Skip to Content

Community Leadership and Public Service

This is an archived copy of the 2015-2016 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

View PDF

(Certificate Only)

Interdisciplinary undergraduate program

This interdisciplinary certificate program utilizes university courses offered in a variety of academic disciplines to provide a strong foundation and appropriate experiences for undergraduate students who plan to become community leaders and engage in public service—regardless of their profession—in the public, nonprofit or private sectors. The certificate is awarded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Completion of the certificate will be noted on the student's transcript and via a certificate provided by the Registrar.

Objectives

  • Provide opportunities for students to learn about leadership and organizational theories, ethics and decision-making, principles of public service, effective communication, leadership practices in groups and organizations, and diversity issues.
  • Develop leadership skills—including written and oral communication, creative thinking, personal management, group and organizational effectiveness, and problem-solving—important to students' careers, communities and personal development.
  • Bring students into contact with faculty members from diverse academic departments, backgrounds and leadership experiences.
  • Prepare students to undertake leadership roles in their careers and in service to their community through coursework and co-curricular activities.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the Certificate in Community Leadership and Public Service, students will:

  • Demonstrate understanding of key concepts of leadership theories and effective practices within diverse groups, organizations and communities.
  • Demonstrate understanding of key concepts of organizational theories, ethics and principles of public service.
  • Demonstrate proficiencies in written and oral communication.
  • Demonstrate awareness of cultural values and diversity issues as they pertain to community leadership and public service.
  • Demonstrate engagement as citizens through service to their communities.

Requirements

The Certificate in Community Leadership and Public Service requires 21 credits. At least 9 credits must be taken in courses numbered at the 300-level or above. At least 9 credits used for the certificate cannot be used to meet any other department, college or university requirement for the baccalaureate degree except to satisfy the total credit requirement for graduation and to meet credit requirements in courses numbered 300 or above. Courses for the certificate cannot be taken on a pass/not-pass basis. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 is required in courses taken for the certificate. The program requires the completion of 21 credit hours through 3, 3-hour required courses in leadership, speech communication and organizational theory. An additional 12 hours come from approved electives covering 3 hours in communication; 6 hours in leadership; and 3 hours of a capstone experience through a course, internship or study abroad experience. The capstone course should focus on the scholarship of leadership in the student's field of study whereas an internship or study abroad should provide a leadership-in-practice experience. 

Core Courses: Choose 9 credits from the following required core courses.

CL PS 322Leadership Styles and Strategies in a Diverse Society3
SP CM 312Business and Professional Speaking3
MGMT 371Organizational Behavior3
or POL S 371 Introduction to Public Administration

 Communication Electives: Choose 3 credits from the following.

COMST 214Professional Communication3
COMST 310Intercultural Communication3
COMST 313Leadership Communication Theories3
COMST 314Organizational Communication3
ENGL 302Business Communication3
ENGL 309Report and Proposal Writing3
P R 305Publicity Methods3
SP CM 212Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
SP CM 322Argumentation, Debate, and Critical Thinking3
SP CM 323Gender and Communication3
SP CM 327Persuasion3
SP CM 412Rhetorical Criticism3

 Leadership Electives: Choose 6 credits from the following.

AESHM 211Leadership Experiences and Development (LEAD)3
AESHM 222Creative Thinking and Problem Solving3
AESHM 287Principles of Management in Human Sciences3
AESHM 379Community Leadership: Examination of Social Issues3
AESHM 474Entrepreneurship in Human Sciences3
A B E/C E/E E 388Sustainable Engineering and International Development3
AGEDS 315Personal, Professional, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture3
C E 306Project Management for Civil Engineers3
CL PS 122Leading with Purpose1
CL PS 270Campus Leadership Development3
CL PS/W S 333Women and Leadership3
CL PS/W S 488Research on Women and Leadership3
COMST 218Conflict Management3
COMST 313Leadership Communication Theories3
COMST 317Small Group Communication3
C R P 291World Cities and Globalization3
C R P 293Environmental Planning3
C R P 425Growth Management3
C R P 429Planning in Developing Countries3
C R P 435Planning in Small Towns3
C R P 475Grant Writing1
C R P 481Regional and State Planning3
C R P 484Sustainable Communities3
C R P 491Environmental Law and Planning3
C R P 492Planning Law, Administration and Implementation3
CON E 380Engineering Law3
ENGR 150Foundations of Leadership Development and Learning1
ENGR 350Dean's Leadership Seminar1
HD FS 395Children, Families, and Public Policy3
HIST 488American Stuff, Colonial Times to the Present3
I E 570Systems Engineering and Project Management3
LAS 151Dean’s Leadership Seminar I1
LAS 152Dean’s Leadership Seminar II1
M E 412Ethical Responsibilities of a Practicing Engineer3
M E/WLC 484Technology, Globalization and Culture3
M S 401Seminar: The Military Team3
M S 402Seminar: The Professional Military Officer3
MGMT 370Management of Organizations3
MGMT 371Organizational Behavior3
MGMT 419Social Responsibility of Business3
MGMT 472Management of Diversity3
NREM/AER E/CON E/FS HN/HORT 112Orientation to Learning and Productive Team Membership2
NREM/CON E/FS HN/HORT 114Developing Responsible Learners and Effective Leaders2
PHIL 235Ethical Issues in A Diverse Society3
POL S 310State and Local Government3
POL S 311Municipal Government and Politics3
POL S 344Public Policy3
POL S/W S 385Women in Politics3
POL S 413Intergovernmental Relations3
POL S 477Government, Business, and Society3
POL S 480Ethics and Public Policy3
POL S 487Electronic Democracy3
SOC 310Community3
SOC 334Politics and Society3
SOC 420Complex Organizations3
SOC 435Urban Society3
SP CM 110Listening3
SP CM 416History of American Public Address3
SP CM/POL S 417Campaign Rhetoric3
U ST 315Cyclone Aide Leaders Seminar2
W S 301International Perspectives on Women and Gender3
W S 435Women and Development3

 Capstone Courses: Choose 3 credits of the following for a capstone elective or complete an approved internship or study abroad experience. 

AESHM 421Developing Global Leadership: Maximizing Human Potential3
CL PS/W S 488Research on Women and Leadership3
COMST 404Research Seminar (404C Small Group Communication and 404D Organizational Communication)3
C R P 432Community Planning Studio4-6
ENGL 418Seminar in Argumentation3
ENGR 490LIndependent Study1-3
HD FS 449Program Evaluation and Proposal Writing3
LAS 490G 1-3
LAS 491Service Learning1-4
LAS 499Internship1-4
M E/WLC 484Technology, Globalization and Culture3
POL S 475Management in the Public Sector3
PSYCH 450Industrial Psychology3
SOC 464Strategies for Community Engagement3
W S 491Senior Internship3

 For more information contact the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, 309 Catt Hall, 515-294-3181, leadprgm@iastate.edu , or visit http://cattcenter.las.iastate.ed/leadership/