Master of Arts in Management: Cooperative Management & Organizing

Contemplative Leadership: 9 credits

• LDR-600E: Inner Work and Leadership Identity (3)
  This course grounds students in the inner dimensions of leadership: self-awareness, embodied presence, and the relationship between personal transformation and organizational change. Drawing on contemplative traditions and reflective practice, students examine their own leadership histories, values, and growing edges. Practices of journaling, somatic awareness, and structured reflection are woven throughout the course.
• MPA-601E: Conflict Resolution and Negotiations (3)
  Presents the essential skills to manage conflict and negotiate effectively within diverse organizational and public settings. The first half of the semester introduces foundational theories and principles of conflict dynamics, analysis, and various resolution techniques, emphasizing mediation and consensus-building in the public interest. The second half focuses on negotiation theory, strategies, and practical application. Students learn to navigate disputes, foster collaboration, and achieve sustainable outcomes for public good.
• LDR-610E: Power, Privilege & Diversity (3) (no course description)

Civic & Social Systems: 9 credits

• MPA-504E: Budgeting, Economics & Public Finance (3)
  Provides the foundations of fiscal management in government and nonprofit sectors. This course does not require prior specialized knowledge. Students will explore fundamental economic principles relevant to public policy, including market dynamics, resource allocation, and rationale for government intervention. The course delves into public finance issues such as taxation, public debt, and intergovernmental fiscal relations. Students will learn to interpret financial statements, evaluate program costs, and make informed fiscal decisions to ensure accountability and sustainability in public service.
• MGMT-610E: Public Policy & Solidarity Economy (3)
  Explores dual-bottom-line financial and policy models for cooperatives, credit unions, and mutuals. Topics include community development financial institutions (CDFIs), balance sheet analysis, and policy frameworks that foster community resilience over extractive growth.
• MPA-502E: Leadership for Social Transformation (3)
  Provides an overview of key philosophies and theories of ethical leadership for public administrators serving diverse constituencies. By analyzing various ethical frameworks and decision-making models, students will learn about the complex moral and ethical dilemmas faced by public administrators. Students will develop inclusive leadership skills that include cultural competence, social equity, and effective cross-cultural communication. Students will learn to champion diversity, promote justice, and uphold the public trust while navigating varied stakeholder interests.

Management & Organizing: 9 credits

• MGMT-505E: Theory and Practices of Cooperatives & Grassroots Organizing (3)
  Explores models of worker, consumer, producer, housing, and multi-stakeholder cooperatives. Students gain actionable skills in participatory decision-making, community power analysis, coalition building, and member mobilization.
• MGMT-620E: Finance and Patronage Capital (3)
  Examines the financial structures and capital strategies of cooperatives and member-owned enterprises. Students analyze cooperative financial statements, member equity, patronage allocations and distributions, retained earnings, capital accounts, budgeting, and approaches to financing organizational growth while preserving democratic ownership.
• MGMT-630E: Democratic Governance & Board Dynamics (3)
  Focuses on the practical and interpersonal mechanics of “one member, one vote” governance. Students learn to design structures that ensure democratic accountability and operational efficiency, navigating the critical relationship between elected boards of directors and professional management.

Ecological & Systems Integration Elective: 3 credits 

Choose one of the following courses:

• MGMT-720E: Resilient Supply Chains & Ag Cooperatives (3)
  Analyzes logistics, fair-trade networks, and non-extractive supply chains in food systems and resource management, emphasizing ecological stewardship and the cooperative advantage in volatile markets.
• MGMT-710E: Ecological Economics & Degrowth (3)
  Critically evaluates conventional economic growth models and explores circular, regenerative economies, steady-state frameworks, and the role of cooperative enterprise in ecological sustainability.
• MGMT-705E: Community Organizing and Cooperative Development (3)
  This experiential course develops the practical skills required to organize, launch, and strengthen cooperative and community-based enterprises. Students work individually and collaboratively to identify community needs, engage stakeholders, facilitate meetings, recruit and mobilize members, and develop organizing campaigns. Focus is given to relationship building, leadership development, conflict navigation, democratic participation, and translating shared interests into collective action.
• LDR 620E: Transforming Systems (3)
  This course examines how leaders understand and intervene in complex adaptive systems. Drawing on systems thinking, organizational theory, and social change literature, students develop tools for mapping systems, identifying leverage points, and leading change at multiple scales. Case studies span environmental, nonprofit, civic, and spiritual community contexts, illustrating how systems transformation looks different depending on the leader’s domain.
• MPA-602E: Nonprofit Management (3)
  Provides comprehensive training in managing nonprofit organizations, including governance, fundraising, volunteer management, and strategic planning. Students learn the unique challenges and opportunities of nonprofit leadership in the context of community service and social change.
• MGMT-501E: History & Philosophy of the Cooperative Movement (3)
  This course provides a comprehensive historical and philosophical foundation for the cooperative movement. Students will trace the evolution of mutualism from early communal traditions and the Rochdale Principles to modern platform cooperatives and the global solidarity economy. The curriculum examines the cooperative as a response to industrial capitalism, focusing on its role in advancing labor rights, racial equity, and economic democracy. Students will explore the philosophical underpinnings of “cooperation among cooperatives” and the ethical imperative of concern for community.
  
  

Praxis & Applied Capstone: 6 credits

• MPA-507E: Social Transformation Internship/Practicum (3)
  The Internship in Public Administration is a credit-bearing course that bridges academic theory with professional practice within a government, nonprofit, or relevant private sector organization. Students complete a minimum of 12 hours per week at their sponsoring agency, gaining practical experience in public service management. This hands-on experience is documented through weekly short papers where students chronicle their work activities, reflect on learning outcomes, and assess their contributions to the organization and its clientele.
• MPA-603E: Social Transformation Capstone (3)
  The Capstone Project in Public Administration is the culminating experience of the MPA program, requiring students to synthesize and apply knowledge gained throughout the curriculum to a real-world administrative challenge. This research project involves a case study of a government, nonprofit, or private sector entity, with a focus on analyzing the intersectionality of these sectors. Students are expected to identify weaknesses or deficiencies in current processes or outcomes, analyze, and propose evidence-based, actionable solutions. Students will demonstrate mastery of public administration competencies through this independent project.

Total Credits: 36