Concentrations

Concentrating in Leadership and Organizational Coaching (LOC) is distinct in the Organizational Dynamics Programs: It is a cohort program and requires an additional interview during the application process.

LOC provides the academic foundations and practical experience necessary to either begin a career in professional coaching or integrate a coaching approach into a leadership or management role in any field. Courses in this concentration explore:

• The core psychological and developmental theories that inform coaching practice
• The principles and methodologies that enable coaches to make a positive and lasting impact on individuals, groups, and systems
• The step-by-step process of planning and navigating the business of coaching      

This concentration is intended for individuals interested in gaining in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in the field of leadership and executive coaching.    

Who should consider the Leadership and Organizational Coaching (LOC) concentration?

• Practitioners interested in incorporating coaching principles and tools as part of their leadership repertoire in an existing or future leadership role
• Managers, leaders, or HR personnel interested in facilitating cultural and organizational change, developing leaders, or increasing managerial effectiveness
• Practitioners of coaching looking for a competitive edge and in-depth mastery to help distinguish them in the growing field of professional coaching
• Individuals seeking to cultivate a robust understanding of group dynamics and their own roles as leaders and members of groups and teams

LOC uses a proven cohort learning model to create and foster a vibrant learning community. The experiential design of this program blends scholarly work, supervised hands-on practice, and independent study in a format that allows students to continue working full-time while they complete their coursework.

LOC concentration students also have an opportunity to practice applying their skills in the “real world” through two optional, semester-long field placement experiences in select organizations. Each field placement constitutes a complete coaching engagement, from contracting to data collection, reporting, intervention, and disengagement. Individual and group supervision by Penn LOC faculty ensure that students successfully navigate the challenges of practice, while gaining competence and confidence through reflection and experiential learning.

NOTE: LOC has limited space. Organizational Dynamics Programs applicants who are interested in LOC should indicate this interest on their application by selecting “Organizational Coaching” from the list of Organizational Dynamics Programs concentrations.

Students who complete this concentration earn a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Organizational Coaching.

The Organizational Culture and Change (OCC) concentration includes action-oriented frameworks and methods for diagnosing, planning, and leading change in organizations. Students will learn about the dynamics of organizational culture and change and how to prepare, structure, support, and lead change initiatives in the current work environment.

This concentration is suited for aspiring and established administrators, project managers, directors, executives, and consultants who plan to become leaders of strategic change.

Recent courses in this concentration include:

• Organizational Diagnosis
• Applied Organizational Change: Methods Dojo
• Organizational Culture Change: Theory and Practice
• Crisis Communications and Reputation Risk

Students who complete this concentration earn a graduate certificate in Organizational Culture and Change. Applicants who are interested in OCC should indicate this interest on their application by selecting “Leading and Managing through Change” from the list of Organizational Dynamics Programs concentrations.

The Organizational Communication Strategies (OCS) concentration focuses on better understanding and analyzing information flow inside and outside of organizations and utilizing these insights to collaborate effectively between and within groups. This includes leadership-level communication, teamwork, persuasion, organizational social media usage, and more.

Students who may find this concentration intriguing are those interested in gaining a nuanced understanding of effective interactions and informational exchanges with individuals, groups, and cultures. Those interested in improving their leadership skills will also find this concentration valuable.

Recent courses in this concentration include:

• Influence and Persuasion
• Leadership: Mindset to Action
• Virtual Team Dynamics
• Stories in Organizations: Tools for Professional Development
• Coaching and Consulting: Tools and Techniques                

Students who complete this concentration earn a graduate certificate in Organizational Communication Strategies. Applicants interested in OCS should indicate this interest on their application by selecting “Organizational Communication Strategies” from the list of Organizational Dynamics Programs concentrations.

The Global and Cultural Competency (GCC) concentration focuses on the complexities of understanding and leading a culturally diverse team or organization that is healthy and proactive. As organizations become more diverse, complex questions regarding equity, belonging, and justice become increasingly center stage.

This concentration is for those students interested in interrogating what it means to belong in an organization, exploring ways to advocate for organizational change that makes these spaces more accessible to all people, and addressing challenges to maintaining an innovative and vigorous global workplace.

Recent courses in this concentration include:

• Leading through Solidarity: Strategies for Building a Culture of Belonging

• Intergenerational Conversations

• Critical Imagination: Diverse Strategies for Meaningful Change

• Sweden: Strategies for Thriving in the Twentieth Century

Students who complete this concentration earn a graduate certificate in Global and Cultural Competence. Applicants interested in GCC should indicate this interest on their application by selecting “Global and Cultural Competence” from the list of Organizational Dynamics Programs concentrations.