Course Descriptions
MMSL 6100 The Character of Leadership (3 sem. cr.)
This course examines the challenges of being an ethical, vision-oriented leader (at any level of organization), who must navigate in turbulent, changing environments that often pose choices between “right and right.” Learners explore concepts related to level-five leadership and servant leadership, and they begin the process of self-assessment and reflection-in-action. This course also provides an introduction to Walden University, graduate studies at Walden University, the Walden Master of Science in Leadership program, and all related processes and policies.
MMSL 6110 Building Organizational Culture: Leaders as Architects (3 sem. cr.)
This course examines the roles that leaders play as partners in shaping, and being shaped by, the organizational cultures they seek to influence. Learners explore perspectives on how to make conceptual sense of the cultural landscape of organizations and examine the implications for leading and building effective community at various levels of application.
MMSL 6120 Leading Vibrant and Diverse Teams (3 sem. cr.)
This course explores how leaders at all levels of an organization can better understand the diversity of people and perspectives in organizations and how they can work as partners in leading vibrant, diverse communities. Learners will examine diversity in a myriad of contexts and will explore the particular challenges of building effective teams that are fueled by diversity.
MMSL 6130 Leadership in a Global Landscape (3 sem. cr.)
This course examines the implications and challenges faced by leaders as people from different cultures, social structures, religions, and languages participate in a globalized landscape and workforce. Learners will develop an understanding of study the interrelatedness of nations in the global economy, explore the changing nature of international business and leadership, and evaluate the concepts of sustainable business strategies, international trade, foreign direct investment, and regional economic integration.
MMSL 6140 Framing and Analyzing Problems: Research Strategies for Leaders (3 sem. cr.)
This course is designed to promote the learner’s ability to think critically, with a long-term view, about identifying and analyzing problems, data interpretation, and decision making, while avoiding common decision errors that occur because of faulty, deep-seated mental models. Learners will also review fundamentals of scientific research, including the application of qualitative and quantitative research methods to understanding leadership phenomena.
MMSL 6150 Developing and Communicating Solutions: Tools and Strategies for Leaders (3 sem. cr.)
This course equips decision makers with the ability to accurately and persuasively frame solutions to complex problems. Learners will examine how to set a proper context and create viable solutions for complex issues in volatile and uncertain environments. The course is intended to help leaders align stakeholders’ mental models for effective decision-making, using the tools of communication, engagement, consensus building, and blended/integrated strategy.
MMSL 6160 Taking the Long View: Systems Thinking and Tools for Sustainability (3 sem. cr.)
This course focuses on building the learner’s capacity to see things systemically, so that understanding the concept and reality of a system and its dependence upon all its parts drives how decisions are made. Learners will use these systems thinking tools to model single-, double-, and multiple-loop feedback systems, both at micro and macro levels of analysis, and will also develop skills in multiple-scenario analysis. The practice of systems thinking lays the foundation for creating sustainable outcomes once consideration is given to the impact of decisions and actions. Learning to plan for multiple scenarios creates highly agile responses in a very complex and always changing world and prevents the vulnerability imposed by rapid change with no ready response on the part of leaders and organizations.
MMSL 6900 Capstone in Leadership: The Social Impact Vision and Project (3 sem. cr.)
This integrative course examines the challenges of rebuilding a sense of community in the world, starting with the final crafting of each learner’s personal vision profile and personal plan of action. The course is built on the fundamental idea that individual people can effect great change in organizations and communities of all sizes by changing themselves, and those individuals can be part of reversing decline of economies, communities, and families. The course integrates themes from the program, and learners develop a personal plan of action and an evidence-based, formally researched, service project proposal within their communities.
MMSL 6530 Toward Sustainable Futures: Leadership in Complex, Crisis-Driven Environments (3 sem. cr.)
This course builds upon previous core content related to framing, prioritizing, assessing risk, and identifying variables associated with complex issues in dynamic environments. Learners develop skills and knowledge that will help them provide clarity in constraining, confusing, and complex situations, so that others are engaged and supportive of the direction being taken and will ultimately follow.
MMSL 6540 Innovation and Technology (3 sem. cr.)
This course focuses on how managers can make sure that they leverage technology in every possible way to achieve competitive advantages in the global marketplace. Students explore the role of information and information technology in business and learn how to identify and analyze emerging technologies, including and beyond the scope of information technology. The course also focuses on the importance of technology and innovation in today’s competitive environment. Students examine strategies to nurture innovation and cultivate technology development. The course culminates with a section about developing and implementing a technology strategy that ensures an organization’s readiness and success in the future.
MMSL 6570 Leading Strategic Initiatives for Growth and New Value (3 sem. cr.)
This course focuses on the development and implementation of business strategies that enable a competitive advantage, with an emphasis on understanding the current environment in which the organization competes and forecasting how that environment may change.
MMSL 6600 Applications in Human Resource Management (4 sem. cr.)
This course focuses on the links between human resource management and the business/strategic issues important to organizations. Topics include the strategic role and measured outcomes of human resources; employment law; recruitment and selection; workforce planning and talent management; performance appraisal and feedback; compensation, benefits, and total rewards; occupational health, safety, and security; employee and labor relations; and human resource information systems.
MMSL 6601 Advanced Human Resource Management (4 sem. cr.)
In this course, students adopt a strategic view of human resource management programs in evaluating their alignment with organizational strategic goals for two real-world problems. Students explore such concepts as issues involved with mergers and acquisitions, global management of human resources, and high-performance systems required to achieve competitive advantage.
MMSL 6630 Applications in Technology (4 sem. cr.)
This course addresses important management challenges that are typical in today’s technology-based businesses. The course emphasizes topics such as how to align business needs with technology solutions, how to identify new opportunities or applications for technology, and how to manage the related processes to ensure that technology solutions enhance an organization’s competitive position.
MMSL 6631 Advanced Technology (4 sem. cr.)
This course focuses on innovation and technology management and supporting processes. In addition, students examine how technology solutions are affected when the context is global in scope.
MMSL 6640 Applications in Entrepreneurship (4 sem. cr.)
This course focuses on the emerging trend of business organizations moving from a profit-only mentality to one in which they utilize their profits and other resources to enhance society. Students explore entrepreneurial concepts and processes that apply to startup enterprises as well as those that are well-established with an innovative focus or entrepreneurial spirit. Topics such as market opportunity, risk management, change management, innovation, product development, financing and raising capital, intellectual property, and commercialization are covered. Students apply these and related concepts to problems common to real-world organizations.
MMSL 6641 Advanced Entrepreneurship (4 sem. cr.)
In this course, students continue to build their entrepreneurial skills and knowledge by addressing problems drawn from real-world organizations. Students analyze how the organization contributes to society (local, national, or international), how entrepreneurship and commercial activities affect the environment, and how the potential of forming “glocalities” (a combination of individuals, business organizations, and political agencies) becomes more significant in the future in terms of working in unison to better society.
MMSL 6650 Applications in Project Management (4 sem. cr.)
This course introduces students to the art and science of project management as applied to different types of project situations. Topics such as project life-cycle management; project organizations and leadership; project team building; RFPs, proposals, and contracts; techniques for project scope definition, work definition, estimating, scheduling, risk management, control, and closeout; the PMO; project management methodology; and project selection/portfolio management are covered. Students explore these concepts in the context of real-world problems.
MMSL 6651 Advanced Project Management (4 sem. cr.)
Increasingly, the “soft” skills of project management are recognized as the keys to improving its practice. This course explores best practices and research results on how best to practice project management in today’s organizations in the context of real-world problems. Students also examine how project management applies in a global context.
MMSL 6660 Personal Leadership: Mentoring and Coaching (4 sem. cr.)
This course will help students understand and apply skills of effective mentoring such as active listening, learning, empowering, enabling change, and using feedback to create interactive dialogue and deeper understanding. Mentoring requires an understanding and integration of many leadership, interaction, and communication theories that support the development of effective leaders.
MMSL 6661 Leadership in Action: Change Management and Conflict Resolution (4 sem. cr.)
This course focuses on one of the more difficult and large-scale challenges to leaders: effecting successful change in the face of resistance and conflict. Students will explore various facets of leading organizational change and will examine conflict resolution strategies aimed at both the personal and organizational level.
MMSL 6671 Global Perspectives With Study Abroad Seminar (4 sem. cr.)
This course builds on a 1- to 2-week seminar experience where students are immersed in the business environment and culture of another region. Students use their experience in conjunction with other resources to develop a robust understanding of doing business in a global environment.
MMSL 6672 Field Study (4 sem. cr.)
This course provides students the opportunity to develop an independent research project based on individual goals. Students propose a research project that aligns with Walden’s M.S. in Leadership program and their own professional objectives, conduct the research under the guidance of a Walden instructor, and present their results to that instructor. (Prerequisite: Prior academic approval is required.)
MMSL 6680 Individual and Organizational Commitment to Social Responsibility (4 sem. cr.)
In this course, learners will explore multiple approaches to understanding and improving the systemic relationships and obligations that exist among individuals, organizations, and the larger set of connected communities. Special emphasis will be placed on helping learners develop the ability to practice, with a keen awareness, social responsibility as part of the work they do daily. This provides opportunities for leaders to take into account the role they can play in effecting change and growth without doing harm through unintended byproducts and outcomes.
MMSL 6681 Social/Environmental Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development (4 sem. cr.)
In this course, learners will explore and evaluate opportunities to create value through the development of new organizations that respond in sustainable ways to the needs of both the micro-level community and the world at large. This course will prepare the learner to build new organizations that solve problems within a systems context and to build into their approach to planning, operations, and decision-making a global awareness that begins within their local community and extends far beyond. New venture plan outlines will be drafted that focus on social and environmental entrepreneurship issues.
