Thoughts on another master's program

I'm excited about the possibilities with the National Graduate School, and I'd like to offer other possible graduate learning opportunties which will benefit the Coast Guard. I've been taking some courses with Touro University International and plan on proposing a new degree program to them. Here's what I'm thinking; I'd love to hear your thoughts about this. So, without further ado, here 'tis...

Proposal for new graduate degree -- Touro University International

M.S., Leadership, Management, and Quality Systems
LMQ 501: Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence
LMQ 503: Project Management, Meeting Facilitation, & Team Dynamics
LMQ 505: Process Management, Problem Solving, & Process Improvement
LMQ 601: Customer and Market Focus
LMQ 603: Leadership Systems
LMQ 605: Organizational Strategic Planning
LMQ 607: Measurement, Information, Analysis, & Knowledge Management
LMQ 609: Business Improvement Methodologies
LMQ 611: Human Resources and High Performing Workplaces
LMQ 621: Business Results

This 40-graduate hour master’s degree will prepare students in higher-level, organizational, systems thinking. The degree program presents a framework for an overarching management system. Students will use a single project throughout the ten courses, forming a single project implemented over the course of the program. The project will be designed to yield substantial results on investment, allowing the student to show measurable results on the implementation of the project.

This degree will use Touro University International’s proven distance-learning model, incorporating compact disks with course materials, use of the internet for reading and research, bi-weekly threaded discussion participation, case studies for course modules, and course session long projects. The session long projects will build on each other, culminating in the master’s level demonstration of project-based results in the final 4-hour course.

LMQ 501: Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence
This course provides an introduction to the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, an overarching leadership and management system used by high performing organizations. Students will learn about the Criteria and how to use the Criteria to create organizational excellence. Students will conduct a high-level assessment of an organization (or business unit) using the Critiera.

LMQ 503: Project Management, Meeting Facilitation, & Team Dynamics
Providing an overview of project management, students will learn a number of tools and techniques to manage and guide projects. In addition, students will learn how to manage and facilitate meetings for teams, staffs, and organizational initiatives. In addition, students will learn about team dynamics, how to harness individual initiative in team, and how to encourage collaboration. The session long project will provide each student the opportunity to facilitate a meeting within their organization and critique their own performance.

LMQ 505: Process Management, Problem Solving, & Process Improvement
This course presents models for process management, problem solving, and process improvement. During the course of the semester, students will use either the problem solving model or process improvement model in a real-world application. This first application will be at a fairly high level of deployment; this project will form the basis for future work for the program.

LMQ 601: Customer and Market Focus
In this course, students will learn how to identify and segment customers and key stakeholders, how to determine customer requirements and expectations, and how to build relationships leading to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Students will learn about a number of customer listening and learning methods in order to keep organizational needs and directions current. Students will use a customer focus model to enhance satisfaction for a key product or service.

LMQ 603: Leadership Systems
Students will learn about leadership systems which guide organizations. Of note, students will focus on how senior leaders guide the organization in setting values, direction, and performance expectations. This course will also discuss senior leadership “buy in” of organizational change initiatives and the use of a senior leader “champion” in order to bring about positive change.

LMQ 605: Organizational Strategic Planning
This course will present a variety of models for strategic and action planning, deployment of plans, and methods of measuring and sustaining accomplishments. Models discussed will include the Balanced Scorecard approach and the logic mapping approach.

LMQ 607: Measurement, Information, Analysis, & Knowledge Management
Students will learn how to effectively measure and analyze organizational performance. In addition, students will learn how to management organizational knowledge to drive improvement and organizational excellence. Students will learn how to select, manage, and use data and information to drive performance excellence. Students will also learn how to ensure information is accessible by all key users. Students will apply measurement, analysis, and knowledge management to their ongoing project.

LMQ 609: Business Improvement Methodologies
This course will introduce students to Six Sigma, Lean Thinking, and Action Work Outs. Students will learn systematic methods of performance improvement using a data-driven, structured approach to problem solving. Students will apply this knowledge in their session-long project which is linked to the overall master’s project.

LMQ 611: Human Resources and High Performing Workplaces
This course will cover three broad areas necessary to address key human resource practices: work systems, employee learning & motivation, and employee well-being & satisfaction. Students will learn how to approach human resources from an integrated paradigm, aligning actions with organizational strategic objectives.

LMQ 621: Business & Project Results
This course serves as the capstone for the entire master’s program. In this course, students will integrate the work of the previous nine session long projects into a cohesive and systematic whole. Students will present the results of their on-going project to demonstrate results on investment. Results will be shown in key performance and improvement arenas including customer-focused results, product and service results, financial and market results, human resource results, organizational effectiveness results, and governance and social responsibility results. Students will show levels, trends, and comparative data for their project.

Couple of additional thoughts/info: Touro is an online university offering bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctorates. You can find them at http://www.tourou.edu/.