Course Descriptions | OLS

• OLS 25200 Human Relations in Organizations (3 cr.)
  A survey of the concepts which provide a foundation for the understanding of individual and group behavior in organizations of work, with special emphasis on typical interpersonal and leadership relationships.
• OLS 27400 Applied Leadership (3 cr.) P: OLS 25200, or consent of instructor.
  Introduction to, and overview of, the fundamental concepts of leadership and supervision. Emphasis is placed on the supervisor’s major functions and essential areas of knowledge, his or her relations with others, and his or her personal development.
• OLS 28400 Leadership Principles (3 cr.)
  Mastery of the basic knowledge managers need to effectively lead individual employees. Includes primary measures of performance success, leadership strategies, core leadership actions, and a comprehensive theory that explains how their strategies and actions cause positive attitudes and increased performance. II
• OLS 34600 Critical Thinking and Ethics (3 cr.) P: OLS 38600.
  A course in complex problem solving and creative thinking with an emphasis on the ethical impacts of these solutions. Credit not given for OLS-34600 and OLS-44000.
• OLS 35100 Innovation and Entrepreneurship (3 cr.)
  An in-depth study of innovation in existing organizations, as well as entrepreneurship in start-up businesses, franchises, family-owned firms, and other business formats.
• OLS 37500 Training Methods (3 cr.)
  Principles, practices, and methods of employee training. Introductions to systematic training program design, development, and evaluation. Emphasis is on the supervisor as a trainer.
• OLS 37600 Human Resource Issues (3 cr.)
  Analyses and discussion of selected case problems concerning typical leadership and human resource management situations faced by a supervisor/manager. Emphasis is directed toward developing the student’s attitude, philosophy, analytical ability, and problem-solving skills within the working environment.
• OLS 37800 Labor/Management Relations (3 cr.)
  An introduction to, and overview of, the fundamental concepts of labor relations, collective bargaining, and dispute resolution procedures. An international comparative analysis is used to assess some of the legal, economic, and political structures of labor relations.
• OLS 38600 Leadership for Organizational Change (3 cr.)
  A survey of the concepts that provide a foundation for the understanding of leadership and its relationship to the management of organizational change, with special emphasis on managing the human side of quality improvement.
• OLS 38800 Leadership Through Teams (3 cr.)
  An in-depth study of self-directed work teams and team processes in the work setting, with a view to understanding team functions under varying task conditions. Especially emphasized is the leadership of teams for effective performance and maximum member satisfaction. This course deals extensively with maintenance and task behaviors of team members.
• OLS 45000 Project Management for Organizational and Human Resource Development (3 cr.)
  An introduction to project management concepts and practices in the context of human resource development projects.
• OLS 45400 Gender and Diversity in Management (3 cr.)
  The workforce of the future represents multiple differences, including gender, race, culture, ethnicity, physical abilities, and age. Following this broad-based perspective of diversity, this course focuses on using knowledge of diversity to develop the leadership potential of individuals in organizations.
• OLS 45600 Leadership in a Global Environment (3 cr.)
  Exploration of leadership strategies for organizations engaged in international business. Includes understanding cultural differences and diverse business practices, and the challenges of competing in a global marketplace.
• OLS 47600 Compensation Planning and Management (3 cr.)
  Planning and implementation of a total compensation system, including job analysis, job evaluation, salary survey and analysis, benefits and development of a structured pay system. Includes behavioral implications and legal compliance issues.
• OLS 47700 Conflict Management (3 cr.)
  A study of the methods for dealing with inner-personal, interpersonal, and political disputes by means generally outside the traditional court system. Students investigate the theoretical and practical aspects of conflict assessment, negotiation, problem solving, mediation, and arbitration.
• OLS 47900 Staffing Organizations (3 cr.)
  An applications-oriented study of key concepts in staffing organizations, including principles and issues in conducting job analysis, preparing job specifications, and screening/selecting employees. Special emphasis on the design, validation, and operation of high-volume staffing systems.
• OLS 48400 Leadership Strategies for Quality and Productivity (3 cr.)
  A study of how organizational leaders create an environment conducive to high levels of employee self-motivation, quality, and productivity. Actual case situations are used to illustrate the application of course content.
• OLS 48700 Leadership Philosophy (3 cr.) P: OLS 37600 or consent of instructor.
  A review of current managerial education and development theories and practices; discussion of fundamental social, economic, and political changes affecting business and the art of managing; implications of these changes for individual manager development and continued growth.
• OLS 48800 Leadership for Lean Enterprise (3 cr.) P: OLS 48400.
  A study of how organizational leaders create an environment conducive to lean enterprise. Actual case studies of leadership techniques are used to illustrate the application of course content.
• OLS 49100 Internship Program (3 cr.) P: OLS majors only.
  A work practicum designed to combine university study with work experience directly related to the student’s plan of study. To receive credit the internship must incorporate the concepts taught in the organizational leadership courses, and the job must have a leadership component to it. Approval must be obtained from OLS faculty member prior to registering for the class.
• OLS 49900 Independent Study (3 cr.) P: Instructor consent and departmental approval.
  Supervised individual research on appropriate topics. OLS 499 is set up through the individual instructor.