Offered by the Department of Public Administration and Policy , School of Public Affairs , the American University Organization Development (MSOD) program pioneered executive-style education with cohort-based, weekend-format classes designed for working professionals. Experiential learning has been at the heart of the department’s teaching philosophy for more than 35 years. The MSOD classroom is a dynamic, challenging space where students learn from scholar-practitioners and from each other.
In less than 22 months, students become agents of change, integrating theory with practice at multiple levels of system - individual, small group, organization, and intra-organization. Students’ learning embraces a range of concepts from foundational issues to emerging topics in organization development (OD). Beyond the residential “launch” of the cohort learning community, the program offers two residencies for intensive learning: use of self in professional practice and international fieldwork in OD. The program culminates in engagement with real client systems, domestic and international. After completing the program, students are prepared to work individually and in teams within their own organizations or in consultation with other organizations seeking to increase effectiveness.
Graduates hold significant jobs in the public and private sectors, including establishing their own consultancies. Graduates of the AU MSOD program have successful careers as OD consultants, leaders, managers, and educators.
