New Graduate Programs Prepare Leaders for Today’s Evolving Workplace

Excelsior’s portfolio of business programs now includes two additional master’s degree programs and two more graduate-level certificates. All four programs were developed to train and educate leaders for jobs in today’s economy as well as for an ever-evolving work environment.

“The pace of technological change is expected to accelerate over the next five years, with cloud computing, big data, and e-commerce continuing to dramatically change the nature of work,” says Scott Dolan, dean of the School of Graduate Studies. “Skilled technologists who have expertise in those areas may need to broaden leadership skills in problem solving, collaboration, and communication. In the reverse, business-focused leaders may need to strengthen foundational knowledge to understand how to reach people with technology and data backgrounds.”

To equip leaders with the knowledge and skills to excel in the changing workplace, the School of Graduate Studies team developed the degree programs Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Technology and Data Analytics and Master of Science in Human Resource Management with an Emphasis in Diversity and Technology, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics and a Graduate Certificate in Distributed Workforce Management.

• The 30-credit Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Technology and Data Analytics was developed for practitioners who want to be leaders within today’s data-driven economy and solve the most complex organizational challenges. Graduates will leave this program prepared to make critical, data-informed decisions that will assist organizations to remain effective in an ever-changing economy.

 

• The 30-credit Master of Science in Human Resource Management with an Emphasis in Diversity and Technology was developed for professionals who, as senior leaders, want to contribute to the success of organizations by improving the performance, motivation, satisfaction, health, and well-being of distributed staff. This degree program focuses on engaging and retaining employees to drive organizational performance and value for the organization’s stakeholders.

 

• The three-course Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics equips leaders with the valuable skill set of collecting, analyzing, and visually representing data to improve organizational decision making as well as with the technical skills to carry out data analysis and the leadership skills to implement insights gleaned from data analysis. Students who complete this certificate can apply 9 credits toward the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Technology and Data Analytics.

 

• The three-course Graduate Certificate in Distributed Workforce Management provides leaders who want to excel in senior-level human resources positions with the strategic leadership skills necessary to promote collaboration and strong communication among distributed teams and to solve complex organizational challenges associated with employees working in a distributed mode. Students who complete this certificate program can apply 9 credits toward the Master of Science in Human Resource Management with an Emphasis in Diversity and Technology.

 

“There is a significant opportunity to train and educate leaders for the jobs of the new economy, an economy that operates at the intersection of technology, data, and human innovation,” says Dolan. “We are excited to be able to launch two new master’s degree programs aligned with these trends. And because the change is so rapid, we know that the window of opportunity for individuals to reskill and upskill is short. Leaders need to stay current, so in line with this approach, we have also developed two shorter duration certificates which are embedded in the degree programs.”