Leadership Studies

The Leadership Studies Program provides a strong foundation of coursework and experiences for undergraduate students who seek to study, understand and apply the principles of leadership in their current activities and, eventually, in their careers. Complementing their major field of study, students earning either the certificate or minor in leadership studies will be well-prepared to enter the public, nonprofit or private sectors. The certificate and minor are awarded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Completion of the certificate or minor will be noted on the student's transcript.

Advisors: Elizabeth Zimmerman (ezim@iastate.edu) & Emily Olson (eolson@iastate.edu).

Objectives

• Develop students’ leadership capacity—which encompasses individual-level capabilities of self-awareness, integrity and commitment; group-level capabilities of collaboration, shared purpose and handling controversy with civility; and community-level capabilities of citizenship and civic responsibility.
• Provide opportunities for students to study leadership by learning effective communication practices, organizational theories, ethical principles, an appreciation of diversity, intrapersonal development and the value of community service.
• Cultivate students’ understanding of social empowerment and social justice to create positive and sustainable change.
• Challenge students to critically examine leadership at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, team, organizational and societal levels.
• Bring students into contact with community leaders and 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 engagement.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the certificate or minor in leadership studies, students will be able to:

• Recognize leadership as a set of skills, knowledge and attitudes that can be learned.
• Understand traditional and emergent leadership theories and apply them in practice.
• Comprehend key concepts of communication theories, organizational theories, contemporary diversity issues and ethical principles.
• Practice and evaluate their own capacity to lead effectively within teams, organizations and diverse communities.
• Develop and implement plans for continually improving their leadership capacity.
• Demonstrate proficiencies in written and oral communication.

Leadership Studies Certificate

The certificate in leadership studies requires the completion of 21 credit hours through three, 3-credit-hour required courses in leadership, speech communication and organizational theory. An additional 12 credit hours are earned from approved electives including 3 hours in communication; 6 hours in leadership; and 3 hours of a capstone experience through a course, internship or study abroad. The capstone course should focus on the scholarship of leadership in the student's field of study, whereas an internship or a study abroad should provide a leadership-in-practice experience.

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.

Core Courses: 9 credits of required core courses

LD ST 301	Leadership Theories	3
LD ST 322	Leadership in a Diverse Society	3
MGMT 372	Responsible Management and Leadership in Business	3
or MGMT 422	Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

Communication Electives: Choose 3 credits from the following

COMST 214	Professional Communication	3
COMST 310	Intercultural Communication	3
COMST 314	Organizational Communication	3
ENGL 302	Business Communication	3
SP CM 212	Fundamentals of Public Speaking	3
SP CM 312	Business and Professional Speaking	3
SP CM/WGS 323	Gender and Communication	3
SP CM 497	Capstone Seminar	3

Leadership Electives: Choose 6 credits from the following

AESHM 211	Leadership Experiences and Development (LEAD)	3
AESHM 222	Creativity on Demand	3
AESHM 287	Principles of Management in Human Sciences	3
AESHM 421	Developing Global Leadership: Maximizing Human Potential	3
AESHM 474	Entrepreneurship in Human Sciences	3
AGEDS 315	Personal, Professional, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture	3
C E 306	Project Management for Civil Engineers	3
COMST 218	Conflict Management	3
COMST 313	Leadership Communication Theories	3
COMST 317	Small Group Communication	3
C R P 429	Planning in Developing Countries	3
C R P 432	Community Planning Studio	4-6
C R P 435	Planning in Small Towns	3
C R P 492	Planning Law, Administration and Implementation	3
CON E 380	Engineering Law	3
ENGR 150	Foundations of Leadership Development and Learning	1
ENGR 250	Leadership in Engineering Teams	1
ENGR 350	Dean's Leadership Seminar	1
HD FS 395	Children, Families, and Public Policy	3
LAS 151	Dean’s Leadership Seminar I	1
LD ST 122	Leading with Purpose	1
LD ST 270	Campus Leadership Development	3
LD ST 290	Independent Study	1-3
LD ST 291	Leading Through Service Learning	4
LD ST 291A	Leading Through Service Learning: General	4
LD ST 291B	Leading Through Service Learning: U.S. Diversity	4
LD ST 291C	Leading Through Service Learning: International Perspectives	4
LD ST 293	Special Projects	1-3
LD ST/WGS 333	Women and Leadership	3
LD ST 370	Special Topics	1-3
LD ST 422	Leadership Capstone Seminar: Theory to Practice	3
LD ST/WGS 488	Research on Women and Leadership	3
LD ST 490	Independent Study	1-3
M E 412	Ethical Responsibilities of a Practicing Engineer	3
MGMT 372	Responsible Management and Leadership in Business	3
MGMT 422	Negotiation and Conflict Resolution	3
MGMT 472	Management of Diversity	3
N S 412	Leadership and Ethics	3
PHIL 235	Ethical Issues in a Diverse Society	3
POL S 310	State and Local Government	3
POL S 271	Public Organizations and Leadership	3
POL S/WGS 385	Women in Politics	3
POL S 475	Management in the Public Sector	3
POL S 487	Electronic Democracy	3
SOC 310	Community	3
SOC/POL S 334	Politics and Society	3
SP CM 110	Listening	3
SP CM 416	History of American Public Address	3
SP CM/POL S 417	Campaign Rhetoric	3
U ST 315	Cyclone Aide Leaders Seminar	2
WGS 301	International Perspectives on Women and Gender	3
WGS 435	Gender, Globalization and Development	3

Capstone Courses: Choose 3 credits of the following

LD ST 422	Leadership Capstone Seminar: Theory to Practice	3
LD ST 490	Independent Study (Must include a leadership focus and be pre-approved by the leadership studies faculty.)	1-3
Study abroad: Must include a leadership focus and be pre-approved by the leadership studies faculty.
Other capstones may be approved with leadership studies faculty permission if they include a significant leadership component (e.g., COMST 404 or AESHM 421 with a leadership-based project). Students wishing to take a capstone course not listed here must receive approval prior to registering for the course and must demonstrate in writing how the course includes a significant leadership component.

Leadership Studies Minor

The minor in leadership studies requires the completion of 15 credit hours through three 3-credit-hour required courses in leadership and organizational theory, and an additional 6 credit hours earned from approved leadership electives.

At least 9 credits must be taken in courses numbered at the 300-level or above. At least 9 credits used for the minor 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 minor 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 minor.

Core Courses: 9 required credits

LD ST 301	Leadership Theories	3
LD ST 322	Leadership in a Diverse Society	3
MGMT 372	Responsible Management and Leadership in Business	3
or MGMT 422	Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

 Leadership Electives: Choose 6 credits from the following

AESHM 211	Leadership Experiences and Development (LEAD)	3
AESHM 421	Developing Global Leadership: Maximizing Human Potential	3
AGEDS 315	Personal, Professional, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture	3
COMST 218	Conflict Management	3
COMST 313	Leadership Communication Theories	3
ENGR 150	Foundations of Leadership Development and Learning	1
ENGR 250	Leadership in Engineering Teams	1
ENGR 350	Dean's Leadership Seminar	1
LD ST 122	Leading with Purpose	1
LD ST 270	Campus Leadership Development	3
LD ST 291	Leading Through Service Learning	4
LD ST 291A	Leading Through Service Learning: General	4
LD ST 291B	Leading Through Service Learning: U.S. Diversity	4
LD ST 291C	Leading Through Service Learning: International Perspectives	4
LD ST 293	Special Projects	3
LD ST/WGS 333	Women and Leadership	3
LD ST 370	Special Topics	1-3
LD ST 422	Leadership Capstone Seminar: Theory to Practice	3
LD ST 488	Research on Women and Leadership	3
M E 412	Ethical Responsibilities of a Practicing Engineer	3
MGMT 372	Responsible Management and Leadership in Business	3
MGMT 422	Negotiation and Conflict Resolution	3
MGMT 472	Management of Diversity	3
PHIL 235	Ethical Issues in a Diverse Society	3
SP CM 312	Business and Professional Speaking	3

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