Occupational Education (OCED)

OCED 3310. Human Problems in the Workplace.

This course examines common human issues encountered in workplace settings across business, industry, social service, military, and educational environments. Students study how these issues may affect communication, performance, and professional development while introducing multiple perspectives on workplace challenges, research findings, and resource options. Emphasis is placed on understanding the nature of these issues, evaluating their impact on organizational effectiveness, and identifying appropriate pathways for support or referral when needed. Through the study of human relations, emotional intelligence, and ethics, students develop an evidence-informed understanding of how human factors shape workplace functioning and professional dynamics.

OCED 3321. Creative Thinking.

This course examines creative thinking theories, models, and skills-building techniques. Students explore structured methods for generating, evaluating, and refining ideas through regular applied activities. The course analyzes examples of influential creative thinkers across historical and professional contexts and considers the role of creative thinking in organizational and workplace settings. Emphasis is placed on understanding, practicing, and evaluating creative thinking processes using evidence-based frameworks.

OCED 3322. Problem Solving and Decision Making.

This course surveys foundational mental models, examines common data types, and introduces basic analytical tools used in decision-making and problem analysis. Students analyze how mental models influence reasoning and explore frameworks for applying analytical tools across varied contexts. The course emphasizes evaluating decision-making approaches, comparing problem-solving models, and assessing how structured analytical methods are used to address complex problems.

OCED 3323. Health and Safety in the Workplace.

This course examines principles, standards, and practices related to workplace health and safety across a range of organizational contexts. Students analyze common workplace hazards and review regulatory and industry guidelines. Students also apply safety management practices relevant to environments with varying levels of risk. The course activities focus on developing and documenting competencies associated with workplace health and safety practices used by employers and regulatory bodies.

OCED 3324. Project Management Leadership.

This course examines tools, frameworks, and practices associated with project management and leadership. Students analyze common project management challenges, including workload coordination, team leadership, stakeholder communication, risk and scope management, and delegation. Through case studies, guided exercises, and applied analysis, the course emphasizes evaluating project management approaches and applying established practices across varied organizational contexts.

OCED 3325. Accommodating Learners with Support Needs in CTE.

This course examines foundational frameworks that support access and participation in Career and Technical Education (CTE) for individuals with support needs in educational and workplace settings. Students will learn to describe characteristics associated with various support needs, analyze legal requirements, and evaluate environments for compliance with procedural standards. The course also explores approaches for implementing accommodations within CTE and workplace contexts to ensure effective instruction and meaningful participation.

OCED 3326. Teamwork.

This course explores the principles and practices of effective teamwork in professional and organizational settings. They will learn the differences between a group and a team, how to lead teams, become effective team players, and resolve conflicts constructively. The course examines the lifecycle of teams, various team roles, and dynamics that influence performance. Ultimately, students will gain practical strategies for setting up, developing, and managing teams to achieve common goals successfully.

OCED 3327. Excellence in Customer Service.

This course prepares students to apply hard and soft skills to navigate a wide range of customer service contexts in face-to-face and digital environments. Students explore custom service in different industries, interpersonal communication, professionalism, techniques for identifying and assessing customer needs, building relationships, providing personalized support, online and phone interactions, anticipating needs, handling hostile customers, setting boundaries, seeking and analyzing feedback, and maintaining professional conduct under routine and challenging conditions. Through applied and practice-based activities, students analyze different service models and communication strategies used across industries.

OCED 3350. Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Degree.

This course introduces students to interdisciplinary study within the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree and supports them in connecting their educational, professional, and personal experiences to degree requirements. Students will examine their degree audit report, explore course options across the three BAAS modules, and evaluate opportunities for prior learning assessment (PLA). Emphasis is placed on structured reflection, academic planning, and purposeful decision-making as students clarify their academic pathway. Through guided writing and analysis, students will identify professional goals, assess how their prior experiences align with their degree progress, and begin shaping ideas for a future capstone project. The course is designed to help students develop a clearer sense of direction and a more intentional approach to completing the BAAS degree. Prerequisite: 2.25 Overall GPA and Texas State GPA of 2.25. Corequisite: OCED 4350 with a grade of "D" or better.

OCED 4111. Independent Study in Occupational Education.

This course introduces students to the foundations of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) and the role it plays in credentialing experiential, occupational and workforce learning. Students investigate PLA methodologies, examine competency‑based assessment models, evaluate skills, and verify experiential learning and non‑collegiate training. Coursework includes independent investigation, structured analysis of job tasks, and synthesis of knowledge, skills, cognitive abilities, and tools and technology associated with workplace performance. The course supports students in producing a competency-based portfolio suitable for academic review and may be repeated for credit.

OCED 4302. Trends and Issues in OWLS.

This course examines emerging trends and issues shaping the contemporary workplace by exploring research from multiple disciplines. Students analyze developments such as artificial intelligence, multigenerational workforce dynamics, evolving work arrangements, and changing skill demands. Emphasis is placed on evaluating scholarly literature, synthesizing findings, and writing clear, evidence‑based abstracts for professional audiences. The course provides opportunities to investigate how organizations respond to shifting economic, technological, and social conditions while developing analytical and communication skills relevant to workforce studies.

OCED 4325. Development and Change in Organizations.

This course examines the field of organization development (OD) through the study of theories, processes, and data‑driven methods used to guide organizational change. Students explore historical foundations, core concepts, and ethical considerations while analyzing a range of OD interventions applicable to individuals, teams, and organizations. Emphasis is placed on developing systematic approaches for diagnosing organizational needs, evaluating change strategies, and understanding the practitioner role. Through case analysis and applied activities, students learn how OD frameworks can be used to understand change across diverse organizational settings without prescribing specific value positions or policy outcomes.

OCED 4350. Adult Development and Career Planning.

This course examines adult development, learning theory, and career transition theory as essential foundations for understanding educational and career pathways across the lifespan. Students will explore interdisciplinary perspectives on work and learning, engage with career planning and assessment tools, and practice goal setting to support the development of a professional growth plan. Emphasis is placed on analyzing how adult developmental theories shape decision-making, influence career transitions, and inform educational and career choices in varied personal and professional contexts. Through writing-intensive activities, students will reflect on their experiences, evaluate evidence, and articulate a coherent professional growth plan aligned with their evolving academic, career, and lifelong learning goals. Prerequisite: 2.25 Overall GPA and 2.25 Texas State GPA. Corequisite: OCED 3350 with a grade of "D" or better.

OCED 4360. Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Capstone Part 1.

This course introduces students to the development of a supervised capstone project conducted within a collaborative group environment. Under faculty guidance and oversight, student teams identify a professional workplace problem and conduct a systematic review of current literature to establish a theoretical foundation. Emphasis is placed on documentation, analysis, and the initial planning of major project components. Through structured support and task analysis, student teams analyze relevant research and produce written documentation demonstrating applied learning in their program field. Prerequisites: OCED 3350 and OCED 4350 both with grades of "C" or better and instructor approval. Corequisites: OCED 4361 with a grade of "C" or better.

OCED 4361. Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Capstone Part 2.

This course is the second part of a supervised undergraduate capstone experience devoted to the completion of the student’s group project. Working under faculty oversight, teams integrate the knowledge and professional competencies acquired throughout the degree program to address complex, real-world problems. The curriculum requires students to analyze their previous research, evaluate multiple potential solutions, and develop a comprehensive plan to resolve the identified problem. Students produce extensive written documentation, a comprehensive plan, and final report presentation reflecting the culmination of their academic learning and practical experience. Corequisite: OCED 4360 with a grade of "C" or better.

OCED 5101. Instructional Skill Development.

This course introduces graduate assistants to foundational instructional practices used in Organization Development, Career, and Technology Education settings. Students examine teaching strategies, lesson planning methods, evaluation design, online instructional approaches, and techniques that support effective learning environments. The course emphasizes practical skill development for facilitating instruction and assisting faculty in classroom, laboratory, and online settings. Participants engage with professional expectations for graduate assistants, explore approaches to motivating learners, and apply research‑supported practices to instructional tasks. This course does not count toward graduate degree requirements and may be repeated with different areas of instructional emphasis. Prerequisite: Department approval.

OCED 5300. Applied Interdisciplinary Research Methods--Part 2.

This course builds on students’ foundational knowledge of applied interdisciplinary research with an emphasis on research design and data collection. Students complete a research proposal, which includes an introduction to the study, a literature review situating the study, and a research design. Students engage in collecting data, preparing data for analysis, reflecting through research journal notes, and refining their proposals through structured feedback. Students gain research knowledge and skills and conclude this course with data prepared for analysis. Prerequisite: CTE 5330 with a grade of "C" or better and department approval and instructor approval.

OCED 5301. Applied Interdisciplinary Research Part 3.

This course builds on students’ knowledge of applied interdisciplinary research with an emphasis on finalizing a research study. Students engage in systematic analysis, interpretation, and documentation of an individualized research project. Through monitored and structured practice, students analyze data, identify findings or results, and reflect on methodological choices while situating their work within relevant scholarly literature. The course supports the development of analytical, organizational, and scholarly communication skills appropriate for advanced academic and professional settings. Prerequisite: OCED 5300 with a grade of "C" or better and department approval and instructor approval.

OCED 5302. Capstone in Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies.

This course serves as the culminating “exit course” for graduate students in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies. Through guided reflection, discussion, writing, and revision, students connect their graduate studies to career goals and research. Students write and edit a research report or major paper for the written portion of the comprehensive examination and discuss topics related to their program of study, career goals, research, and application of findings or conclusions. Students examine the elements of effective oral presentations and prepare a final presentation. Prerequisite: OCED 5301 with a grade of "C" or better and department approval.

OCED 5310. Human Problems in the Workplace.

This course examines human problems in the workplace and the role of employee assistance programs (EAPs) in supporting employee well-being and organizational effectiveness. Students explore personal, interpersonal, and systemic challenges that affect performance, including stress, conflict, crisis response, family concerns, financial strain, and legal issues. Through applied learning activities, students critically evaluate research on EAP models, ethical considerations, and workplace interventions. Emphasis is placed on connecting theory to practice, assessing program effectiveness, and developing evidence-informed recommendations.

OCED 5311. Technology, Change, and Innovation in Organizations.

This course examines how organizations plan for, implement, and evaluate technology‑driven change and innovation across business, nonprofit, governmental, and educational settings. Graduate students analyze foundational and contemporary theories of change, technology adoption, and innovation systems, with attention to the roles of leadership, organizational culture, and structure. Emphasis is placed on ethical reasoning, evidence‑based decision making, and the strategic design of innovation initiatives in complex environments. Students apply theoretical frameworks to real or simulated organizational cases, assess potential risks and benefits of emerging technologies, and develop practical recommendations for implementation. The course prepares students to communicate innovation strategies clearly to stakeholders using professional, data‑informed approaches.

OCED 5315. Principles of Extramural Funding.

This course introduces the processes involved in identifying, evaluating, and pursuing external funding opportunities relevant to occupational, workforce, and leadership contexts. Students examine professional practices for developing competitive proposals, with attention to multi-, cross-, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The course emphasizes the components of grant planning, including needs assessment, proposal design, budgeting, implementation, and evaluation. Through applied exercises, students study funding mechanisms, agency expectations, and strategies for aligning project goals with sponsor priorities while maintaining academic and professional autonomy.

OCED 5334. Emergent and Future Workplace Perspectives.

This course examines the emergent and evolving nature of the modern workplace. Students analyze how technological, economic, and global forces are shaping work practices and organizational structures. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary analysis of these developments and on evaluating their implications for individuals, organizations, and differing perspectives on the future of work.

OCED 5361. Human Systems in the Workplace.

This course examines complexity science and systems theory as frameworks for understanding human systems in organizational environments. Students analyze how individuals, groups, and organizational structures interact within complex systems and how these interactions influence workplace dynamics. The course explores methods of systemic inquiry, organizational learning, and the application of systems thinking to practical organizational challenges. Through readings, discussions, and applied assignments, students evaluate theoretical perspectives and use systems frameworks to interpret patterns of behavior, influence, and change within organizations.

OCED 5362. Leadership Theories and Application in Organizational Contexts.

This course examines leadership theories and their application within organizational and workforce settings. Students analyze how leadership models have been developed, interpreted, and applied across professional environments. Topics include leadership traits, power and influence, ethical leadership, and team leadership. Through readings, case studies, leadership assessments, and applied assignments, students evaluate leadership theories and examine how leadership practices influence individuals, teams, and organizational processes. Emphasis is placed on examining leadership as a field of scholarly inquiry and applying leadership frameworks to organizational situations.