Oct 16, 2024  
Graduate and Pharmacy Catalog 2023-2024 
    
Graduate and Pharmacy Catalog 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Science, Ethics & Organizational Behavior

Location(s): West Palm Beach Campus (Day), PBA Online


30 Credit Hours

The vanguard of critical thinking, moral debate, the search for truth, leadership, and the respectful engagement of controversial topics affecting organizations around the world. The public square generally, and organizational leaders specifically, are in dire need of critical thinkers who can engage, understand, and solve morally problematic and challenging issues within the pluralistic and global society in which we live. This program seeks to develop our students’ abilities to critically analyze theory and argument, identify often hidden philosophical assumptions, seek out logical fallacies in argument, locate truth and wisdom, and develop cogent and innovative solutions as unique problem solvers. We encourage the engagement of philosophy as related to theory and practice not to simply understand, but to isolate falsities, understand related issues, and seek out truth for the good of the individual, the organization and our global community. We do not seek to merely “teach” our students. Instead, we focus on encouraging them to contemplate in new ways, critically evaluate research and relevant issues, and to think freely for themselves with an appreciation for the bias we all carry with us each day. The M.S. in Ethics & Organizational Behavior at PBA is a rigorous program focused in philosophy and theory as related to relevant organizational and societal issues. Our faculty are well respected as academicians and aim at nothing less than developing critical thinkers who will pioneer change and help make organizations, societies, and the world a better place.

Program Learning Outcomes


“Expected student learning outcomes specify the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes students are expected to attain in courses or in a program.” Page 69, Resource Manual for the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), 2018.

  1. Students will evaluate organizational behavior and leadership theory and concepts in the context of philosophical and theological ethics.

  2. Students will develop organizational competencies in areas of organizational assessment, strategic planning, organizational change, ethical behavior, and the building of effective teams.

  3. Students will utilize appropriate academic writing guidelines in written communication and the presentation of research.

  4. Students will synthesize Christian values and ethics in the leadership of pluralistic organizations.

Degree Requirements


30 Credit Hours

Thesis Requirement:

Students will take an independent research course in which the student will produce a quality masters level thesis or project. If choosing the thesis, the student will fall under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. The research thesis or project is the culminating event in the program required for graduation. The topic of the thesis/project must be relevant to the program learning objectives. Thesis students will be required to successfully defend their thesis by way of the thesis examination. The examiners will include the supervisor and an impartial faculty member with expertise on the topic and can be conducted in-person or online. An examination secretary will assist by providing the students with written feedback and changes required by the examiners that must be completed prior to submitting the thesis for final approval by the Dean. All research project students who choose not to conduct a supervised thesis will conduct their research independently and complete the project under the supervision of the course instructor. Projects and theses must be approved by the Program Director and Dean of the School prior to the degree being conferred.

Note: The thesis option is a supervised independent research project culminating in the student’s defense of their thesis by way of a structured examination and is intended to prepare students for a terminal degree or otherwise pursue a research-oriented profession.