Social and Organizational Learning
Faculty
Professor: Lavoie
Associate Professors: Addleson (Interim Chair), Cox, Foreman, Thatchenkery
Assistant Professors: Baker, Bennington
Course Work
This department offers all course work designated LRNG
in the Course Descriptions section of this catalog and the New Professional
Studies courses associated with the organizational learning track of the Master's
in New Professional Studies.
Program on Social and Organizational Learning
The Program on Social and Organizational Learning is an interdisciplinary program
in the College of Arts and Sciences. The program's courses are designed to serve
graduate students and advanced undergraduates in a variety of fields. These fields
include organizational behavior, economics, telecommunications, management, nursing
administration, education, software engineering, English, psychology, international
transactions, public affairs, and sociology.
New Professional Studies: Organizational Learning, M.S.
The organizational learning track of the New Professional Studies M.S. degree
program is an innovative program offered by the interdisciplinary Program on Social
and Organizational Learning. An integrated, 21-month program, it is designed for
working professionals with several years of work experience. It provides the conceptual
tools and practical guidance to foster organizational change. A feature of the track
is its group-oriented approach to learning. This is supported by the use of Lotus
Notes and web-based collaborative computer technologies. Students develop the competencies
to apply these technologies to make organizations more effective.
The track focuses on three related areas:
- Creating and leveraging knowledge through networks of people who communicate
and collaborate
- Understanding and managing change by integrating the diverse roles of people,
processes, and technology
- Enhancing and facilitating collaboration by building effective relationships
in technology-rich environments
The organizational learning track has the following objectives:
- Meeting the needs of the working professional in rapidly changing organizations
- Linking theory and practice through action-oriented group learning
- Building a learning community of collaborative colleagues
- Integrating collaborative technologies by using groupware skills to enable a
high degree of collaboration and interaction between students and faculty
Admissions Requirements
Admission is based on a departmental admissions committee's evaluation of the
applicant's suitability. The committee's assessment will be made in the light of
the applicant's transcripts of academic accomplishment, work experience, letters
of recommendation, a statement of goals by the applicant, and, when possible, an
interview with members of the department. Applicants are requested to submit curricula
vitae with applications.
Degree Requirements
The M.S. in New Professional Studies: Organizational Learning begins each year
in the fall. It is a 33-credit, part-time program, which runs over five consecutive
semesters. The participants work in teams and complete most of the courses in sequence.
Choices in electives are available in the fourth and fifth semesters. During the
final semester, participants complete an integrative project in which they apply
appropriate research methods to organizations. Overall, the process and methods of
evaluation stress the cumulative development of competencies and the capacity to
apply the insights gained. Students are expected to have easy access to a computer
with collaborative computing software and Internet access. Specific minimum computer
specifications can be obtained from the program office. Successful completion of
the following courses is necessary to fulfill the course requirements of the track.
| Core Courses |
MNPS 700 The New Professionalism: Theory and Practice
|
3
|
MNPS 702 The New Professional as Reflective Practitioner
|
3
|
MNPS 703 Technology and Learning in the New Professions
|
3
|
MNPS 704 Research Methodologies in the New Professions
|
3
|
| Additional Requirements |
|
LRNG 602 Group Dynamics and Team Learning
|
3
|
LRNG 672 Organizational Learning Laboratory
|
3
|
LRNG 720 Learning Community
|
3
|
LRNG 792 Special Topics: Strategic Knowledge Management
|
3
|
Electives (minimum of two)
|
6
|
Action Research Practicum
|
3
|
| Total Credits |
33
|
Individual LRNG courses and sequences of courses serve to fulfill requirements
and restricted electives in a growing number of additional graduate programs including
the Ph.D. in Public Policy, the Ph.D. in Economics, the D.A. in Community College
Education, the M.A. in Telecommunications, the Master of Public Administration, and
the M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies. LRNG courses can satisfy students wishing
to concentrate in a variety of areas.
A student can pursue an interest in information-age change management and technology
through these courses:
- LRNG 572 Taming the Electronic Frontier
- LRNG 583 Groupware for Organizational Learning
- LRNG 596 Independent Study
- LRNG 601 Organizational Learning
- LRNG 602 Group Dynamics and Team Learning
- LRNG 610 Object Technology for Nonprogrammers
- LRNG 672 Organizational Learning Laboratory
- LRNG 692 Special Topics
- LRNG 792 Special Topics
- LRNG 796 Independent Study
A focus on applications of an Austrian economics perspective can be gained in
these courses:
- LRNG 676 Comparative Socio-economic Systems
- LRNG 781 Interpretive Social Theory
The program's courses address social theory as well as practical issues related
to change management in organizations and subtle questions in the philosophy of knowledge.
In teaching and research the faculty address questions such as, How do learning processes
work in human society? The methodological slant is interpretive, emphasizing ethnographic
and archival approaches to empirical work. Theory is grounded in application in organizations.
The courses examine the role of knowledge, communication, interpersonal and group
dynamics, markets, and information technology in social institutions and organizations.
Further information can be obtained from the executive secretary, Program on Social
and Organizational Learning, by calling (703) 993-1142, by faxing (703) 993-3788,
or by sending e-mail to psol@gmu.edu.
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