Organizational Dynamics, MSOD

The Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics program provides you with the knowledge-base you need to understand and address complex organizational issues — and allows you to take a deeper dive into the concentration areas of your choice. Throughout your studies, you will work with an academic advisor to help you create a curriculum suited precisely to your interests.

As a Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics student, you will complete 12 course units (CU)¹ that balance core learning with individual exploration. Your course of study includes the following elements: (You can read about each curricular element in further detail below.)

Course List

Code	Title	Course Units
Foundations (Attribute BMOF)		4
Applications (Attribute BMOM)		5
DYNM Electives at the 5000 level or above		2
DYNM 7050	Capstone Course	1
Capstone Project
Total Course Units		12

Foundations courses (4 CU)

Courses in the Foundations category are coded “F” and teach courses teach you a common language upon which to build your knowledge and prepare you for the deeper immersion in topics that you will study in your Application courses.

Applications courses (5 CU)

Courses in the Applications category are coded “A” and give you the opportunity to explore the issues and topics you encountered in your Foundations courses more deeply. From social media to crisis management to organizational politics, Application courses provide a closer look at the elements important to any organization.

Elective courses (2 CU)

Electives may be courses from within the Organizational Dynamics Programs or from another graduate degree program at Penn. These courses are meant to provide students with an opportunity to explore new perspectives from the many programs at the university.

Capstone course and project (1 CU)

The capstone project is a distinguishing feature of the Organizational Dynamics Programs. The project blends academic and professional experiences and serves as the culmination of your work in the program. You will design a project that draws on your learning inside and outside the classroom to identify and explore a question tied to your professional and academic interests.

For our students, the capstone experience serves as a career catalyst, whether you intend to change directions or advance on their current path.

Students working on their capstone project enroll in the capstone course. During the course, you have opportunities to discuss your capstone progress, successes, and challenges with the course professor and with their classmates. The capstone course professor will describe capstone requirements and formats, facilitate peer feedback, and provide general guidance and support during the selection and writing of the capstone.

Students work with their capstone course professor to select a topic for a capstone project that is tailored to their professional and intellectual goals. You then seek out a capstone committee that consists of a faculty advisor and a faculty reader, both of whom are selected to participate on the committee based on their expertise as it relates to the chosen capstone topic.

The capstone projects vary widely; however, all projects demonstrate students’ ability to:

• Make an argument supported by in-depth, interdisciplinary research
• Communicate the connections between specific course concepts in an applied way
• Use primary sources or ones that apply to a primary organization as much as possible
• Apply competencies gained from the courses completed in the Organizational Dynamics Programs

Examples of Organizational Dynamics Programs capstone projects completed by program alumni are available on the Scholarly Commons website within the Penn Online Digital Library.