MSOD Program Curriculum
Pepperdine University's MSOD program is the result of more than 35 years of experience in educating change practitioners. And while the focus of the program remains on the development of both the organization and the individual, our curriculum also reflects new changes in the OD profession including the growing importance of globalization, sustainability, and technology for greater, more responsible business performance.
Our program now incorporates a combination of face-to-face intensives, in-the-field practicums and online learning courses to better prepare you to address the complexity of today's workplace.
MSOD Learning Framework
- Foundation courses provide fundamental principles, theories, and concepts in organization design and development. These courses are offered online, providing you with more flexibility in how and where you study. Always included is the collaboration with fellow students and with faculty.
- Intensives are face-to-face learning experiences that offer a deeper emergence in the skills and knowledge required to be an effective OD practitioner. The first intensive provides you with the opportunity to develop your self as an instrument of change. The second intensive focuses on consulting skills, team development and examines how to effect change on an organization level.
- Practicums provide you with real-world field experience working with professionals from different cultures and backgrounds. You will apply knowledge from the foundation courses and skills developed in the intensives in real time interaction with clients guided by faculty and alumni mentors. Fieldwork is currently offered in three continents with a wide range of business and industries, non-profit organizations, for profit businesses, and government agencies.
- An Applied Research Project allows you to integrate and apply the knowledge gained throughout your MSOD program by pursuing research specific to your organization and your interests.
- The Practice Portfolio completed by the end of the program documents your development and accomplishments as an OD practitioner.
Courses
Description
Foundation Courses
Foundations and Orientation to Organization Development
Foundations of Organization Theory and Group Dynamics
Foundations of Culture and Globalization
Foundations of Large Systems
- Master the concepts and theories of organization development
- Understand the principles and values of a positive change effort
- Gain insights into the impact of globalization and culture on today's organizations
- Develop skills in managing complexity and achieving high performance in larger organizations
- Develop strategies for effective collaboration across multiple organizations
Intensives
Individual Development and Change
Small Systems Dynamic and Design
Organizational Culture and Consulting Skills
- Develop the skills and knowledge of the self as an instrument of change
- Create a process to foster ongoing self-awareness and insight
- Explore group and inter-group dynamics
- Strengthen skills in team development and conflict resolution
- Enhance consulting skills
Practicums
OD Practitioner as Global Citizen
International OD and Large Scale Systems Change
Trans-organizational Systems
- Understand the implications of being a global citizen
- Gain experience in conducting research in a global context
- Explore planned change interventions in multi-organizational systems
- Develop total system and network-oriented change strategies
- Apply organization development concepts to sustainability issues
Applied Research
Action Research and Evaluation Methods in Organization Development
Applied Research Project
- Articulate your own perspective and research on organization development
- Explore the concepts and methods of applied and action research
- Design and implement an applied research project
Integration and Future of Organization Development
- Explore the issues shaping the future of organizations
- Participate with MSOD alumni and organization leaders in a knowledge sharing conference