Leadership Studies Minor

Director: Dr. Matthew Sowcik

Total minimum number of credits required for a minor in Leadership Studies – 18

The current generation of college students will be responsible for dealing with a growing leadership crisis and finding solutions to some of the most difficult problems of our time. Challenges facing society include economic polarity, dramatic demographic changes, as well as issues of natural resources and energy, national security, foreign diplomacy, international conflict, and economic instability, to name just a few. Leadership education has the potential to transform and develop the current generation of college students into future leaders of tomorrow. The Leadership Studies Minor, offered in the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, is an interdisciplinary, academic and applied program of study that focuses on the fluid process and components of the interaction between leaders and followers in a particular context. Students from all majors will have an opportunity to learn about leadership, while preparing to take an active leadership role in their future career.

There are a number of benefits for students choosing to compliment their major with a minor in Leadership Studies. Research suggests that undergraduate leadership education can impact a student's personal/professional skills, increase self-confidence, increase interpersonal skills, and make students more effective decision makers, conflict negotiators, and goal setters. The Leadership Studies minor aims to improve a student's self awareness, develop stronger personal values, increase communication effectiveness, and increase a student's organizational skills.

Additionally, the Leadership Studies minor can increase a student's likelihood to be involved with community action programs and more willing to serve others. Research on leadership education supports the notion that students in leadership programs are more committed to developing leadership in others and are more willing to promote understanding across racial and ethnic groups. Students taking the minor in Leadership Studies will learn how to become effective social change agents at the institutions where they learn, the organizations where they work, and the communities where they live. Finally, these increased competencies and skills not only serve the personal needs of each student, by developing a well rounded individual, it also helps a student's marketability in pursuing jobs after college.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LEADERSHIP STUDIES MINOR (18credits total)

Each student with a minor in Leadership Studies must complete the following 9 credits:

LDR 201. Introduction to Leadership

LDR 202. Advanced Leadership Theory and Practice

LDR 361: Leadership Capstone

Each student with a minor in Leadership Studies must complete one course from each of the following content areas, for a total of 9 credits:

Leadership Issues (see options below)

Leadership Skills (see options below)

Leadership in Context (see options below)

Leadership Issues (3 credits) (Courses listed have no or minimum prerequisite requirements)

EES 218. Environmental Ethics

EES 210. Global Climatic Change

MGT 356. The Social Responsibility of Business

PHL 110. Introduction to Ethical Problems

PHL 216 Philosophies of Nonviolence

SOC 251 Sociology of Minorities

WS 101. Introduction to Women's Studies

Or 3 credits of Personal and Professional Development courses pertaining to leadership issues

Leadership Behaviors/Skills (3 credits) (Courses listed have no or minimum prerequisite requirements)

COM 202. Interpersonal Communication

COM 203. Small Group Communication

COM 301. Persuasion

COM 303. Organizational Communication

COM 304. Intercultural Communication

ENG. 202. Technical and Professional Writing

ENT 203. Opportunity Identification: Innovation and Creativity

MGT 309. Business Correspondence and Reports

Or 3 credits of Personal and Professional Development courses pertaining to leadership behaviors/skills

Leadership In Context (3 credits)

ANT 212. People and Cultures of the World

ENT 252. The Entrepreneurial Leader

MGT 358 International Business

MGT 351. Management of Organizations and People

PS 260. Introduction to Political Thinking

SOC 221. Social Problems

Or 3 credits of Personal and Professional Development courses pertaining to leadership in context