Learning is further reinforced through practice and application of MSLOC knowledge and expertise via the practicum experiences. The MSLOC Practicum is designed for individuals or teams of degree students to complete a project for an organization that contributes to the organization’s business strategy and can be put into immediate development and use.
Practicums are typically begun once all MSLOC core classes are completed. Teams of students or individuals spend an average of 10 weeks (the length of a class term) for 10 hours per week (per student), depending on the project scope and timeline. MSLOC organizational partners (via the Center for Learning & Organizational Change) and other organizations offer projects that spur real-world practice creating solutions to organizational challenges and delivering on needs and expectations.
Examples of current projects and highlights of selected outcomes are noted in The Knowledge Lens, the Center for Learning & Organizational Change blog.
A few examples of projects our students have completed include:
- Designing a new employee “onboarding” program to accelerate the transition of new employees into the culture of an insurance company
- Designing a leadership development program for senior consultants of a large consulting firm
- Reviewing and making recommendations for the re-design of a global performance management system for a large manufacturing organization
- Designing a change management toolkit for internal HR generalists to use with their business partners at a global manufacturing company
- Conducting an organizational culture assessment for a small healthcare organization
- Facilitating communication among leaders of a large public school system to help them align their practices with their strategies
- Evaluating the effectiveness of the high-potential leadership development program for a property management company
