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2008 - 2009 Catalog
Master in Management
541-552-8283
www.sou.edu/mim
Hart Wilson, Program Manager
Southern Oregon University’s Master in Management program (MiM) is designed to enhance the skills of management professionals working in government, business, health care, and nonprofit organizations. Participants acquire the skills necessary to advance in their fields while continuing to work. The program offers a rich academic environment that combines fundamental leadership principles and specific management skills with a broad range of conceptual and applied perspectives.
Admission Criteria
This program is oriented toward people who are working or aspiring to work as leaders and managers in business, government, health care, or nonprofit organizations. Admission to the program is based on criteria that best predicts success within these career tracks.
Admission Requirements Include:
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. No specific academic or technical field is stipulated.
- At least three years of increasingly responsible experience working full time at the management level. This is measured by such criteria as the number of people supervised, the size of budget for which the applicant has been responsible, and the degree of decision-making autonomy.
- Evidence of writing skills appropriate to the graduate level.
Program applications are reviewed by an admissions committee comprising senior administrators and faculty. Evaluation is based on the program application form, three letters of reference, transcripts, a written 400-word statement of purpose, and other relevant materials. There are no entrance examinations required for applicants who meet the experience requirement.
An appropriate score on the GRE or GMAT may be accepted in lieu of managerial experience at the discretion of the MiM Admissions Committee.
Curriculum
The 45–51 credit MiM curriculum includes the following:
- A set of interdisciplinary core courses and two 1-credit seminars totaling 26 credits. These courses and seminars are designed to impart universal management skills.
| Budget and Finance (MM 512) | 3 |
| Strategic Management (MM 513) | 3 |
| Practical Research, Analysis, and Decision Making (MM 514) | 3 |
| Management Information Systems (MM 515) | 3 |
| Organizational Leadership and Communication (MM 516) | 3 |
| The Human Resource Environment (MM 517) | 3 |
| Marketing for Public and Private Organizations (MM 518) | 3 |
| Legal Issues in Management (MM 519) | 3 |
| Orientation to Graduate Study for the Management Professional (MM 520) | 1 |
| Society, Ethics, and Management (MM 521) | 1 |
- At least 16 elective credits in an area of management specialization. Students determine appropriate courses in consultation with the program manager.
- A 3-credit capstone project designed to demonstrate a comprehensive command of professional competencies learned in the program.
- At the discretion of the program director, 3 to 6 credits in supplementary coursework beyond the 45-credit minimum may be added to the participant’s course of study.
Delivery
The Master in Management program is structured and scheduled to accommodate students who are working full time. Core courses are offered in the evenings in Medford with occasional Saturday sessions held on the Ashland campus. Many elective courses are also available as evening sessions in Medford. Online technology is used to supplement class sessions and all students are expected to have access to the Internet.
Prerequisites
Course prerequisites for the MiM core curriculum are in effect for three courses. Orientation to Graduate Study for the Management Professional (MM 520) is a prerequisite for Society, Ethics, and Management (MM 521). Research (MM 514) requires the successful completion of at least 15 credits of MiM coursework. Research (MM 514) is a prerequisite for Capstone (MM 598). Supplementary coursework may be recommended on a case-by-case basis through the advising process. Some electives may have specific course prerequisites.
Transfer of credit for graduate coursework completed prior to admission to the MiM program is evaluated for acceptance on a case-by-case basis, consistent with existing SOU policy. Up to 15 credits of graduate work may be applied toward the degree as transfer credits from an accredited institution.
Application and Admission
Candidates for the MiM program must complete a program application and apply to SOU for graduate admission. Applications are available at the SOU Extended Campus Programs Office in Ashland, the SOU Medford Campus, or the MiM Program Office on the Ashland campus. A combined University and program application is available online at the Master in Management Web site (www.sou.edu/mim).
Application to the MiM program may be made for any term. It is recommended that candidates apply at least thirty days prior to the beginning of the term for which they wish to enroll. Qualified candidates may be enrolled as nonadmitted students at the discretion of the program administration and individual course instructor. A maximum of 7 credits of MiM-sponsored courses may be taken by a nonadmitted student.
Master in Management Courses
See Course Prerequisites PolicyGraduate Courses
| MM 509 Practicum |
| Credits to be arranged (no more than 6 credits may be applied toward the MiM degree) |
| Allows students to customize their education by attending professional workshops, seminars, or conferences. At the discretion of the program administration, practicum credit may also be earned for serving as a teaching assistant or implementing special projects. Approval for practicum credit is made at the sole discretion of the program administration. Practicum experiences must result in learning activities and a written report appropriate to the graduate level. Prerequisite: Program manager consent. |
| MM 512 Budget and Finance |
| 3 credits |
| Familiarizes managers with the role of budgeting and the budgeting process in diverse organizations. Students develop an appreciation for both the theory and application of financial practices to aid in their fiscal decision making. It is recommended that students have an understanding of basic accounting concepts prior to enrolling in this course. |
| MM 513 Strategic Management |
| 3 credits |
| Introduces students to advanced strategic management concepts in successful organizations, including the emerging fied of sustainability and its influence on organizational strategy and leadership. Students develop an understanding of how to use strategic management tools to initiate and implement problem-solving processes in dynamic and diverse environments. An in-depth case analysis allows students to demonstrate their understanding of key strategic management principles. |
| MM 514 Practical Research, Analysis, and Decision Making |
| 3 credits |
| Examines the relationship between practice and research in organizational decision making. Students acquire the skills and understanding necessary to critically review and competently interpret research findings in a decision-making context. Prerequisite: Successful completion of at least 15 hours of core coursework. |
| MM 515 Management Information Systems |
| 3 credits |
| Provides a broad overview of the role of Management Information Systems (MIS) in organizations. Describes the diverse technical, managerial, and professional knowledge of an MIS manager at a level appropriate for a non-MIS manager. Emphasizes both the data component of information systems and the management behavior, knowledge, and skills necessary to successfully manage an organization employing MIS. Also introduces current trends and drivers, including emerging technologies that affect the present and future of information systems. |
| MM 516 Organizational Leadership and Communication |
| 3 credits |
| Surveys the theoretical frameworks, empirical literature, and requisite skills associated with effective organizational leadership and communication. Examines questions of bureaucracy, culture, power, reciprocal influence, employee involvement, and other central issues from an organizational and communicative perspective. |
| MM 517 The Human Resource Environment |
| 3 credits |
| Focuses on critical issues and strategic questions managers need to understand in order to manage employees effectively. Emphasizes applied skills relevant to managing employees, including recruitment, selection, compensation, evaluation, and employee development. |
| MM 518 Marketing for Public and Private Organizations |
| 3 credits |
| Details the planning and implementation of marketing activities, marketing research, and effective evaluation of marketing strategies. Students develop an understanding of what is required to succeed and to achieve a competitive advantage within a framework of ethical marketing practices. |
| MM 519 Legal Issues in Management |
| 3 credits |
| Acquaints the manager with basic legal concepts in the field of liability, including personal injury, malpractice, product liability, and the available defenses. Students are introduced to the ways contracts are formed, including their development, problems, and pitfalls. An introduction to basic employment law and concepts covers the fundamentals defining wrongful termination and the practical ways employers can protect themselves. Presents an overview of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. |
| MM 520 Orientation to Graduate Study for the Management Professional |
| 1 credit |
| A gateway course required for all entering participants in the Master in Management program. Provides a means for students and faculty to discuss expectations for the program and to become familiar with the graduate school experience. Emphasizes exposure to academic culture, practices, and the unique structure and design of the MiM program. Establishes a common context for examining the practice of leadership in diverse organizations. |
| MM 521 Society, Ethics, and Management |
| 1 credit |
| Considers the relationship between common management values and those held by society as a whole, as well as various groups that comprise our diverse social milieu. Students, faculty, and community professionals are brought together to describe, critique, and evaluate the connections between management principles and contemporary issues from a variety of perspectives. Prerequisite: MM 520. |
| MM 530A Nonprofit Grantwriting and Government Relations |
| 2 credits |
| Surveys nonprofit managers’ primary areas of responsibility, including strategic planning, organizational change and development, locating and securing grants, and developing outcome-based assessment tools. Emphasizes assessing and evaluating grant-based programs. (Cross-listed with PS 530A and BA 430A.) |
| MM 530B Nonprofit Volunteerism, Board Development, and Community Mobilization |
| 2 credits |
| Surveys nonprofit managers’ primary areas of responsibility in leading volunteers and volunteer management. Emphasizes the importance of strategically mobilizing community involvement. (Cross-listed with PS 530B and BA 430B.) |
| MM 540 Topics in Management |
| 1 to 4 credits |
| Focuses on selected topics in leadership and management theory and practice. Past offerings have included Emotional Intelligence and Managerial Excellence (4 credits); Fundamentals of Project Management (4 credits); and Introduction to Organizational Coaching (1–2 credits). Repeat credit is allowed for different topics. A complete listing of courses taught under this title is available on the MiM website. |
| MM 598 Capstone Project |
| 3 credits |
| Serves to confirm comprehensive management competency in an applied setting. Requires students to implement projects consistent with their career interests and objectives that will demonstrate their mastery of skills acquired from the program’s core course offerings. Student proposals are developed through the research course (MM 514). Prerequisite: MM 514 or permission of capstone instructor. |
