Risk Management Courses
ORG 5020 Survey of Psychology of Leadership I^
This survey course provides students with master’s degrees in areas other than psychology, organizational development, and/or leadership with basic foundational knowledge in the disciplines relating to psychology as applied to leadership roles in organizations. The course prepares students for future courses by covering an introduction to research methods, ethics, and basic historical, current, and future psychological and organizational theories and concepts. Specifically, students will learn about major schools of thought in psychology, theories of intelligence, and individual differences like cognitive ability, personality, and values. With regard to the world of work, organizational citizenship behaviors, counterproductive work behaviors, job analyses, adverse impact, and staffing will be explored. Training and evaluation methods will be discussed with a focus on thinking styles grounded in foundational psychological theories such as classical and operant conditioning. This course may not be transferred in.
ORG 5022 Survey of Psychology of Leadership II^
This survey course provides students with master’s degrees in areas other than psychology, organizational development, and leadership with more advanced foundational knowledge in the disciplines relating to psychology as applied to leadership roles in organizations. This course expands on ORG 5020 Survey of Psychology of Leadership I and continues to prepare students for future courses by introducing and/or reinforcing the topics of motivation, culture, ethics, and historic, current, and future leadership theories and practices as they relate to behavioral studies. Personality and leadership, social identity, group prototypes, and the identity of leadership as a whole will be examined, as well as attitudes, emotions, self-efficacy, work-family life balance, stress, well-being, and job satisfaction. This course may not be transferred in.
ORG 7519 History & Systems of Industrial & Organizational Psychology
The course will provide an overview of the key events and accomplishments that have played an important role in the historical evolution of industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology and the systems that form the basis of the discipline. A review of the history of I/O psychology introduces several important distinctions that define the discipline and theoretical models and perspectives that trace the evolution of theory and practice. The learning activities emphasize the dichotomy between the science and applications of I/O psychology. The course will trace the development of the field from three different perspectives (1) objectives for research and practice in the field, (2) basic methodological orientation of practitioners and (3) the systems and research-based foundations that form the basis of professional practice in I/O psychology.
ORG 8530 Influence, Motivation & Persuasion in the Workplace
This advanced graduate seminar explores theories of motivating adult performance in the workplace. The exploration includes theories and application of methods for leaders to influence and persuade others in ways that motivate and engage them in their work and their organization's mission.
ORG 7500 Diversity in the Workplace
This course is a systematic study of multi-cultural issues in the workplace, emphasizing respect for diversity of people and families, particularly with regard to matters of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. Specific ethnic groups are studied in regard to family relations and cultural impacts on workplace behaviors. Attention is given to ethnocentrism and racism in society and traditional culture-bound organizational human resources approaches. Through this course, students better understand themselves (including expectations and biases toward others based on their ethnic families of origin. Positive and negative feelings about ethnicity are also explored.
ORG 8511 Advanced Topics in Performance Management
This course takes a broad perspective on the theory and strategic application of performance management systems design and implementation, with an emphasis on the more complex issues and questions associated with these advanced systems. This advanced course explores strategic issues and best practices in employee engagement, leadership development, succession planning, evaluative performance feedback, and compensation models. The ways that the changing nature of work and changing demographics in the business world are influencing performance management systems are examined, including globalization, generational differences, multinational operations and cross-cultural issues. Based on current theories and applications for performance management systems, students explore current literature and case examples to implement and support organizational development and increased organizational effectiveness.
ORG 8510 Advanced Seminar: Leading Organizational Change
This seminar examines cutting edge trends in organizational change, the current global business climate, forces driving change, and issues related to positioning organizations for the future. The topics selected will connect change with culture, existing organizational strategies, and the process of change in future directions. Major case study examples of organizational change are included in the learning process.
ORG 8518 Professional & Business Ethics in Organizational Leadership*
This advanced seminar examines enduring issues in business and professional ethics, in addition to the application of proven approaches to ethical professional practice and organizational operations to contemporary organizational environments and issues.
ORG 7410 Research Design & Methods - Qualitative
Readings and exercises in this course emphasize design, analysis, and research concepts most appropriate to investigating intangibles and common data in psychological modeling. Techniques of methodological design related to observational, evaluative, systemic, psycho-historical, phenomenological, heuristic, mythic, and case methods are emphasized. Other course topics include data collection, reliability, validity, data summary and analysis, data reporting, influences on response rate, techniques of survey sampling (mail, questionnaire, and telephone surveys), and semi-structured interview schedules. Research issues of protection of human subjects, privacy, and confidentiality are also addressed. Students are supervised and share experiences gained while preparing to develop, administer, and analyze qualitative research projects. Emphasis is placed on the role that qualitative methodologies play in the world of research.
ORG 7400 Research Design & Methods - Quantitative
This course extends a student's knowledge of the principles and procedures involved in complex behavioral sciences research. The goal is to provide the student with an educational experience that allows him or her to become an informed consumer of scholarly psychological research. The course also prepares the student to conduct advanced research. Topics include philosophy of science, advanced research methods, and analysis of variance.
ORG 7402 Advanced Tests & Measurements
This course involves the advanced study of the theory and practice of psychological measurement. Students review and apply the concepts of measurement (levels of measurement, variables, and validity and reliability of instruments and measurement procedures), and basic principles of statistics (descriptive statistics, univariate inferential statistics for comparisons of sample means, correlation, and regression), as a basis for exploring the proper use of tests and measurements in psychological research. Students will explore published research based on psychometric instruments and other measurement methodologies, and design a quantitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.
ORG 7101 Assessment Tools for Organizational Leadership*
This course involves the study of the theory and practice of objective personality assessment and its application to executive coaching and organizational leadership. The course focuses on how objective personality assessment is used to provide insights into readiness for leadership and management roles. Primary emphasis is on those published instruments and inventories commonly used in executive coaching, organizational leadership assessment and organizational development, including instruments such as: FIRO-B, Social Style Profile, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, CPI 260, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode, Campbell Leadership Index, Workplace Big Five, Change Style Indicator, Campbell Organizational Survey, and Conflicts Dynamics Profile. (All of the above will not necessarily be included in each session of the course; instructors will select representative examples from classes of instruments.)
ORG 7415 Advanced Statistics
This course emphasizes inferential statistical concepts related to methods most appropriate to data and theories in psychology. The focus is on a quantitative approach to the concepts and methods of statistical inference. Topics include hypothesis testing, probability, multiple correlation and regression, t-tests, nonparametric tests, Analysis of Variance, Analysis of Covariance, and Multivariate Analysis of Variance. Research design issues are addressed, with a focus on selecting data analysis techniques to appropriately address research questions and apply the concepts covered to various psychological problems and real life situations. Emphasis is on developing skills in interpreting statistical results presented in research articles.
ORG 8172 The Principles of Risk Management & Organizational Strategy Overview
The history and theoretical principles of Risk Management and organizational strategy form the foundation of this specialization overview course. From that foundation, the course explores the inter-dependence of all phases of risk management and organizational strategy. Students will develop an understanding of these principles and potential application to organizational development and leadership.
ORG 8175 The Role of Leadership in Organizational Risk Management
In this course students will examine their own personality styles and behaviors in relation to how they manage and process risk. They will analyze the behaviors and strategies leaders use to manage the risk management function in organizations. Leadership areas such as effective decision making, ethical judgment, strategic thinking, planning and organizing, communication strategies and skills, influence and consensus building as they relate to managing organizational risk, will be analyzed. Through case studies and integrated research, students will develop support for a set of best practices for organizational leaders who are responsible for managing risk in organizations.
ORG 8177 Risk Assessment, Financial, & Strategic Development Tools
This course focuses on the study of the various instruments, assessment tools, and financial models that are used by executives and leaders in their business planning, risk management and decision making processes. This will span tools commonly used in organizational leadership assessment, risk assessment, business planning, and financial models and tools to measure ROI (return on investment), and perform cost/benefit analyses. From this foundation, the course will explore the inter-dependence of ROI, risk and cost/benefit analysis in the executive strategic planning and decision-making processes. Students will review theories and develop executive decision process models based upon quantitative risk, financial and strategy analysis tools and models.
ORG 8180 Organizational Change Management & Paradigm Shifts as Related to Managing Risk*
This course focuses on the theoretical principles and models of organizational change management as they relate to the implementation of risk management processes throughout the organization. Concepts and processes associated with the discovery and development of new paradigms will be integrated with change management and risk management activities throughout the organization. Students will develop skills in integrating change management and paradigm discoveries with effective risk management practices and organizational development and leadership.
ORG 8182 Risk Management of Human Capital
This course examines the process of risk management as it relates to the human capital of organizations. People impact all areas within organizations; therefore the focus on Human Capital risk is a very important part of an effective organizational risk management program. Research on topics such as talent management, human motivation, basic human resource management strategies, labor demand and supply, reorganization strategies, diversity management, training and development, organizational global re-positioning, and compensation and benefits will be analyzed as it relates to the management of risk and human capital. Ethical and diversity issues related to organizational risk will also be examined. Students will use case studies to examine and apply their knowledge on managing risk in organizations as it relates to human capital.
ORG 8185 Risk Management & Global Organizational Business Practices
This course involves the research and application of risk management processes to organizational operations in the global marketplace. Students will learn how to effectively use risk management tools and processes to identify, evaluate, and prioritize global strategic and operational objectives and opportunities. Students will research organizations that have successfully applied risk management principles to their global business operations and use that research to create a risk management strategy for a global organization. Risk management as a source of global business competitive advantage will be explored.
ORG 8770 Doctoral Capstone Seminar (4 credits)
This seminar provides students the opportunity to apply what they have learned in their curriculum to highly realistic case studies related to their fields of specialization for the doctorate. Through discussions among students and the instructor, students will review, analyze and evaluate case studies emphasizing the practice of the content in their curriculum. The course will involve the analysis and evaluation of one or more case studies. Students will contemplate complex ques-tions posed by their instructor, reply to those questions, respond to other students’ analyses and evaluations, and receive faculty feedback. Each student will submit a final assignment on each case, involving his or her critical thinking on the core issues presented in the case and the presentation and defense of an approach to addressing those core issues. Prerequisite: completion (including approved credits trans¬ferred) of all coursework required in the student’s doctoral curriculum.
ORG 8910 Dissertation Planning I (1 credit)
In this course students begin drafting their dissertation under instructor supervision. Students working individually on their dissertation drafts focus on the description of their topic, refinement of their research questions, and outlining their review of the literature with feedback and recommendations for revisions from their instructor. (Final approval of these drafts of portions of the dissertation rests with the student’s individual dissertation committees, as described in the current University of the Rockies Dissertation Handbook, as revised from time to time. Following the procedures outlined in the Handbook, students may form their committees before, during, or after their enrollment and completion of Dissertation Planning I and II.) Prerequisite: Doctoral Capstone Seminar.
ORG 8912 Dissertation Planning II (1 credit)
In this course students continue drafting of their dissertation from Dissertation Planning I under instructor supervision. Students working individually on their own dissertation drafts focus on further refinement of the description of their topic, the final draft wording of their research questions, and beginning to write their review of the literature and research methodology with feedback and recommendations for revisions from their instructor. Students will exchange research concepts and proposed approaches about their research methodology with other students proposing similar methods (qualitative, quantitative, mixed, action). Final approval of these drafts of portions of the dissertation rests with the student’s individual dissertation committees, as described in the current University of the Rockies Dissertation Handbook, as revised from time to time. Following the procedures outlined in the Handbook, students may form their committees before, during or after their enrollment and completion of Dissertation Planning I and II. Prerequisite: completion of all required coursework and HUM/EDU/PSY/ORG 8910.
ORG 8990 Dissertation (1 credit per term, 5 terms)**
Students writing a dissertation must complete a total of 5 credits by registering for five consecutive terms of dissertation credit, one credit per term. Dissertations are written per the policies, practices, and procedures in the Dissertation Handbook.
Total Credits 68
^Students entering the program without a Bachelor's or Master's degree in in non-clinical psychology, human performance technology, training and development, human resource development, organizational leadership, industrial and organizational psychology, or a related field are required to successfully complete ORG 5020 and ORG 5022 as part of the program. These courses are designed to prepare students for the remainder of the program.
*This course may not be transferred in as it contains a weekend in-residence requirement in Denver (Friday midday to Sunday midday). Dates will be published in advance. Travel and related expenses are the responsibility of the student. However, these costs are included within the Federal Financial Aid Cost of Attendance.
**As a requirement for graduation from University of the Rockies with a degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), each student must complete and successfully defend a dissertation. The purpose of the Dissertation is to ensure that the student has mastered the ability to pursue a systematic investigation, which examines significant issues or problems in applied psychology. The Dissertation requirement is also designed to contribute to the student's knowledge, skills, and research expertise in psychology. Students choose a topic that addresses carefully chosen research questions that the student then investigates with quantitative or qualitative research, with a meta-analysis, or with a program design or program evaluation. Prerequisites, timelines for completion, and attendance requirements for Dissertation, as well as a detailed explanation of each step in the process, are described in the Dissertation Handbook.