DPT/MA Curriculum

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The dual DPT/MA degree requires you to complete a minimum of 24 Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership core credit hours, as well as eight elective credit hours. Here’s an overview of the required MA core curriculum:

Core Curriculum Courses for the MA (24 Credit Hours)

Foundation Courses, 11 credit hours

 

Management Core Courses, 13 credit hours

 

Foundation Course Descriptions

MG 6110 Compass Learning Community (1 credit hour)

This course provides an orientation to Rockhurst, the Helzberg School of Management and the MBA program. It discusses the distinct traditions, values and principles of Jesuit education in light of their connection to the MBA program. Students receive an introduction to adult-learning theory, personal development, business ethics and the team concept. Students complete a number of assessment instruments and begin assignments that they continue to develop and re-engage in subsequent courses.

Students must take this course during their first semester of the program.

MG 6008 Managerial Communications (2 credit hours)

This course explores the various techniques, instruments, processes and styles that leaders employ to communicate effectively within organizations. Students write, give oral presentations and learn how to use electronic media effectively. Exercises employ numerous real or simulated business situations that require communication in different styles, using a variety of forms and methods. This course provides an introductory experience and orientation to the MBA program. It establishes common communication protocols, determines critical self-awareness profiles and identifies the Rockhurst themes that students apply throughout the program.

MG 6320 Project Management (2 credit hours)

This course introduces students to the process of project management including planning, implementation, progress measurement and performance, results and evaluation. Students learn the knowledge, skills and technical tools for identifying project requirements, establishing project objectives and scheduling, balancing constraints and resources, and considering the needs and expectations of key stakeholders. Students learn the trade-offs and balance of project scope, resources and schedule, and how to compose an effective project management team. The course also covers producing project documentation, such as scope, requirements, design and testing documentation. 

MG 6130 Corporate Social Responsibility (2 credit hours)

This course builds foundational understanding of corporate social responsibility as the formation and stewardship of policies and processes leading to a culture of good decision-making in a company and in society at-large. Stakeholder analysis plays an important role in this course not only in examination of internal business decisions and processes, but also externally in understanding, anticipating and incorporating impacts and responses from social, governmental and environmental factors into decision-making. 

BIA 6300 Business Intelligence (2 credit hours)

Business intelligence is a set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information to enable more effective strategic, tactical and operational insights and decision-making with an emphasis on knowledge management. Using the case study approach in combination with contemporary software tools, students apply the concepts of business process analysis, quality control and improvement, performance monitoring through performance dashboards and balanced scorecards and process simulation. 

ACFN 6300 Financial Decision Making for Managers (2 credit hours)

This course is an investigation of financial decision making in business, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Emphasis is on the application of financial and nonfinancial information to a wide range of management decisions, from product pricing and budgeting to project analysis and performance measurement. A variety of decision-making tools such as break-even analysis, activity-based costing procedures, contribution margins, budgeting and the balanced scorecard are included. Emphasis is also placed on preparing financial information to request new capital, personnel or projects. This course will focus on the interpretation and use of basic financial information by non-financial managers, not on the production of financial statements and reports.

Open only to students enrolled in the Master in Organizational Leadership program.

Management Course Descriptions

MG 6310 Organizational Behavior (2 credit hours)

Course increases students’ awareness of organizational processes and practices, including leadership, management, motivation, morale, group dynamics, interpersonal communications, conflict and group problem-solving. The course provides conceptual insights and behavioral skills needed for successful leadership of continuous improvement in individual, team and organizational performance.

MG 6680 Organizational Change (2 credit hours)

Change management within modern organizations, whether public, private or not-for-profit, is a complex process with many moving parts. The larger an organization becomes the greater the complexity. This course focuses on the fundamental assessments, tools, processes and interventions used to identify, agree upon, and enact a successful change initiative. Using an integrated learning model, students will explore and apply these principles on both written and live case studies. Specifically, the following will be addressed: multiple models of the change process (techno-structural, human systems, balanced metrics), tools of organizational analysis, methods for overcoming stakeholder resistance, and techniques for ensuring buy-in and support from people at all levels of the organization. 

MG 6490 Business and Management Capstone (3 credit hours)

In this capstone experience, students integrate and apply knowledge gained from mentoring, self-assessment and functional courses in their graduate program. Key processes include integrative case studies, classroom practitioner interactions, consultative team projects and the leadership credo event, all of which focus on the dynamics of organizational change and strategy implementation. Summative learning assessment is accomplished through completion of integrative writing assignments and assessment of team projects by a panel of faculty and business practitioners.

Students should take this course during their last semester of the program.

MG 6380 HR and Managing People (2 credit hours)

This course focuses on the best practices of supervision and ways of effectively partnering with HR, including: communicating with employees, planning and delegating to individuals, leading the team, building trust and respect, motivating performance, intercultural communication, evaluating performance, coaching to improve performance, developing and maintaining discipline, and managing conflict. 

MG 6390 Conflict Management and Negotiation (2 credit hours)

This course explores the nature of conflict, including interpersonal conflict, organizational conflict, conflict styles, intercultural communication, and the function conflict plays in organizations. Particular emphasis is placed on the role leaders can play in addressing conflict to help organizations function more effectively. Students will learn skills to help others resolve conflict, and strategies to help them be more effective as negotiators. 

MG 6375 Leadership (2 credit hours)

Leadership plays an important role in organizations. This course examines the function of leadership at the organizational level, and explores how students might individually prepare to assume organizational leadership roles. The course reviews the leading theories of leadership and challenges students to apply these theories to specific organizational contexts. Students will also examine the unique challenges facing organizational leaders today, including the challenges faced by top level leaders within a global context. 

Prerequisite: MG 6310