Strategic Innovation and Change (Master's)
The Strategic Innovation and Change master's degree concentration is offered online or on campus at the University of Denver in the evenings, or in a combination of both, to meet the needs of busy adults. Change is inevitable, but dynamic transformation? That's a choice. Earn a leadership master's degree in Strategic Innovation and Change at University College and learn what it takes to thrive in an age of continual change, innovation, and strategy. Degree−seekers will learn tactical innovation and change management using vision, values, and mission as an overall guide. Gain personal effectiveness for your career and within your community with a strategy degree. Led by professional practitioners who work in the fields they teach, leadership classes provide professionals the skills to manage change, encourage innovation, and develop effective strategic initiatives while fulfilling an organization's mission.
Students can expect to develop environmental scanning skills to identify and evaluate external factors that affect an organization on a micro or macro level and prepare them to be solution−oriented leaders. While learning to take advantage of current realities and seize opportunities for an organization through strategy, degree−seekers will explore the change theories and concepts required for effective and ethical change leadership while understanding how the relationships within an organization are affected.
Organizations are analyzed from the viewpoint of strategic alignment of their critical frameworks of operation including financial management, budget, and planning. The concept of innovation not being a one−time event, but instead an organizational view and structure as part of an organizational strategy, will be explored. The importance of mission and vision is discussed throughout the Strategic Innovation and Change master's degree concentration. Customize your Leadership and Organizations master's degree through the innovative Professional Options Curriculum using our convenient online degree builder tool, which allows you to select courses that cater to your specific career needs.
This degree prepares students to:
- Define the role of mission, vision, values, and goals as a start of strategic planning
- Articulate and discuss the advantages and limitations of the strategic planning process
- Identify the areas to be addressed in implementing innovation and change; customers, competitors, suppliers, technology
- Explore the change theories and concepts and skills required for effective and ethical change leadership and how the relationships within an organization are affected
- Discuss how financial management and budget and planning need to align with the vision, values, and goals of an organization
Leadership and Organizations Outcomes
This program prepares students to:
- Identify a clear mission and lead the dynamic process of translating a mission in to a series of goals and outcomes
- Utilize the knowledge of an organization's most important resource, people, in the creation and transmission of knowledge and economic, cultural, and technological change
- Align mission, vision, people, resources, and goals to maximize success and value over time for an organization
- Design and implement processes and content in organizations to meet the description of organizational excellence, which includes strong leadership and relationships
Required Courses
MPS in Leadership and Organizations with a concentration in Strategic Innovation and Change requires completion of 48 credit hours (12 courses)
Professional Foundation Courses - 12 qtr. hrsProfessional Foundations courses help students to understand the scope of activity, historical development, future direction and trends, and typical types and roles of organizations that operate within a career field.
Concentration Courses - 16 qtr. hrs (Choose 4)
Professional Concentration courses allow students to focus on a specific professional area within the larger industry sector in which they are working or wish to work, and master the skills needed to excel in that area.
Further Study - 12 qtr. hrs (Choose 3)
Further Studies Options allow students to customize their degrees to match their career needs by either choosing in-depth study in their concentration by selecting three of the following courses, or exploring other options by using our Degree Builder tool.
Customize your degree or certificate using our convenient online degree builder tool, which allows you to select courses that cater to your specific career needs.
Core Coures - 8 qtr. hrsThe Graduate Research and Writing and Capstone Project courses are required for all master's degree students. The Graduate Research and Writing course prepares students for the writing and research assignments throughout their program, including the capstone project. The Capstone Project is the culminating academic endeavor of our degree programs, in which students explore a problem or issue within their field of study.
Design Your Custom Plan
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Use the online degree builder tool to customize your degree or certificate. Through the Professional Options Curriculum, you´re able to create your own degree or certificate plan by selecting courses that cater specifically to your career needs. Using the online degree builder, you´ll select the program and courses necessary to graduate from University College. |
Start Customizing Your DegreeView the tutorial or start building your plan now. |
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Careers in Strategic Innovation and Change
Titles
Strategy Manager, Product Management Director, Business Development Analyst, Project Manager, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Marketing Manager, Key Leader, Human Resources Manager, Consultant, Strategic Innovation Officer.
Duties
Innovative ideas generation, strategic thought and alliance, organizational alignment, collaboration, research, problem-solving, troubleshooting, idea generation, development, training, review and evaluation, management.
Outlook
Individuals who know how to effect change are essential in a recovering economy, as companies seek to make the most out of budgets, labor, and strategy. Chief Strategy Officer, a new role that has been popularized in several organizations, seeks to capitalize on innovation and push out the competition, according to Accenture. "Strategy development has become a continuous process, and successful execution therefore depends more than ever on rapid and effective decision making,” Accenture reports.
Careers In Leadership and Organizations
Raising the bar.
Whether you're raising money or developing fundraisers for the arts, education, or another worthwhile cause, quality fundraisers are in short supply, according to Philanthropy.com. A National Study of Challenges Facing Non-profit Fundraising has found a significant lack of qualified development directors, and several non-profits seek candidates to successfully fill these positions in addition to positions requirement basic fundraising skills. Take note of the rise in online fundraising success, particularly with social media revolutionizing the way we interact. Brush up on email outreach skills, social media savvy, and internet marketing knowledge.
Lean, green, and keen!
As companies look for improving efficiency and technology processes during hard economic times, directors, analysts, and managers are expected to think lean and be innovative in the workplace. There is a growing need for resourceful project managers in financial, technology, and legal sectors, as well as in energy and healthcare. Bonus! Project managers enjoyed earning more during the recession compared to the past two years, according to the PMI® Project Management Salary Survey. Independent consultants are also in high in demand, as companies try to save money by hiring one-off consultants for large-scale projects in need of management. Going green with virtual meetings and teams will easily play into this need for independent consultants.
Where are they now?
Graduates have job titles that include Chief Sales Officer, Advisory Project Manager, Branch Manager, Professional Sales Representative, Director of HR, Independent Consultant, Vice President, Director of Communications, Human Resources Associate, and Director of Development for companies or organizations such as Halliburton, Johnson & Johnson, Home State Bank, Info Solutions Company, PMSI, and independent small businesses.
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- Email University College or call 303-871-2291 or 800-347-2042
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