Adult Learning and Leadership MA

Lifelong learning for adults is an increasingly important educational specialization in the 21st century. Rapid changes are transforming society and making it critical for adults to continue to learn across the lifespan. Much of that learning takes place in classrooms, but a lot of learning also occurs informally through interaction in groups, communities, organizations, and social networks.

The Master of Arts described here involves predominantly in-person coursework. Students can and should also take some courses in hybrid and online formats, also offered given the importance of digital learning in today’s educational and work environments.

The Adult Learning & Leadership Program, at the M.A. degree level, prepares professionals who facilitate learning within and outside the classroom. The intellectual framework of the program examines the relationship of adult learning to organizational, management and leadership issues. The degree program prepares students to understand adult learning and development, to design and deliver learning interventions, and to assist organizations, communities, or other institutions to support learning for individuals and for the organizations or other social units that benefit from the lifelong learning of its members.

Required Coursework

Foundations  (6  credits required):

• ORLD 4050 002 Introduction to adult and continuing education (3)

• ORLD 4053 Facilitating adult learning (3)

Adult Development (3 required–choose from the following):

• ORLD 4051 How adults learn (3)

• ORLD 5070 Leadership for adult development (3) (Limited enrollment, by application to instructor; email Dr. Ellie Drago-Severson at drago-severson@tc.columbia.edu for more information)

Adult Learning Theory and Applications ( 9 points required–choose from the following):

• ORLD 4827 Fostering transformative learning (2-3)

• ORLD 4828 Imagination, authenticity, and individuation in transformative learning (2-3)

• ORLD 5053 Developing and managing adult learning programs (3)

• ORLD 4027 Education and Social Transformations: Elites and Inequalities in Transitional Economies

• ORLD 5062 Global and Strategic Human Resource Development in Organizations (3)

• ORLD 5063 Online Teaching and Learning: Applying Adult Learning Principles (3)

• ORLD 5055 Staff development and training (3)

• ORLD 5057 Adult learning & Education: Theory & Practice (3)

• ORLD 4060 Coaching from an adult learning perspective (3)

• ORLD 4815 Developing critical thinkers (1)

• ORLD 4844 Helping adults learn (1)

• ORLD 4850 Discussion as a way of teaching (1)

• ORLD 4855 Learning as a way of leading (1)

• ORLD 4860 Teaching Race in Predominantly White Organizations (1)

• ORLD 5815 Critical theory and adult learning (1)

Leadership and Organization (9  points required–choose from the following):

• ORLD 5023 Leadership and self-development (3)

• ORLD 5821 Leveraging emotional intelligence (EQ) to enhance organizational effectiveness (3)

• ORLD 5822 Building productive relationships with social intelligence (SQ) (3)

• ORLD 5823 Building 21st century organizational capability with cultural intelligence (CQ) (3)

• ORLD 4065 Leading change in a democratic society  (3)

• ORLD 5540 Social entrepreneurship & leadership (3)

• ORLD 4091 Somatics: Mind/body approach to leadership development (3)

• ORLD 4085 Management & leadership skills in practice (3)

• ORLD 5054 Strategy development as a learning process in organizations (3)

• ORLD 6054 Learning to think strategically (3)

• ORLD 5060 Learning and technology in organizations (3)

Research (3 points–choose from the following):

• ORLD 5073 Action learning design and coaching (3)

• ORLD 5550 Research on organizational learning (3)

• ORLD 6914 Learning communities: Introduction to research (2-3)

• ORL 5521 Introduction to research methods in education (3)

• HUDM 4050 Introduction to measurement (3)

• HUDM 4120 Basic concepts in statistics (3)

• HUDM 4122 Probablity and statistical inference Basic concepts in statistics (3)

• ORLJ 4009 Understanding behavioral research (3)

Electives Breadth Requirements (6 points —recommend HUDM courses above or choose from the folllowing):

• ORL 5362 Group dynamics: A systems perspective (3)

• HUDK 5197 The psychology of E-learning in business and industry

• ORLJ 4005 Organizational psychology 

• ORLJ 5340 Adaptive negotiation & conflict resolution 

• MSTU 4039 Video games & education (3)

• MSTU 4083 Instructional design of educational technology (3)

• HUDK 5197 Psychology of E-learning in business and industry (3)

Final Project

M.A. (Culminating Project)

Required

The M.A. project is a project-based application to practice. It is recommended to take ORLD 6914 Learning Communities: Introduction to research (2-3) when designing this project.

Guidelines for the M.A. Culminating Project are available in the Program of Study Advisement Guides (as downloadable files) located on the Adult Learning and Leadership program website.

Students should meet with their advisor the semester before they plan on graduating to review the guidelines and begin planning their project prior to their final semester of coursework.