Drexel University
School of Education
Goodwin College of Professional Studies
Master of Science in Higher Education
ORGB 631: Leading Effective Organizations
Contacts List:
Course Instructor(s) / Dr. Michael Scheuermann / 215-895-0244 /Graduate Advisor / Maria Lanza-Gladney / 215-895-2243 /
SoE Technical Support / Help Desk / 215-571-3944 /
Drexel e-Learning / 24/7 Help Desk / 866-425-8410 / (US Toll Free)
Course Description:
“Prepares students to make informed decisions as leaders in common institutional and environmental contexts. The focus of the contingency-based perspective of this course is to help leaders understand how best to motivate and coordinate employees and to control outcomes in a manner that ensures they fulfill strategic objectives.”
Note: This is a course offered collaboratively through the School of Business and the School of Education. Students examine leadership theory and practice in higher education. This course specifically prepares students to make informed decisions as leaders in a variety of higher education institutions (four-year colleges, two-year colleges, for profit institutions, and national/international associations and agencies). The course also highlights higher education policy and critical issues related higher education and effective leadership.
Prerequisites:
Bachelor’s degree in any content area.
Learning Objectives
At the completion of the course, students will be conversant with the established and emerging theories and practices related to leading effective organizations. Students will become familiar with the following:
- Process of leadership,
- Overall leadership concept itself,
- Relatively new concept offollowership,
- Leadership within a variety of situations, and
- Basic and advanced leadership skills
These text topics are among others yet to be discovered by students, as our quarter together unfolds.Students will be able to model organizational and leadership effectiveness and discuss the relevant topics listed above and those which we discover together during our course.By the end of the course, students will be able to select, analyze, and/or participate in:
- Leadership in modern organizations
- Leadership exemplars in effective organizations
- Individual effectiveness strategies both for themselves and colleagues
- Motivation, satisfaction, and performance
- Groups and teams and their leadership
- Situational factors and determinants
- Contingency theories of leadership
- Leadership and change
- Myriad leadership skills
Drexel Student Learning Priorities ((DSLPs)
Throughout Drexel University, there are several learning priorities to concentrate on in all courses, where applicable. The Provost's Office developed these in late 2010. In our course, delving deeply into all of these areas aligns with the overall course objectives, particularly since this is an online graduate course that has many dimensions and components.
These Drexel Learning Priorities that we need to concentrate on across our learning experience together, particularly as related to Core Intellectual and Practical Skills, are:
1. Communication
2. Creative and Critical Thinking
3.Ethical Reasoning
4.Information Literacy
5.Self-Directed Learning
6. Technology Use
Per the Provost's Office, "Drexel graduates will be able to:
1. Employ an understanding of audience, purpose, and context to communicate effectively in a range of situations using appropriate media.
2. Use divergent (e.g., generation of novel ideas, thinking out of the box, brainstorming) and convergent thinking (e.g., critical thinking, evaluation of ideas, quantitative/qualitative analysis, scientific reasoning) to generate novel and relevant ideas, strategies, approaches, or products.
3. Assess their own ethical values and the social context of ethical problems, recognize ethical issues in a variety of settings, think about how different ethical perspectives might be applied to an ethical problem, and consider the consequences of alternative actions.
4. Possess the knowledge and skills to access, evaluate, and use information effectively, competently, and creatively.
5. Establish goals and monitor progress toward them by developing an awareness of the personal, environmental, and task-specific factors that affect attainment of the goals.
6. Make appropriate use of technologies to communicate, collaborate, solve problems, make decisions, and conduct research, as well as foster creativity and life-long learning."
Key Focus Areas
Drexel University has four "key focus areas" which are core in all courses, where applicable. These focus areas include:
1. Communication Skills
2.Experiential Learning
3.Global Awareness
4. Problem Identification, Solution Formulation, and Implementation
Communication skills will be key throughout the quarter as we form our learning community and discuss, on an ongoing basis, the course topics.
Experiential learning is prevalent with topics such as ours that cut across so many disciplines. Sharing our past, present, and possibly future workplace experiences and expectations will enable collaborative learning to take place as we interact.
Global awareness is a thread clearly winding its way through our text.
Problem identification, solution formulation, and implementation are very important to leadership. It is essential that this put into practical and immediate use in our professional, personal, and community lives.
Required Texts & Materials:
- Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience (2010) Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy. 7th Edition, Irwin - McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0-07-811265-2
- What Leaders Need to Know and Do: A Leadership Competencies Score Card, Ruben, B. (2006). Washington, D.C.: National Association of College and University Business Officers. ISBN:13:978-1-56972-038-7, (Book and CD)
- Reframing Academic Leadership (2011).BolmanGallos.Jossey-Bass. ISBN:978-0-7879-8806-7
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001). ISBN: 1-55798-791-2 (5th or 6thedition)
- APA Style Guide to Electronic References (PDF) (2007). ISBN: 1-4338-0309-7 Available at:
- Library Resources: The Drexel University Libraries provide services to Drexel's distance learning community equivalent to those available on the physical campuses. Our extensive collections of online databases, books, journals, etc. will provide many of the research tools that you will need to be successful in this course. With very few exceptions, all online resources in our collections are available to students regardless of whether they are on-campus or not. For a complete guide to services for distance learners, see: Tim Siftar, our Education reference librarian, has also created a research guide for higher education, see:
- Chronicle of Higher Education. You can access it online for FREE through the Drexel University Library. Everything for the Chronicle of Higher Education related to the courses can be done through the Drexel Library’s account. Off campus users may go to the home page ( and type "Chronicle of Higher Education" intothe search box. You will find the Chronicle of Higher Education Electronic Resource, which will provide you with online access.
Valuable Periodicals:
We strongly recommend that you peruse these periodicals as frequently as you can:
- Fast Company
- Bloomberg BusinessWeek
- Chronicle of Higher Education
- Harvard Education Review
- Harvard Business Review
- Fortune
- Wall Street Journal
- Financial Times
- New York Times
- Washington Post
Course Procedures:
- Changes in the Course Syllabus: It is highly unlikely that any significant element of the syllabus will change during our course. However, the instructor may make changes in the course syllabus and graded assignments if approved by the MSHE Program Director. Any change in the course syllabus will be communicated to the students via an announcement through the Blackboard course management system.
- Dropping a Course: The end of the 2nd week is the last day for dropping a course. You may withdraw from a course until week 6.
- Disability: Students with disabilities requesting accommodations and services at Drexel University need to present a current accommodation verification letter (AVL) to faculty before accommodations can be made. AVL'sare issued by the Office of Disability Services (ODS).For additional information, go to the ODS website at Following is the ODS contact information:
Physical Address / 3201 Arch Street, Suite 210, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Mailing Address / 3141 Chestnut Street, 81-210, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone / 215-895-1401
TTY / 215-895-2299
Fax / 215-895-1402
- Academic Honesty Policy:
All students are expected to abide by Drexel University’s policies. If an act of academic dishonesty is determined to have occurred, for a first offense, one of the following sanctions will be imposed, depending on the severity of the offense:
Reduction of a course grade
An “F” for the assignment or exam
Failure for the entire course with the inability to withdraw, or
Other action deemed appropriate by the faculty member. Examples include, but are not limited to, requiring the student to re-take the exam, re-complete an assignment, or complete an assigned exercise. The decision of the faculty member and the department head shall be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs, which is responsible for maintaining student conduct records. The incident will result in an official disciplinary record for the student(s).
Any academic honesty infraction beyond a first offense is subject to the sanctions described above, as well as to disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed through the University judicial process, administered through the Division for Student Life and Administrative Services/Office of Judicial Affairs. These sanctions may include suspension or expulsion from the University.
Drexel University Student Handbook
- Professionalism: During this course you will be given assignments that will involve observing and interviewing professional administrators. Adherence to the following guidance is particularly important to a professional code of behavior:
Treat all those you meet with courtesy, respect and sensitivity to the events occurring within the learning environment.
When describing your experience use general identifying descriptors (do not identify administrators/professors/students by name).
Be prepared to cite evidence (not just opinions) as you write up your findings. The discussion board is our community for intellectual discourse. It needs to be a “safe place” to share, probe, challenge and inquire in a respectful way so we all grow as learners.
Course Expectations:
Participants in this course will succeed by beingactive learners and participants, requiring everyone to take an active role in, and assume responsibility for,their own learning and to share the learning process with the course colleagues. Evidence of active learning includes:
“Attending” all weekly lectures, which is critical to promoting a learning community within the class.
Reading and watching all assigned materials and making note of questions, areas of interest, and connections you find to other readings.
Active participation in weekly discussions, allowing each student to test his or her own assumptions about student development and to expand the worldview of others in the class. Each member has an equally important story to share based on his or her own experiences. Students will benefit from the viewpoints of their classmates.
Posting Key Learning Points, sharing with your colleagues and the faculty what you learned with the weekly lectures throughout the quarter.
Attendance/Participation:As a student in this course,it is expected that you will actively participate in the weekly online discussion boards and complete assignments on time. Assignments are due no later than the assigned due date and time. Exceptions to this policy will require explicit permission of the instructor in writing.
Faculty response time: Faculty will respond to inquiries from students submitted via email or voice message within 24-36 hours. In addition, students may schedule a conference with the instructor by phone or via Wimba Live Classroom.
Course Schedule & Weekly Reading Assignments
Weeks will run in a Monday-Sunday format. Students are expected to read all assigned materials. These materials are comprehensive – with salient topics, up-to-date examples, useful self-diagnostics, and links to additional resources, timely mini-cases,articles,exercises, clarifying diagrams,skills relevant to the readings, key terms, questions, and related activities.
Class/Date / Topics / Reading Assignment / Submitted AssignmentWeek 1
April 2 /
- Introduction
- Leadership Competencies Scorecard
Ruben, “What Leaders Need to Know and Do.”
/ Online Discussion
Week 2
April 9 /
- What Do We Mean by Leadership?
- Leadership Development
Online Discussion
Week 3
April 16 /
- Skills for Developing Yourself as a Leader
- Power and Influence
Week 4
April 23 /
- Leadership, Ethics, and Values
- Leadership Attributes
Online Discussion
Week 5
April 30 /
- Leadership Behavior
- Skills for Building Personal Credibility and Influencing Others
Week 6
May 7 /
- Motivation, Satisfaction, and Performance
- Groups, Teams, and Their Leadership
Online Discussion
Week 7
May 14 /
- Skills for Developing Others
- The Situation
Week 8
May 21 /
- Contingency Theories of Leadership
- Leadership and Change
Online Discussion
Week 9
May 28 /
- The Dark Side of Leadership
- Skills for Optimizing Leadership as Situations Change
Week 10
June 4 /
- Leadership Epistemology
- Reframing Leadership Challenges
- Sustaining Higher Education Leaders
Online Discussion
Week 11 / Course Review / Post Class LCSI
Online Discussion
Grading & Assignments:
Assignment Value / Assignment / Due Date40 points
(4 points per week) / Discussion Board / Weeks 1 – 11
Original posts – each Thursday and
Response posts each following Tuesday
– all by 11:00pm EST –
Begins April 5, 2012 & Ends June 12, 2012
5 points /
Pre-Course Leadership Competencies Scorecard Inventory(LCSI) in What Leaders need to Know and Do & Personal Leadership Development Plan
/ Inventory and Personal Development Plan Week 2
Sunday 5:00pm EST
April 15, 2012
10 points /
Mini Case 1 – “Developing Leaders at UPS”
Chapter 2, p. 81.
(TEAM ASSIGNMENT)
/ Week 4
Sunday 5:00pm EST
April 29, 2012
10 points /
Mini Case 2 – “Innovation at IKEA”, Chapter 12, p. 513
(TEAM ASSIGNMENT) / Week 6
Sunday 5:00pm EST
May 13, 2012
10 points /
Reflection Paper
“My Theory of Leadership and Leadership Development” / Week 8
Sunday 5:00pm EST
May 27, 2012
20 points /
Leadership Research Paper /
Week 10
Sunday 5:00pm EST
June 10, 2012
5 points /
Post Course Leadership Competencies Scorecard Inventory (LCS) Summary and Development Plan - Lessons learned
/ Week 11
Sunday 5:00pm EST
June 17, 2012
100 points / Total Available
- Evaluation: All graded activities will require students to perform against the standard of professionalism, which implies (at least): accuracy, neatness, correct written and spoken form and style, punctuality, resourcefulness, creativity and other criteria specified for the assignment.
- Graded Assignments and APA: All graded assignments must include a cover page with your name, course number, title of the assignment, and date. Students must save files as indicated in each project description below or points will be taken off the final grade. All submitted papers must be double-spaced, 12-point font and in proper APA style.Students are required to follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition (2001).
- Assignment Due Dates: Assignments are due as listed in the syllabus and detailed elsewhere in our course. Late assignments will receive one letter grade reduction.
ASSIGNMENT DETAIL
Weekly Discussion Board (40%)
Original posts are due each Thursday evening and you need to make your response postings by the following Tuesday. In order to earn full credit, in each Thursday-Tuesday combination,course participants mustmake a minimum of eight postings. Your original postings, in at least four different topicsare due eachThursdayby 11:00 pm EST. You are then expected to post at least four responses to course colleagues’ postings by the following Tuesday at 11:00pm EST.
Threaded Discussions (TDs) are the asynchronous component of our course. However, even though they are not done in real time - the exchanges can (and should) get quite lively.Support your arguments and/or agree with those of others, as you think appropriate. If you disagree with someone's thoughts, or have experienced something in your past or present organization(s) that conflict with what others have related - we want to hear your insights.
I will view all threaded discussions on a daily basis and always by Wednesday evening. I will respond as required or as I deem appropriate to questions or topics, where necessary,across the entire course timeline.
In each week of the term you are expected to participate in the TDs, as outlined below. Attempt to participateearly. Do not save all of your thoughts until just prior to the due dates/times!
You will not earn any credit for late contributions, either Original or Response posts.
I am NOT looking for page-long offerings here. Give us your thought in a paragraph; a few sentences or so will suffice - make your point in a concise manner. However, simply saying that "I agree" or "I think that I disagree with that" is clearly an insufficient contribution. I review all contributions, and will update the Grade Book in a timely manner so you can see how you are doing, as our course goes along. The TD course element is normally graded on Wednesday.
You cannot earn full credit for posts that are too short (thin) or too long (verbose).
Weekly Threaded Discussion (TD) participation requirement:
- respond thoughtfully and concisely toat least four topics on theweekly list,
- read the postings of your course colleagues, AND
- provide responses toat least four postings by others infour differenttopic areas
- read at least 80% of postings each week
That is, you must contributeat leasta total of eight times, in eight different topics, each week that we have TDs.The 40% of your grade that threaded discussions (TDs) represent will break down as 4% in each of the 10 weeks where we have TD activity.