Organizing and Motivating Online and Continuing Education Enterprises - January 2027
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Register
- Non-member - $599
- Member - $499
Course Description
Successful online and professional education enterprises are built on effective leadership, well-designed organizations, and engaged teams. This course explores how leaders organize, develop, and motivate people to achieve strategic goals while navigating the complexity of higher education institutions.
Participants will examine organizational structures, leadership approaches, team development, stakeholder engagement, and change management within online and professional education enterprises. Through practical examples and collaborative discussion, learners will explore strategies for building agile organizations, fostering cross-functional collaboration, managing remote and hybrid teams, and creating cultures that support innovation and continuous improvement.
Designed for current and aspiring leaders, this course provides practical frameworks for leading people, strengthening organizational effectiveness, and building high-performing enterprises capable of adapting to an evolving higher education landscape.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate organizational structures and leadership models that support effective online and professional education enterprises.
- Develop strategies for building, organizing, and motivating high-performing teams in complex institutional environments.
- Apply approaches for engaging faculty, staff, institutional leaders, and external partners to advance shared strategic goals.
- Assess the impact of organizational change and develop strategies that foster agility, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Create leadership approaches that strengthen organizational culture, collaboration, and enterprise effectiveness.
Course Structure and Expectations
This instructor-supported course is delivered over four weeks. Each week combines asynchronous coursework with a one-hour live Zoom session that provides opportunities for discussion, peer exchange, and application of course concepts.
Asynchronous Coursework
Complete readings, videos, discussions, applied activities, and assignments on your own schedule within each weekly module.
Weekly Live Session
Participate in a one-hour Zoom session each week for faculty guidance, collaborative discussion, and peer learning.
Weekly Commitment
Plan to spend approximately 5–7 hours each week completing course materials, activities, assignments, and the live session.
Nancy Coleman, Ed.D.
Dean, Division of Continuing Education Harvard University
Nancy Coleman, Ed.D., is Dean of Continuing Education and University Extension at Harvard University. Prior to joining Harvard, Nancy was Associate Provost and Founding Director of Strategic Growth Initiatives at Wellesley College. Her career has spanned higher education, corporate and start-up ventures. At Wellesley, Coleman oversaw the work of Wellesley Extended, encompassing summer, online learning, and professional education. Previously, Coleman was VP of Academic Services at Keypath, an OPM provider, overseeing instructional design and student services for all global locations; and Director of Distance Education at Boston University leading a business unit overseeing online degrees and certificates across the university. She holds a doctorate from George Washington University, an M.B.A. from Boston University, and a B.S. in Marketing from Stonehill College.
Nancy has led several PCO organizations across a variety of organizational settings. She grew and restructured Boston University’s Office of Distance Education, she worked for a young company and developed much of its infrastructure, founded a new unit within Wellesley College, and then took over one of the major PCO entities in the nation at Harvard University. In each case, she invested her time and energy in organizational structure and the recruiting of talent.
See what past participants have said about this course
"Great course! I'm recommending it to all of my colleagues."
"Nancy is great! She has provided a handbook for those of us seeking to understand the structure of PCO and how to improve our divisions from the inside out."
"This course is very helpful for my current work environment. I am lucky to have access to this information during this climate. Thanks to UPCEA for the foresight to run these courses."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this course and I would say that the live sessions and the group assignment were the major highlights for me."
"I really enjoyed the group project. The conversations and support from the other group members enhanced my learning of how PCO unit run at different institutions."
"Nancy is an excellent communicator, and was able to share her experiences with the group just like she was a participant. The time she put into building the course was obvious, and appreciated."
"Dr. Coleman was great and I appreciate her work to our field and the content she selected for the course."
"Initially I did not think the case study would be a rewarding assignment but I really enjoyed it and getting to know my classmates better was a definite bonus. It was very insightful reviewing all the different responses to the same case study."
"Nancy was an excellent presenter and listener."
"I appreciate the instructors background and current experience. She allowed for guided conversations and open discussions during live classes."
