.

ssion and ePortfolio pages on the liberal arts aspects of higher education, as well as guidance with degree evaluation and future academic plans. (2015-2017 Course Catalogue, Day Program)

Textbook and Supplementary Readings:

Adams, J., Kahn, H. T. A., Raeside, R., & White, D. (2007). Research methods for graduate business and social science studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: SagePublications. ISBN: 9780761935896

Course announcements, assignments, and supplemental materials will be posted to eLearning.

COURSE OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

· Integrate and synthesize leadership concepts, behaviors, and actions learned during participation in the Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership Program.

· Identify and research ethical, social, behavioral, economic and/or organizational concepts that are critical to the management and leadership of corporations and other organizations and engage in a deep discussion of these issues.

· Analyze an organization’s birth or rebirth, the resolution of critical business or organization issues, and develop solutions to current business problems or issues using the leadership frameworks learned during this program.

· Develop a research design process.

· Conduct a review of academic literature and synthesize findings in the form of a literature review.

· Engage in original data collection.

· Analyze and interpret research data.

· Present research results and develop recommendations/next steps.

· Discuss the results of an original capstone research project in a clear and engaging manner.

Course Outcomes

The following outcomes are expected of each learner for this course:

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project, integrate and synthesize leadership concepts, behaviors, and actions learned during their participation in the Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership Program.

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project and online and in class discussions, identify and research ethical, social, behavioral, economic, and/or organizational concepts that are critical to the management and leadership of corporations and other organizations and engage in a deep discussion of these issues.

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project, analyze an organization’s birth or rebirth and the resolution of critical business or organization issues, and develop solutions to current business problems or issues using the leadership frameworks of learned during this program.

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project, demonstrate the development of a research design process.

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project, conduct a review of academic literature and synthesize findings in the form of a literature review.

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project, demonstrate proficiency in original data collection.

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project, demonstrate use of qualitative processes to analyze and interpret research data.

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project, demonstrate proficiency in presenting research results and develop recommendations/next steps.

· Through the successful completion of the applied research project, engage in a clear and engaging discussion of the results of an original capstone research project.

Assignments 25%

1. Draft Problem Statement Paper

2. Draft Chapter 2: Literature Review Paper

3. Draft Chapter 3: Framework and Methodology Paper

4. Revised Literature Review Paper

5. Leadership Theory Paper

6. Draft Chapter 4: Analysis and Results

7. Draft Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations

· Final Capstone Paper 25%

· Capstone Presentation 10%

For specific details on assignments and discussion board questions for to the e-learning course room and click on the corresponding link

27 August - 2 September

WEEK 1 - RESEARCH QUESTION, PURPOSE & PROBLEM STATEMENT:

1. Read AMC MOL Capstone Guide - Focus on Chapter 1

2. Read Chapters 1 and 2 in Research Methods.

3. Complete all online discussions and assignments by the required due dates.

4. Read Nowill's Dissertation - Chapter 1: focus on Background, Purpose, and Research Question

5. Read Capstone Example - Chapter 1: focus on Background, Purpose, and Research Question

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS - ON-LINE STUDENTS ONLY

CLICK ON THE LINKS AND WATCH THESE VIDEOS

· Fundamentals of Qualitative Research Methods: What is Qualitative Research URL

· Watch Fundamentals of Qualitative Research Methods: Developing a Qualitative Research Question URL

· Developing a Research Question URL

DISCUSSION BOARD - ALL STUDENTS

· DB1: Problem Statement, Purpose Statement and Research Question Forum

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DISCUSSION BOARD

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DB 1.1OL: Chapter 1 - Background of Study, Purpose of Study and Research Question.

Learning Objective(s):

Upon successful completion of this session, each learner should be able to do the following:

1. Describe the structure and content of the capstone project.

2. Translate a critical business or organizational problem or issue to a research problem statement.

3. Articulate the concepts of organizational framing.

4. Utilize the eLearning discussion forums and other online resources as effective tools for online learning.

In-Class Activities:

· Introduction Exercise

· Short review of Syllabus & Attendance Policy

· Discussion

· Reflection and Writing

Learning Objective(s):

Upon successful completion of this session, each learner should be able to do the following:

1. Describe the structure and content of the capstone project.

2. Translate a critical business or organizational problem or issue to a research problem statement.

3. Articulate the concepts of organizational framing. Use the Albertus library and other online resources to find academic, peer reviewed articles relevant to the capstone project.

4. Begin to synthesize the findings of academic research into a literature review structure.

5. Explicitly define the problem or issue to be studied as part of the capstone project in the form of a problem statement.

6. Understand the different types of research methodologies and the relative strengths and weaknesses of these methodologies.

In-Class Activities:

· Discussion

· Reflection and Writing

· Instructional Videos

· Coaching

Learning Objective(s):

1. Articulate the appropriate research methodology for the capstone project.

2. Discuss the alignment of the capstone research methodology and problem statement.

3. Understand the different types of literature and differentiate between academic, peer-reviewed literature and other types of literature.

In-Class Activities:

· Discussion

· Reflection and Writing

· Instructional Videos

· Coaching

Learning Objective(s):

1. Conduct a review of academic literature and synthesize the findings in a particular topic into a literature review.

2. Understand the role leadership theories/frameworks/concepts play in the organizational birth and rebirth and how to apply these concepts to solve organizational problems and issues

In-Class Activities:

· Discussion

· Reflection and Writing

· Instructional Videos

· Coaching

Learning Objective(s):

1. Identify the key leadership theories/frameworks/concepts that underpin the leadership solutions to the identified capstone problem and incorporate this material into the capstone research.

2. Understand how to analyze primarily qualitative research data.

3. Understand the keys to the development and presentation research results.

In-Class Activities:

· Discussion

· Reflection and Writing

· Instructional Videos

· Coaching

Learning Objective(s):

1. Combine the research problem, literature review, leadership theories, research methodology into a first draft capstone paper.

2. Analyze and summarize research data into written research results.

3. Extract lessons learned and recommendations for change from a case study analysis.

4. Develop recommendations and next steps from the consultancy analysis of an organizational problem or issue.

5. Prepare a final capstone presentation.

In-Class Activities:

· Discussion

· Reflection and Writing

· Instructional Videos

· Coaching

Learning Objective(s):

6. Combine the research problem, literature review, leadership theories, research methodology into a first draft capstone paper.

7. Analyze and summarize research data into written research results.

8. Extract lessons learned and recommendations for change from a case study analysis.

9. Develop recommendations and next steps from the consultancy analysis of an organizational problem or issue.

10. Prepare a final capstone presentation.

In-Class Activities:

· Discussion

· Reflection and Writing

· Instructional Videos

· Coaching

Learning Objective(s):

1. Conduct a formal presentation of the capstone research project, including the articulation of research results and lessons learned, recommendations, and next steps.

2. Prepare a well-written capstone paper that effectively analyzes a critical business or organizational issue or applies leadership theories, frameworks, and models to the development of a specific business or organizational issue.

3. Discuss the leadership and management implications of the research presented during the course and during the program

In-Class Activities:

· Discussion

· Presenting