Sample Elective Courses
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Innovation and Creativity in Turbulent Times
Designed to familiarize students with diverse paradigms associated with the study of creativity, this course also presents the concept of similarities and differences from both Eastern and Western traditions that underlie all creative thinking. Examine various convergent and divergent processes for solving puzzles including synectics, provocations and metaphors.
Executive Coaching
Explore coaching theories and best practices in this highly interactive course, which encourages rapid skill development regardless of experience level. Topics include methodology and process, overview of different coaching types, available resources, the value of coaching (the business case), critical issues in developing a coaching practice, practical tools and skills for managers and leaders.
Conflict Management
Increase your skills in managing conflict by practicing the application of concepts and models. Focusing on both theoretical and practical understanding of conflict in interpersonal relationships, groups and organizations, students utilize systems concepts to expand understanding of conflict dynamics and to explore the interconnection of various types and levels of conflict.
Economics and the Environment
Prepare to use both mainstream and
alternative economic models to achieve
environmental and community sustainability.
Traditional and ecological market
economics contend with bioregional and
community economics as alternative
approaches to sustainability. Economic
assumptions and models from each of
these paradigms are presented, compared
and used to address local and regional
social and environmental issues.
Harnessing Human Diversity
Most organizations recognize the importance of managing diversity in their workforce to enhance creativity, morale and productivity. The majority of diversity management programs, however, fail to explore the complex dynamics of underlying forces and value systems. Explore the interdependence of personal, interpersonal and transpersonal identities to harness the immense richness of diverse human identities.
Evoking Spirit at Work
Explore the human spirit as the core of all learning experience. Probe higher levels of consciousness, where duality and multiplicity of the created world disappear. Become aware of the conditioning of thoughts by diverse paradigms – ranging from the reductionist to the wholistic. Rethink everyday reflections and practices from mystical and mythological perspectives.
Trauma and Healing in Organizations
Through an exploration of organizational culture, students are exposed to sources of organizational trauma – for example, the impact of a disaster upon or within an organization or significant shifts in the workforce, including downsizing – and the resulting internal dynamics. Using a systemic perspective, students learn ways to address these dynamics and heal organizations.
Managing Change in a Changing Environment
Students and faculty collaboratively
address specific personal, organizational and global issues related to management
and leadership in the 21st century.
Recent topics explored in collaborative
teams have included: complex social
systems; personal goals and creativity in
group settings; entrepreneurial teams;
spiral dynamics; and action research.
Globalization and Its Discontents: The Political Economy of the 21st Century
Examine contemporary economic globalization and some of its cultural, social and ecological impacts throughout the world. The culture of capitalism and the economic principles of the market economy are starting points in this study of both constructive and damaging effects of contemporary globalization.
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