Division of Public Safety Leadership

Johns Hopkins University School of Professional Studies in Business and Education

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Year One Curriculum

Year One Curriculum

Year Two Curriculum

 

  • 700.304 Values and Ethics

    Leaders have pondered ethical dilemmas since before the days of Ancient Greece. Today, people continue to reflect on challenges to personal and organizational integrity, moral decision-making, and standardizing behavior through a common set of rules. Students discuss parameters set by great leaders and philosophers of the past and challenge many long-standing beliefs that govern modern thinking about ethics and integrity. They explore situations that, while appearing relatively simple, led to the professional demise of leaders and public disrespect for organizations. They draw on their own beliefs and experiences to debate how and why certain decisions are made. Students explore contemporary issues such as abortion, gun control, and political influence. This course includes an on-line writing workshop.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.351 Introduction to the Change Process

    Rapid, continuous change is a constant element in modern organizational life. Change is both welcomed and feared. It is needed, anticipated, and shunned. Getting people to move in a new direction is one of a leaders most important missions and greatest stressors. Relying on their organizational experiences, students gauge the value and practical application of various schools of thought on managing change. Through projects and case studies, they apply basic analytical and facilitation tools – scanning, planning, organizational design and structure, marketing – to the change process. Students develop a personal approach to managing change in their careers and current assignments.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.421 Information Resources in the Social Sciences

    Knowing how to access information – the best available information – is essential to student success. Members of the faculty expect students to apply academic excellence to exploring, selecting, analyzing, and applying sources of information. Through a series of practical exercises and experiences, students learn to conduct independent searches for social science information. They develop systematic approaches to identification and retrieval of data, research, opinion, and more. Students apply criteria to judging the quality of the information they find. They learn, too, how to incorporate quality information into papers, articles, and presentations they prepare for their courses and workplace. This course is conducted in a computer lab.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.303 Communication Skills for Leaders

    Professionals are judged, in great part, by their written, verbal, presentation, and consultation skills. Using case studies and scenarios, students apply various tools to communicating, influencing, and persuading internal, external, and political audiences. They apply communication theory and practice to routine and crisis situations. Communication skills are practiced and critiqued in matters related to administration, operations, labor relations, interagency relations, and marketing. Students differentiate factual writing from opinion writing. They practice visual, verbal, and written presentation skills and how to use them to persuade, change, and challenge.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.309 Team Building and Leadership

    Team building varies among organizations and units within organizations. The need for a team may be short-term or permanent. Regardless of the circumstance, the ability to develop and nurture productive, outcome-oriented teams is a primary responsibility of all leaders. Causing people to realize and achieve their potential as individuals and members of a team may seem, at times, like an all-consuming task. Students draw on their own experience and current workgroup to assess the stages of team development, solve problems that emerge within their team, gain consensus, motivate the group, and evaluate and convey success. Through readings, cases, and team projects, students identify and foster the positive capabilities of individuals, to benefit the entire team.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.317 Research Evaluation: From Theory to Application

    Failure to understand, conduct, and apply research weakens organizations and fosters an environment in which progress is stifled. Vendor-driven, consultant-driven, and academic-driven research are weak substitutes for agency-driven research. Students review research in several disciplines and appraise the sources of data and other information for reliability. They apply research methods to gaining new and better understanding of their community, organization, and work unit. They employ specific research methods, such as surveys, focus groups, and quantitative analysis to aid in developing ideas, solving problems, and critically evaluating programs.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.305 The Ethics of Dissent

    Organizations and communities expect their leaders to act ethically and develop, promote, and follow the rules by which all the members of their organization are to operate. Leaders cannot exist by merely clinging to established rules. Through readings and discussion of philosophy, history, organizational behavior, and commonly held beliefs, students assess behaviors and processes that inhibit the highest standards of ethics. Students focus on the concept of dissent and the importance of listening to dissenters. They scrutinize various forms of behavior and decision making to distinguish complaint, cynicism, protest, and dissatisfaction from wrongdoing.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.311 Social Problems in Contemporary Society

    The number and complexity of social issues facing leaders in government, business, education, the religious community, and the nonprofit organizations abound. Among them are people’s distrust of government and long-standing institutions, use and abuse of technology, the new service industry, changes in class structure, the decline of suburbia, and a controlled media. Through case studies, readings, videos, audio books, and debate, students reflect on how past leaders have addressed these and other issues. They consider their own “sphere of influence” and ability to affect change in matters of importance to their immediate work group, organization, and community.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.354 Managing Diversity

    The diversity of today’s workforce creates rich opportunities and real dilemmas for supervisors and executives. Avoiding sweeping generalities, political rhetoric, and traditional hype and breaking diversity issues into their finest components allows leaders to identify and achieve viable solutions. Through lecture, discussion, research, and debate, students explore issues, contributions, failures, and successes related to diversity within America’s communities and organizations. They delve into behaviors, such as stereotyping, prejudice, and fear mongering that block organizational and individual progress, change, and effectiveness. Practical strategies, including organizational action plans, task forces, regional and national recruiting, and diversity education programs are assessed. Students draw on their personal and organizational experiences in examining innovative approaches to conflict management.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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  • 700.352 Quality Management

    The “quality movement” changed the way government, business, and nonprofit organizations accomplish their mission. There are important lessons to be learned from the successes, failures, national and international experiments, and best practices that have emerged from efforts to achieve “total quality.” Students dissect enduring theories and principles such as Deming’s theory of profound knowledge and Juran’s approach to continuous quality improvement. With examples drawn from the public and private sectors, they discuss and debate organizational renewal and the steps required to improve and sustain organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

    Notes: This course is only available to students enrolled in Division of Public Safety Leadership programs. (3 credits)

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