Management, Organizational Leadership, M.S.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? A definitive answer has never been reached. How about followers and leaders? Followers need leaders, and a leader without followers will not be very effective. In many cases, an effective and strong leader emerges out of a group of loyal followers. But what does it take for that individual to stand out and assume a leadership role? Studies indicate that an effective leader must be task- and relationship-oriented and demonstrate active participation. It takes a person with special skills to create or preserve a structure within an organization and focus simultaneously on tackling the job, motivating the team to do their part, and jumping into the trenches alongside his or her subordinates. The strong leader puts the needs of the team before his own, and the successful leader makes sure that all eyes are on the task at hand—a job well done.
He is a team player and leader
Shaine Bates earned his B.B.A. degree in Entrepreneurship at MTSU, but when he learned about the new M.S. in Management with a concentration in Organizational Leadership, “I knew I wanted to be a part of it.” Bates enjoys working with small teams and growing a business, and he knew his graduate degree would give him the skills and knowledge to lead teams of creative and innovative people to even greater heights. Today, Shaine is manager of photography at Jack Daniel’s Visitor Center, and he also oversees the company’s bottle engraving services. Shaine speaks highly of his MTSU education and professors, who, he says, are tough, great motivators who set high expectations. “I hope to start a new business one day, but until then I want to continue working with Jack Daniel’s to create innovative new ways for customers to experience the Jack Daniel’s Distillery when they take a tour.”
A model of leadership to the world
When Nelson Mandela died in December of 2013, he was heralded by world leaders as one of the greatest leaders ever. He was admired for being able to lead with his mere presence; his image and bearing had that much impact on the people around him. Mandela led a nation and served as a model to the world. He was an effective leader because he focused on the people and freedom and did not allow ego to be his driving force. A successful leader of any organization deflects praise and accolades and focuses his/her energies on the task of leading.
There will always be a need for effective leaders, those who have the vision to see farther down the road than most others. Most workers are concerned with doing a good job and being thought of as a competent team member. The leader of an organization is less concerned about his or her individual performance and more concerned about the direction of the enterprise and the ability of the team to work together to fulfill both the mission and the vision. Examples of career opportunities for individuals choosing the Organizational Leadership concentrations include areas such as
- Administration
- Banking
- Corporate upper-level management
- Corporate recruiting
- Customer support
- Facilities management
- Government
- Healthcare
- Human resources
- Insurance
- Inventory control
- Logistics
- Manufacturing
- Performance management
- Politics
- Public policy
- Real estate
- Retail management
- Talent management
- Training
Because this program is relatively new, employer information is still being compiled. Following are examples of employers of Management graduates and Career Fair participants:
- American Cellular
- Automatic Data Processing
- CalsonicKansei North America
- Chick-Fil-A Murfreesboro
- Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc.
- Enterprise
- Ettain Group
- Insight Global, Inc.
- Internal Data Resources
- Liberty Mutual
- Modern Woodmen of America
- Nissan North America
- Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
- PepsiCo Foodservice
- Sherwin-Williams
- State Farm Insurance
- Target Stores
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (VA)
- The Hershey Company
- Walter Meier Manufacturing
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Management is offered by the Department of Management in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business. This program, with three concentrations, offers students planning, communication, and ethical decision-making skills through experiential learning in which they will find themselves in the trenches of the real-world work environment. Each concentration—Organizational Leadership, Social Innovation and Not-for-Profit Management (provides students with business and management skills that can be applied to not-for-profit managerial work), and Supply Chain Management (provides students with business and operations management skills that can be applied to work in logistics, transportation, and supply chain management careers)—includes a capstone project in which students will partner with an organization in the industry or non-profit sector.
Undergraduate
The undergraduate program in the Department of Management offers the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree with majors in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, and Management. Minors are available in Entrepreneurship and Management; the department participates in interdisciplinary minors in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership Studies.
Management, Organizational Leadership Concentration, M.S.
Dan Morrell, Program Director
(615) 494-7758
Dan.Morrell@mtsu.edu
The Department of Management offers the Master of Science in Management program with three concentrations: Organizational Leadership, Social Innovation and Not-for-Profit Management, and Supply Chain Management. The Master of Science in Management enhances students' planning, communication, and ethical decision-making skills and exposes them to real world experiences that help them mature as managers. The Management M.S. program allows students to develop the skills to be promoted into higher levels of management at different types of organizations.
Graduates of this program may work in a variety of positions, including mid-to upper-level management positions in corporate offices, healthcare facilities, distribution or logistics centers, manufacturing facilities, not-for-profit organizations, state or local government, and service industries such as banking, insurance, and real-estate.
Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the Master of Science in Management program, applicants should have
- minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale;
- minimum of 400 on GMAT (or GRE equivalent).
Applicants with post baccalaureate managerial work experience may receive 10 points toward the GMAT score for each year of professional work experience; e.g., four years of work experience = 40 additional points toward the GMAT. GMAT waivers may be granted to applicants with more than ten years of professional work experience.
Applicants without related previous experience or academic preparation may be required to complete the following prerequisite courses: MGMT 6000 (or MGMT 3610 and MGMT 3620) and ACTG 3000 (or ACTG 6100).
Application Procedures
All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.
Applicant must
- submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php);
- submit official scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE);
- submit official transcripts of all previous college work;
- submit a current resume' or curriculum vita.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Organizational Leadership requires completion of 33 credit hours.
Candidate must
- complete a minimum of 33 semester hours as listed below. No more than 30 percent of the total degree hours dual-listed as undergraduate/graduate hours can be counted toward the degree;
- successfully complete an applied project (MGMT 6800) in the last semester.
Curriculum: Management, Organizational Leadership
The Organizational Leadership concentration provides students with business and leadership skills that can be applied in a variety of leadership roles in business, government, and/or education. In addition to 12 hours of core management courses, the concentration requires 12 hours of courses in behavioral aspects of leadership, including two required courses: organizational development and leadership and motivation. Leadership concentration electives (6 hours) are selected from among the following courses: negotiation, current issues in management, organization behavior, and international management. Students will also elect 6 hours of courses in a professional area that relates to their career interests.
Core Courses (15 hours)
- MGMT 6100 - Strategic Decision Making 3 credit hours
MGMT 6100 - Strategic Decision Making
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: MGMT 3610 or MGMT 6000. Managerial theory and practice of solving problems, making decisions, and developing strategies for services and/or products. Emphasis on developing practical responses to decision issues using creativity and innovation in a team environment. (This course is not open to students earning a Master of Business Administration degree.)
- MGMT 6200 - Lean Project Management Principles 3 credit hours
MGMT 6200 - Lean Project Management Principles
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: MGMT 3620, MGMT 6000, or MGMT 6650.Theory and practice of managing projects for services, products, and/or events in the context of operations management methods. Emphasis on application of lean concepts to project management.
- MGMT 6680 - Seminar in Human Resources Management 3 credit hours
MGMT 6680 - Seminar in Human Resources Management
3 credit hours
Focus on the responsibility of all managers with respect to the effective development of human resources. The responsibility of all functional areas in the human resource department or impinging forces such as technology, organized labor, and government legislation examined along with the emerging concepts, problems, and theories supported by research in the field.
- MGMT 6750 - Business Ethics 3 credit hours
MGMT 6750 - Business Ethics
3 credit hours
Impact of individual values and ethics on the management of organizations. Topics include legal and ethical aspects of dealing with organization stakeholders: stockholders, consumers, employees, and the general community. Emphasis on using ethical theory to make good business decisions.
- MGMT 6800 - Applied Management Project 3 credit hours
MGMT 6800 - Applied Management Project
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Open only to M.S. in Management students who are in their last semester of coursework (must have completed 24 graduate level hours); permission of department required; must be completed with B- or better. Capstone course that provides students with the opportunity to integrate and synthesize knowledge gained throughout the graduate program. Development of a substantial project that demonstrates mastery of competencies, concepts, principles, and practices for success in their field of leadership, supply chain management, or not-for-profit management.
Required Courses (12 hours)
- MGMT 6660 - Organization Development 3 credit hours
MGMT 6660 - Organization Development
3 credit hours
Approaches for effecting change in organizations. Emphasis on the individual and personal development of the student to be more effective in managing change and innovation.
- MGMT 6740 - Leadership and Motivation 3 credit hours
MGMT 6740 - Leadership and Motivation
3 credit hours
Issues in leadership and motivation in business organizations. An examination of the theoretical framework for leadership and motivation processes serves as foundation. Emphasis on practical issues and applications of leadership development and motivation.
Choose two from the following:
- MGMT 6600 - Organization Behavior 3 credit hours
MGMT 6600 - Organization Behavior
3 credit hours
Behavioral science concepts and research in the management of organizations; theories dealing with interpersonal relationships, motivation systems, group dynamics, communications, and authority related to organizational behavior, control, and structure problems.
- MGMT 6670 - Seminar in Negotiation 3 credit hours
MGMT 6670 - Seminar in Negotiation
3 credit hours
A structured overview of the process of negotiation in organizations and manager development of improved negotiation skills. Topics include distributive negotiations, integrative negotiations, tactics, strategies, power dynamics, alternative dispute resolution, and negotiation ethics in an organization environment.
- MGMT 6690 - Current Issues in Management 3 credit hours
MGMT 6690 - Current Issues in Management
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: MGMT 6600 or permission of department. Investigates current issues in management, using recent events and emerging theoretical developments to examine relevant complexities facing practitioners.
- MGMT 6770 - International Management 3 credit hours
MGMT 6770 - International Management
3 credit hours
Major issues associated with the formulation and implementation of corporate strategy for international and global operations. Emphasis on the understanding of global environmental forces surrounding international business operations and the management issues facing global organizations.
Career electives (6 hours)
In consultation with their advisors, students will select and complete 6 hours of courses in a professional area that relates to their career interests, or they may select and complete 6 hours of business electives that apply to organizational leadership.
Program Notes
Candidate must
- file a degree plan in the College of Graduate Studies prior to entry into the program;
- file a Notice of Intent to Graduate form in the College of Graduate Studies within the first two weeks of the term in which candidate intends to graduate.
Assistantships
The Department of Management offers a limited number of assistantships each semester that are awarded on a competitive basis. An assistantship covers tuition, most fees, and a monthly stipend in return for 20 hours a week of service. Assistantships can be renewed for up to two years.
Degree Plans
Additional Resources
Contact and Student Information
Dan Morrell
Dan.Morrell@mtsu.edu
615-494-7758
Business and Aerospace Building, N 134B
Dan Morrell
dan.morrell@mtsu.edu
Phone | 615-494-7758
Department of Management
Middle Tennessee State University
Box 75
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
College of Graduate Studies
Middle Tennessee State University
MTSU Box 42
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
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