Curriculum

Curriculum

The program is delivered in four 1-week modules, structured to emphasize the complex nature of change in today’s organizational environments.


Executives enrolled in the program will be exposed to a change leadership curriculum that is both grounded in traditional psychological and business principles but also focused on working with and managing change in organizational environments of the future. 

Course content and learning objectives reflect professionally documented competencies essential for successful change leaders and are sequenced to emphasize the multi-level, complex nature of change in today’s organizations. Executives will learn about change-related topics at the societal, organizational, group and individual levels and will be asked to integrate their own learning and professional development through action research projects, cultural immersion events and participation in discussion-based reflective practice courses. 

The curriculum for the Executive Masters Program is comprised of three components. Executives will enroll in 12 “core” content areas that reflect today’s best thinking regarding the fundamental knowledge, skills and abilities required for leading organization change. These content areas are sequenced across four Learning Modules, each of which focuses on a different aspect or level of change in organizations (e.g., system, group, individual). For more information about each Module, click the links below.

In addition to the core content, two “integrative” practica have also been developed to assist the translation and application of core concepts to the actual work environment, namely through action research and individual and group reflection. These integrative practica span the length of the entire program and will have several components that occur in the liminal spaces between modules.

 

Alana posing“I’m looking towards more complex problems and creating effective partnerships with other practitioners and I’ve realized it’s really valuable to have access to the Organizational Development language we’re learning in XMA. Change is not going to be something that’s initiated by just one individual. Back at our organizations, we are not going to be able to achieve anything alone. At Google, our work, our success, and our projects are all based on team success. And so being able to communicate change in a clear way is of the utmost importance.” - Alana Weiss, Google

All integrative and cultural practica are part of the formal curriculum and will be taken for credit.

Module 1 focuses on the core principles and practices necessary for understanding and changing today’s organizations, including key insights into the psychology of human behavior in the workplace and the basic knowledge required for effective change leadership. Grounded in systems theory, Module 1 includes core content related to organization development, change and consultation, including phases of the consulting and applied research cycles as well as inputs on organization strategy, design and diagnosis. Using an actual client consultation as a guide, executives leave the first Module with a solid theoretical understanding of organization change and development, the relevant business concepts required to execute that understanding and the key frameworks and practices needed to lead change processes in their organizations. Considerable emphasis is also placed on building a cohesive and trusting learning community among members of the cohort.

  • Systems Thinking
  • Organization Change: Theory, Research & Practice
  • Organization Structure & Design
  • Business Strategy

Having focused in Module 1 on the foundational aspects of change leadership, Module 2 of the Program asks executives to consider how individual behavior in organizations is impacted by the dynamic and often covert processes that occur while working in groups and teams, thereby deepening their understanding of the change process. Grounded in systems theory and psychodynamic approaches to understanding group life, Module 2 includes core content areas related to group relations, diversity, intercultural communication and intergroup dynamics. Using a three-day experiential conference as a hands-on opportunity to learn about group dynamics, executives leave the second Module with an integrated framework for understanding how the rational change processes and models explored in Module 1 are further illuminated or undermined by anxiety, psychodynamic forces and intercultural challenges. Executives are also asked to consider the application of group dynamics to their own learning community and their experiences in it.

  • Group Dynamics: A Systems Approach
  • Group Relations Conference
  • Diversity & Intercultural Communication
  • Team Leadership & Facilitation

Having examined change leadership at both the organizational and group levels, the focus of Module 3 of the Program is on the individual competencies needed to lead change successfully, including and most importantly a thorough understanding of one’s own leadership strengths and derailers as well as a basic proficiency in the skills required for leading others. Grounded in a suite of valid psychometric assessments, Module 3 includes core content areas related to leadership development, self-awareness, coaching and conflict resolution / negotiation. Using a series of feedback experiences as an invitation for individual discovery and transformation, executives leave the third Module with a clear understanding of their potential as leaders, the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to lead and develop others, and the interpersonal awareness and coaching skills required to do so effectively. Executives also consider how such awareness can be leveraged to benefit the Program’s learning community.

  • Leadership Self-Development
  • Leadership Development of Others
  • Conflict Resolution/Negotiation
  • Coaching

Having examined both the theoretical foundations of change leadership as well as themselves as change leaders, Module 4 presents executives with an opportunity to consider innovative and underutilized approaches to change leadership that extend beyond the traditional organization development literature. Grounded in the most recent change leadership competency research and the features of successful change efforts, Module 4 includes core content areas related to organizational politics and influence, cutting-edge approaches to change management, and leadership and change sustainability. Using another actual client consultation as an opportunity to integrate their learning throughout the Program, executives leave the fourth Module with a unique and forward-facing knowledge and skill-base that will differentiate them as change leaders in today’s flattened, 21st century organization. Considerable emphasis is also placed on reviewing the cohort’s journey as a learning community and exploring the ways in which the group has understood its collective experience.

  • Advancements in Leading Change I: Change Management
  • Advancements in Leading Change Ii: Politics & Influence
  • Global Leadership Sustainability
  • Contemporary Issues in Organizational Life

 

Publications


Stories from the Inaugural XMA Cohort
Stories from Cohort 2
Stories from Cohort 3

The Applied Change Project


The applied change project (ACP) is an action research project that is designed to increase individual and organizational capacity for leading and managing change. A cornerstone of the Executive Masters Program and a key requirement for successfully completing the degree, the ACP requires executives to engage in an actual organization development (OD) consultation, either with their own organization or with a client organization, while receiving coaching and supervision from expert program faculty. 

Successfully fulfilling the requirements of the ACP involves mastering both the key features of OD consulting (e.g., entry, contracting, diagnosis, intervention, evaluation) and the basic principles of applied and action research. All consultations and interventions are expected to be rigorous, theory-based and empirically-driven, and assisting individuals in meeting these criteria is an integral part of the Executive Masters Program experience.

 

Peter posing“We’re tackling the issue of the culture of people not speaking up. If people don’t speak up then there’s no diversity of views from which to make decisions. And therefore we are poorer for it and we will not be able to compete as well in the marketplace for the next 15 years.” - Peter Goh, Government of Singapore Investment Corporation

 
Those who wish to apply to the program are not required to know the specifics of their project prior to starting the first course module, but they must demonstrate organizational sponsorship from the eventual site of the consultation as part of their admission requirements.

Back to skip to quick links