Special Topics

This seminar provides students with an opportunity to develop the Liberal Learning Skills through exploring modes and processes of systematic inquiry. Students develop researchable questions and use these questions to gather and critically evaluate information and identify appropriate research methodologies. In addition, students practice searching, managing and analyzing information sources and building integrative literature reviews.

This seminar provides students with an opportunity to develop the Liberal Learning facilities through understanding personal and organizational change. Multiple dimensions and dynamics of change and the roles and responsibilities of professionals as change agents are explored. Special emphasis is placed on analyzing change processes using both linear and systems models and formulating interventions to facilitate productive change in the workplace (profit and nonprofit).

This seminar provides students with an opportunity to develop the Liberal Learning Skills through improving interpersonal dynamics. Students are introduced to various models for working collaboratively with diverse constituents over multiple contexts. In addition, students are provided opportunities to strengthen their interpersonal relations and communications skills (per context) by learning and practicing strategies and techniques that foster skill development.

This final seminar provides students with an opportunity to develop the Liberal Learning facilities through exercising effective leadership. Major themes of each of the previous seminars are integrated within the concept of effective leadership in a changing world. Key theories and principles relative to the management/leadership continuum are examined as well as the implications of current trends for the future of leadership both in general and within students' personal/professional contexts.

This area addresses knowledge and understanding of theories, models and/or theoretical frameworks - including implications for practice - that are most relevant to the Focus Area.

This area addresses the systematic gathering of data and interpretation of findings as practiced within the Focus Area and/or related fields.

This area involves identifying skills that are particular to the profession and the context(s) in which these skills are applied. The emphasis is on actual demonstration of specialized skills used in practice.

This area involves facility with communication modes relevant to professional practice in the focus area. It requires an understanding of the relationship among key communication variables (the message, the method, the audience, and the context), a repertoire of communication strategies, and a dexterity or ease of access permitting the professional to adapt communication strategies to changing situations as necessary.

This area addresses the human and structural issues that professionals encounter within practice (work) environments, providing students with the opportunity to consider how their professional role affects and is affected by systems, technology, structure and other people within their practice settings.

This area addresses the issues and problems of the student's focus area within a context that includes at least one of the following: the historical development of the profession over time and its future direction (temporal); the relationship between the profession and the society within which it exists (social, multi-cultural); and/or, the nature of the profession globally (international).

This area addresses the relationship between beliefs and assumptions regarding humanity, good/evil, right/wrong, etc., and behavioral outcomes (including conflicts).

This area addresses the interplay between thinking, doing and reflecting in the often-ambiguous and complex contexts of daily practice.

This domain examines the physical, cognitive and spiritual dimensions of personal development and performance. Central questions include: Who am I and what should I become? What habits of mind, attitude, and behavior might I improve upon? How can I construct personal meaning and inform future actions from my experiences? Embedded in these questions are the core concepts of learning and change, choice and consequence, identity, and various dimensions of self. Seminars in this domain might address topics such awareness, agency, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, motivation, reflection, resilience, and self-discipline.

This domain focuses on one?s ability to both communicate effectively and understand the meaning of others? communications. To develop interpersonal effectiveness, one must overcome the barriers that result from differences in culture, race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, and socio-economic status. Interpersonal effectiveness requires self-awareness, cultural competence, and skills in active listening, building trust, dialogue, collaboration, and conflict resolution. Central questions include: How can we improve interpersonal relationships in both personal and professional domains? How can we make decisions and solve problems together? What are the dynamics of and processes for collaboration? How do we understand and use the human/computer interface as tool to enhance communication? Seminars in this domain might address topics such as intercultural communication, valuing human similarities and differences, interpersonal communication, and 21st century human-computer interfaces and interactions.

This domain explores the larger systemic contexts within which individuals function. As the world grows increasingly complex and interconnected, the ability to understand and navigate people-in-groups (organizational, societal, and global) becomes increasingly critical. In this domain, students broaden and deepen their capacity to make a difference at ever-widening levels of system. Central questions include: How do we engage as organizational resources, community participants, members of society and global citizens? How do we get along? How do we get work done? How do we both fit-in and remain unique? Seminars in this domain might address topics such as project management, leadership, organizational culture, career management, performance improvement, context scanning, global citizenship, trend analysis, cross-cultural agility, and future visioning.

This domain examines the ability of individuals to recognize and analyze their own values and those of others in order to find effective ways to translate those beliefs into effective action. When individuals expand awareness of their own choices and recognize the choices of others, they can live their own lives more effectively and successfully mediate conflicts with others. Central questions include: What should I do in this situation? Why did he/she/they decide to do things that way? That is so clearly wrong ? isn?t it? Seminars in this domain might address topics such as ethical reasoning, decision-making, values-clarification, priority setting and courage in action.

This domain focuses on developing methods and processes of inquiry that can be applied in any of the other domains. Adults must be able to engage in self-directed inquiry in order to understand and act effectively in their personal, professional, social, and civic lives. In this domain, students learn methods for systematically and strategically exploring questions, problems, ideas, and experiences. Central questions include: How do I formulate viable questions? What information do I need to understand a problem and what is the best way to obtain it? What are different ways to analyze an idea? How can I make sense of what I have experienced? Seminars in this domain might address strategies and methods to generate and engage primary research; to gather and manage information; to organize, analyze and present data; and to pursue targeted methods of inquiry.