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Course Description

Recognizing that you're operating within a system is just the beginning; the real challenge is determining how that system actually behaves under pressure. In this course, you will practice the skill of mapping system dynamics — tracing feedback loops, influence networks, and cascading risks that determine whether systems adapt or collapse under pressure. The 2014 Ebola outbreak serves as your central case, revealing how a health emergency cascaded through governance, security, and international coordination systems, creating compound failures that traditional risk models never predicted.

Professor Isaiah Wilson guides you through proprietary analytical frameworks that allow you to generate visual models revealing the hidden mechanics of system behavior. You'll trace the feedback loops that actually govern outcomes, map influence architectures that show where real power resides, and assess compound risks where multiple threats converge simultaneously. Individual assignments culminate in a comprehensive system behavior model, which creates a foundation for strategic decision making.

You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

  • Seeing Beyond Symptoms: Identifying System Drivers

Faculty Author

Isaiah Wilson

Benefits to the Learner

  • Construct causal-loop models to visualize how feedback mechanisms drive system behavior
  • Map influence architectures and power relationships that shape outcomes across complex networks
  • Assess compound risks and identify how multiple threats could converge
  • Integrate multiple system maps into behavior models for strategic decision making

Target Audience

  • Senior executives and C-suite leaders managing complexity across industries
  • Program managers and mid-level leaders overseeing large-scale initiatives
  • Strategy, risk, and transformation leaders driving organizational change
  • Public sector professionals working in national security and public affairs
  • Leaders navigating significant disruption, systemic change, or organizational uncertainty
  • Consultants and strategy advisors guiding organizations through complex challenges

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

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Enroll Now - Select a section to enroll in

Type
2 week
Dates
Oct 28, 2026 to Nov 10, 2026
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Nov 25, 2026 to Dec 08, 2026
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Nov 25, 2026 to Dec 08, 2026
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Dec 23, 2026 to Jan 05, 2027
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Jan 20, 2027 to Feb 02, 2027
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Jul 07, 2027 to Jul 20, 2027
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Aug 04, 2027 to Aug 17, 2027
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Sep 01, 2027 to Sep 14, 2027
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Sep 29, 2027 to Oct 12, 2027
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Oct 27, 2027 to Nov 09, 2027
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Nov 24, 2027 to Dec 07, 2027
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Dec 22, 2027 to Jan 04, 2028
Total Number of Hours
12.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00

Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION:

This certificate includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

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