Organizational Dynamics, MSOD

The coursework offers a series of foundation courses that are the academic bedrock of the program. Evidence-based application courses follow, which allow students to evaluate and solve complex organizational problems. Students may dive deeper by completing courses in one of our concentrations.

Students will complete 12 course units (c.u.)* that balance core learning with individual exploration. This includes the following elements:

Foundations courses (4 CU)

Courses in the Foundations category are coded “F” and teach students a common language upon which to build their knowledge and prepare them for the deeper immersion in the topics they will study in our Application courses.

Our Foundations courses include:

• Introduction to Organizational Dynamics: The Practical Scholar
• Research Design and Methods in Organizational Dynamics
• Equity and Belonging in Organizations
• Organizational Culture and Communication

Applications courses (5 CU)

Courses in the Applications category are coded “A” and give students the opportunity to explore the issues and topics they encountered in the Foundations courses more deeply. From social media to crisis management to organizational politics, Application courses provide a closer look at how to apply complex academic lessons in any organization.

Elective courses (2 CU)

Electives may be courses from within the Organizational Dynamics Program 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 Program. The project blends academic and professional experiences and serves as the culmination of a student’s work in the program. They design a project that draws on their learning inside and outside the classroom to identify and explore a question tied to their professional and academic interests.

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

Students working on their capstone project enroll in the capstone course. In this course, students work with faculty to select a topic for their capstone project.

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

• Make an argument 
• Describe or summarize a position that is unique, original or which directly applies to the student
• 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 program

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