Organizational Leadership is designed to enlighten, equip, and empower students to pursue personal and professional goals within their organizations. The focus of the specialty area ensures that students have a mastery of knowledge and skills to make leadership decisions, influence others and the organizations in which they work, and to lead and navigate organizational changes. The specialty area explores how culture, change, communications, diversity, and strategy impact an organization through research-based practices. Additional focus points are centered around executive leadership, leading across cultures, building organizational capacity, and leading as a coach/consultant.

Adult Learning and Development is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the areas of teaching adults, instructional design, workforce development, and program management within organizations and institutions. Heavily grounded in Knowles theory of andragogy, learners benefit from instructional practices built around the adult-learner are modeled and included in the instructional resources. An additional area of focus includes infusing technology within the learning environment and organizational curriculum mapping.

Teaching and Learning is designed for current educators, both K-12 educators and college/university faculty members that are practitioners within their field. Specific focal points include the areas of research, instructional theories and strategies, and emerging technologies within the field. The Teaching and Learning specialty area gives specific focus to curriculum mapping, designing of curriculum, and assessments to promote student-centered learning opportunities in the K-12 environment.

Higher Education Leadership is designed for current or future employees within a higher education institution. The goal is to develop future leaders in the higher education system through a mastery of the knowledge and skills to make or support leadership decisions, effectively interact with the many areas in the higher educational organization, and to participate in organizational changes. Specific topics of learning are focused on the complexities in the ever-changing world of higher education, analyzing and utilizing data to drive institutional improvement, leadership in diverse cultures, assessment and accreditation efforts, and theoretical practices within the field of education.

Educational Leadership is designed for current or future educators and school administrators, who desire to effectively lead and manage within school, school districts, and other educational institutions. The goal will be to develop future educational leaders that will help drive positive change and impact within their organizations, specifically the K12 sector. Specific focal points will be in the areas of research, leadership theories, and leading within culturally diverse environments.

Instructional Design and Technology focuses on designing, developing, and delivering effective and engaging learning experiences using technology. This specialization prepares students to design, develop, and implement effective and engaging learning experiences that leverage technology to enhance learning outcomes. It combines the best practices from education and technology to create innovative and dynamic learning environments that meet the needs of diverse learners. Students also learn about the latest trends and best practices in online learning, educational technology, and instructional systems design. Graduates may work in various settings, including corporate training departments, educational institutions, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. They may serve as instructional designers, e-learning developers, training managers, or learning consultants. Some graduates may also choose to pursue careers in academia, conducting research on how technology can enhance learning and teaching.

Applicants must provide a completed South College application for admission and application to the program. Those selected for admission will provide evidence of completion of a master’s degree (related master’s preferred) from an accredited institution of higher education with a minimum grade point average of 2.75.

Graduates of the program will demonstrate the following:

Goal I: Ability to interpret research, theoretical concepts, and cultural and organizational roles, and relate and apply them to organizational and higher educational leadership.

Goal II: Effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Goal III: Demonstrated research knowledge and skills in the broad field of learning.

Goal IV: Ability to engage in and conduct a deep analysis from research and with existing data sets to formulate strategic improvement plans.

Goal V: Understanding of theories in andragogy as it relates to organizational and institutional learning.