ORG 2000 Leadership in Action - Final Bachelor Program in Leadership

ORG 2000 Leadership in Action - Final Bachelor Program in Leadership

Course code: 
ORG 2000
Department: 
Leadership and Organizational Behaviour
Credits: 
30
Course coordinator: 
Birgit Helene Jevnaker
Course name in Norwegian: 
Leadership in Action - avsluttende Bachelorprogram i ledelse
Product category: 
Executive
Portfolio: 
Executive - Bachelor of Management
Semester: 
2017 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Bachelor
Teaching language: 
Norwegian/English
Course type: 
Associate course
Course codes for multi- or associated courses.
ORG 2001
ORG 2002
Introduction

Leadership in Action is a final Bachelor in Leadership programme, a mandatory 30 credits programme leading to the award of the title Bachelor of Management.

The programme is both process-based and knowledge-based and adapted to suit the learning situations of adult students and those already in employment. BI’s Leadership in Action therefore offers a combination of:

-collaborative learning and stimulating meetings with participants in employment with experiences from many fields
- a choice of options and tailormaking of some of the course literature, as well as individual learning assignments
- a project paper which will mesh with the interests of the individual and his/her business
- a foundation in an appropriate knowledge framework and personal guidance for further learning
- use of action learning and active reflection in order to stimulate a deeper level of awareness with respect to various aspects of leadership and organisation.
 

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

The aim of the programme is to provide a final, Bachelor level course based on reflection within the areas of management and organisation.

The programme views leadership as an opportunity to release human potential and reflection. The programme is therefore to be an arena for dialogue, reflection, learning and action (cf. the title Leadership in Action or LiA). The experiences, challenges and issues of the participants themselves form the basis of the programme – these will be "confronted" with new forms of leadership, relevant theories and methods with respect to practical new thinking and reflection. By working in project groups and in groups working on other assignments, as well as individually, participants will work on solutions and shed light on relevant problems from their own organisation or other organisations. The learning outcomes depend on active participation and participants taking responsibility for their own learning while interacting with others.

 

Learning outcomes - Skills

The programme also aims to promote multiple perspectives on leadership. Leadership and organisation are complex subjects and areas of practice in which one can never become a complete expert. There are no easy solutions. The programme will therefore particularly emphasize the following:

- development of integrated learning and stimulating participants’ awareness of competent leadership
- encouraging the development of a constructive and reflective attitude towards concrete, contemporary and future-oriented issues in the fields of leadership, organization, renewal and strategic development;
- development of knowledge, creativity and integrity with respect to leadership in action.
 

Learning Outcome - Reflection

The term integrity is related to what participants already know, in addition to creating suitable opportunities for further learning in an ethical manner. The target group is primarily adults with management experience who wish to develop their leadership skills and qualify themselves for new responsibilities. It also includes employees who have been in an organisation for some time and whose ambition it is to take on the challenge of becoming a leader and/or co-creator.

Course content

Leadership in Action, a final Bachelor of Leadership Programme, consists of the following five units:
1. Leadership in perspective
2 .Strategic Management and organisation
3 .Personal and competent leadership
4. Interaction and leadership in networks
5. Leadership in Action

The order of units 2-4 may be altered to suit local needs. Any such alterations will be made known to participants well in advance. The programme will also be flexibly implemented and relevant issues may be raised across modules in order to facilitate integrated learning, as well as to meet needs arising during the course of the programme.

The literature encompasses approx. 2250 pages in total, including both mandatory literature and literature selected by individual participants according to the topics they have selected and in consultation with course instructors.

Learning process and requirements to students

The course structure is based on the principles of proximity and distance. The programme runs over two semesters and is organised in (Sessions may be arranged flexibly in consultation with the national Programme Officer and total a maximum of normally 15 days). The option of considering locating one of the sessions (e.g. the final one) elsewhere (in Norway or abroad) is usually considered – in order to promote interaction, learning by experience and international competence, based on a coordinated knowledge-based and action learning study programme. 

In order to provide best possible integrated learning in theory/practice, the programme is based on active participation by students and entails regular attendance and a sharing of responsibility by participants for their own learning. Mandatory requirements for the award of a course certificate are participation at a minimum of 75% of the sessions in addition to a completed and passed examination (30 credits). Normally participation in all modules is a prerequisite for a pass grade in the course examination. 

The Programme “Leadership in Action” will be related to the students’ own experiences. Participants are therefore required to bring along issues from their own everyday experiences as employees/leaders. In the course of the programme these issues will be subjected to a process consisting of meaningful exchanges of experience, action and reflection tasks and project work leading to action plans. 

There will be lectures by course leaders and invited guest speakers. At the individual sessions, participants will be working on a variety of mini-projects, cases and team training. 

Within a give framework, individual participants are to develop their own syllabus and be examined on this syllabus. In this course description there is therefore a relatively comprehensive list of recommended reading.  

Advice to students will be given both during the lectures and on an individual basis. Generally, students can expect advisory guidance, not evaluative guidance. 

For the lectures and advice sessions the students will normally prepare and present their chosen issues and approaches. 1 hour of supervision per student is to be offered for the synopsis task. Up to 3 hours of individual supervision for every student group is to be offered for the project paper. 

BI Online Studies  

The teaching platform itslearning is used in addition to seminars.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Additional information

The course concludes with an individual oral synopsis examination and a project paper (1-3 participants). The evaluations are an integrated part of the learning process. Both examinations must be completed and passed.

(1) Synopsis examination
Participants are to write an individual synopsis paper (a theory and reflection report) of 3-5 pages excluding references and attachments, based on the relevant literature (total 800 pages) selected by individual participants for their chosen topic in consultation with and approved by the course instructor. (The principle part of the literature referred to must be from the individually selected syllabus, although compulsory literature should naturally also be referred to where relevant). All individually selected literature and the obligatory syllabus are to be referred to in the body of the text, as well as in a complete list of references which is to be attached. (See BI rules on writing citations and references.)

The synopsis paper is to be delivered in advance and also be brought to the oral examination (without additional notes/ comments. Candidates are not permitted to consult any other literature during the oral examination.) This individual work is a precondition for and the basis of the oral synopsis examination. Candidates may also be invited to discuss topics from the obligatory syllabus during the oral examination.

The criteria underlying the overall evaluation are as follows:

  1. Demonstrated ability to find fruitful and relevant perspectives and present knowledge with respect to the formulation of a limited topic or issue in focus.
  2. Demonstrated ability to discuss and summarise using a variety of perspectives and an actively reflective and independent, and if possible creative relationship to knowledge, sources and the topic selected.
  3. Demonstrated competence and maturity in approaching interactions in a constructive and ethical manner with respect to dilemmas in leadership and organisation and the challenges focused upon.

Grades will be awarded on the basis of the oral synopsis examination, including the written synopsis and reflection on literature selected (one grade awarded only).

(2) Project paper
Project work is to be carried out in groups of up to 3 people and based on the issues participants have brought along and which are to be evaluated in the form of a project paper. The paper is to be based on the participants’ own empirical material (see instructions and evaluation criteria in the text on project papers.)

Qualifications

Admission requirement: A minimum of 90 credits from college and/or university level courses. In addition, participants must be at least 25 years old and have 4 years of employment experience in order to be considered for admission.

In order to be awarded the title Bachelor of Management, participants must have 180 credits (completed and passed courses) approved by BI, as shown in the study model for the Bachelor of Management.

Required prerequisite knowledge

Admission requirement: A minimum of 90 credits from college and/or university level courses. In addition, participants must be at least 25 years old and have 4 years of employment experience in order to be considered for admission.

In order to be awarded the title Bachelor of Management, participants must have 180 credits (completed and passed courses) approved by BI, as shown in the study model for the Bachelor of Management.

Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
Activity
Form of assessment: 
Oral examination
Weight: 
40
Grouping: 
Individual
Comment: 
Described under "Additional information" in the course description.
Only the individual written report (synopsis text without additional comments) is permitted in the oral examination. This will be the basis of the oral evaluation.
Exam code: 
ORG 20001
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination when next scheduled course
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Written submission
Weight: 
60
Grouping: 
Group/Individual (1 - 3)
Duration: 
2 Semester(s)
Comment: 
Described under "Additional information" in the course description.
Exam code: 
ORG 20002
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination when next scheduled course
Exam organisation: 
Ordinary examination
All exams must be passed to get a grade in this course.
Total weight: 
100
Sum workload: 
0

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 30 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 800 hours.