"I
think the 21st century will be
the century of complexity. "
Stephen Hawking
COMPLEXITY,
CHAOS and CREATIVITY
Masters Program offered
entirely
through Internet
at
the University
of Western
Sydney
This Masters Program introduces you to
the powerful and exciting
approaches of Complexity and Chaos
that are indispensable for understanding the complex and dynamic
world of
the 21st Century.
New insights, methods, concepts and
strategies grounded in practical
applications in a wide range of activities - in government,
business,
commerce, human and environmental health , are introduced through
Internet to enhance your
ability not only to think in complexity but also to cope creatively
with
critical social dynamics at the Edge
of Chaos -
a
metaphor for the way our life unfolds at the beginning of the New
Millennium.
The program is
tailored to meet the needs of adult
learners who wish to pursue postgraduate study on a part-time basis
while
remaining committed to professional and personal responsibilities.
For more information about the units
offered during the next semester of enrollment,
please click at
http://www.zulenet.com/VladimirDimitrov/pages/ComplexityChaosCreativity.html
CAREER
ENHANCEMENT
The
units of this
Masters Program aim to provide a postgraduate qualification relevant to
those
wishing to enter or enhance a professional career in any field where a
fundamental requirement is the ability to deal creatively with inherent
complexity and rapid change (some examples: organisational management
and
business, health practices and environmental management, facilitation
and
counselling, government and politics, social policy and community
development, design and
arts).
This
degree would
be relevant in enhancing and supporting activities that are part of
most
employment endeavours, because each has its own inherent chaos and
complexity.
ADMISSION
REQUIREMENTS
An
undergraduate
degree or honours degree or a postgraduate diploma. Where an applicant
can
demonstrate equivalence to a formal degree qualification in employment
experience, training and professional knowledge, the application will
be considered
on its merits.
Where
English is
not the language of origin, certified translations must be supplied in
English
of all qualifications.
COURSE
FORMAT
The
course
comprises eight (8) units, offered both through the Internet (and in
traditional format, supported by on-campus residentials for those
wishing to
attend). It would normally be taken part-time over two years (two
units
per semester). If there are sufficient enrolments from a single
organisation,
on-site tutorials will be negotiated.
FEE
The fee for 2005 is $AUD 1,100 per unit.
COURSE
CONTENT
Master of Arts
Complexity, Chaos and Creativity (by coursework)
Core
unit: Introduction to
Complexity, Chaos and Creativity
Explanation
of the key concepts of the Paradigm of Complexity and facilitation of
their
creative application to areas of students' interest.
PLUS
seven (7) elective units from those listed
below:
Managing
Organisational Change at the Edge of Chaos
Introduction
to sel-organisin organzational dynamics and their application in
dealing with
complexity of management.
Study
of Self-organization of Human Dynamics
A new insightful
holistic inquiry into self-organizing dynamics of human and
ecological complexity with practical applications to Health,
Management, Ecology and Pedagogy.
Us
of Fuzzy
Logic and Narratology in
Social Sciences and Humanist Research
Using
Fuzzyiology (study of fuzziness inherent in human understanding) and
Narratology (study of human stories) in dealing with conflicts, human
and environmental health, management, learning, and other social issues
and processes.
Complexity
and Philosophy
Explores
the contested nature of philosophical explanations, and allows for
their re-interpretation through Complexity Theory
Global
Citizenship
Global citizenship is explored and theorized through conceiving of
three dynamically interlinked spheres of interest: The social and
political, The personal, and The material (nature, 'built' and natural
environments)
Ecology
of Learning
Exloration
of the factors and conditions facilitating the process of learning with
an emphasis on 'sublime learning' - learning about ourselves.
Leadership
and
Change
Holistic
perception of leadership under conditions of rapid changes,
uncertainty, and
criticality as a means of a levarage into personal insights, social
relationships, and ethical actions.
Independent
Studies
Provides
an opportunity for students to carry out an independent research
project that is closely related to the themes and content of MA CCC
Or
any other
relevant elective/s for web delivery from other University
of Western Sydney courses, as approved by the Course Coordinator.
For
more
information about the units offered during the approaching semester and
the
dedline for enrollment, please contact the Course-Adviser - Dr Vlad
Dimitrov
(v.dimitrov@uws.edu.au); home page: http://www.zulenet.com/VladimirDimitrov/pages/home.html
Excerpts from letters of new
Masters of Arts in Complexity, Chaos and Creativity
"I did this course over the last two years
(100%
over the Internet!) and that is a really good course. The way the
interaction
works, and the freedom to apply the concepts to the areas of our own
interest
and the encouragement, from the tutor group, to develop original
thinking is
much more that the average Masters programme does (it beats all MBAs as
far as
I am concerned, but that is a cheap shot). Of particular interest is
the way
the student group develop the course material themselves, guided by the
module
context, as a self-organised groups...For one thing, I enjoyed the
exchanges
with the people...Highly recommended ."
(Frank
Smits, Management Consultant in "Partners for Change", London, UK;
frank.smits@lineone.net).
"A BIG thank you to the creators of the MA
CCC...This course has proven to be inspirational and life changing. I
thoroughly believe that Complexity and Chaos concepts need to become
part of
our everyday existence through every available medium until we reach a
point in
our evolution where we: recognise without question that we are all
interconnected; know that we are all individuals who are equally
worthy; are
not afraid of change or non-linearity; embrace difference and diversity
and;
embrace ourselves as living, breathing souls who are here to evolve and
co-evolve in an all embracing Universal environment which is wondrously
designed to help us do just that , ,,"
(Darlene Sebalj, College Manager, College of Science, Technology and
Environment, UWS, Australia; d.sebalj@uws.edu.au).
"I just graduated, and am now working in a
most
chaotic and complex environment, and loving it. My project aims to
bring the
fragmented community of Mt Druitt together, using the Garden (Mother
Earth) as
a focus and a healing. It is a dream job and you have to be able
to
handle extreme chaos, and fluidity, and process - it can be quite
messy!
But it is also wonderful, and I am very glad I studied MA CCC to stand
as my
theoretical basis, when things would seem out of control. It really
does help
me to stifle the urge to control and build my solid foundation, on
which I work
from ." ( Kerryn Valeontis, Community
Development worker at Holy Family Centre, Mt Druitt, NSW, Australia,
manuelv@sia.net.au).
"I've very much enjoyed the
Masters course. This is my final semester. I would like to thank Vlad
(and
Lesley and Robert) for your guidance and
opening up our minds to new possibilities and ways of being. The course
has
certainly changed me. I chucked in a top job to do what I'm doing now
(which is
much more "me") and at the end of 2004 will "retire" from
organisational life (which at best is artificial and soul draining) to
concentrate on writing my second book, expanding my mental horizons,
reading,
reading, and reading on complexity!"
(Kim.Sbarcea, Director, Knowledge Networks, Australian Securities
and Investments Commission, Sydney, Australia, Kim.Sbarcea@asic.gov.au).
FURTHER
INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
Dr Vlad
Dimitrov , Course Adviser Facsimile: +61 (2) 4570 1531
|
Ms Kathy Adam-Cross
, Administration officer
|
For
the closing
date of application each semester, please
click here .
For more information about the international enrolment in MA CCC,
please contact: Ms Beverley Schlyder (b.schlyder@uws.edu.au ),
International Admissions Officer, Building R1, UWS, Hawkesbury Campus,
Locked Bag 1797, Penrith Sth DC, NSW 1797, Australia;
phone: +61(245)70 1779, fax: +61(245)885258.
For local
enrolment,
please refer to UAC
page
.
If
you are
interested in more information about the contents of each unit, please
go to
Vlad's Home
page or have a look at the following books: "Dimitrov, V., A New Kind of Social Science :
Study of
Self-organization of Human Dynamics" (Lulu press, 2003) and Dimitrov,
V.
and Hodge, B., Social
Fuzziology: Study of Fuzziness of Social Complexity (Spinger,
2002).