(required first course) Survey concepts of leadership: leadership styles, effective leadership, vision, and motivation. Critical thinking and team building emphasized. Includes definitions: leadership theories, leadership diversity, ethical leadership, and overcoming organizational obstacles. [Prereq. Interdisciplinary Studies: Leadership Studies Major]

• Introduction to leadership: roles and power. Differentiation between leadership and management.
• Assess personal traits.  Identify, study, and contrast personal and historically great leaders.
• Outline Career Development Plan (CDP).  Develop proposal for Professional Leadership Project (PLP).

Develop understanding of theories, strategies, operational issues and research related to collecting, analyzing, summarizing and presenting data related to organizational effectiveness. Use analysis for forecasting. Basic methods of analyzing data. [Prereq. LDRS 311]

• Introduction to resources, research skills, and frameworks for collecting and analyzing data.
• Develop techniques for needs assessment and gap analysis.  Apply data and analysis frameworks.
• CDP: Identify and quantify opportunities, competition, and key processes impacting career plan.
• PLP: Conduct initial research on organization for project. Determine and quantify gaps.

Develop the basis of effective verbal, nonverbal, written, and listening communication skills for interpersonal, group, organizational, persuasive, crisis, and cross-cultural communication. Team building skills will be emphasized. [Prereq. LDRS 311]

• Introduction to team and group optimization practices including decision-making techniques.
• Develop and practice powerful written and oral communication and presentation skills.
• Begin CDP implementation (e.g. identify and meet with mentors).  Refine proposal for PLP.

Develop the essential elements of a strategic plan for the organization identified in PLP. How to finance projects, conduct cost benefit analysis, develop a plan, set benchmarks and analyze forecasts. [Prereq. LDRS 311; Interdisciplinary Studies: Leadership Studies Major]

• Introduction to value creation and competitive advantage. Identify key stakeholders and their needs
• Understand importance of, and practice aligning: Vision, Mission, Goals, Forecasts and Budgets.
• Apply strategic frameworks to, and build strategic components of, PLP and CDP.

Implement and execute a complex project. Evaluate desirability by cost-benefit analysis, analyze sources of funding, implement and evaluate the project based on financial, accounting, sustainability and administrative data. [Prereq: LDRS 341; Interdisciplinary Studies: Leadership Studies Major]

• Understand operational and project management requirements and develop relevant tool kits: Process Maps; PERT charts; Resource definition, acquisition and alignment; Test, launch plans, etc.

• Identify key phases (i.e. Needs assessment through Launch) and key processes for PLP.  Refine CDP.

Analyze different methods of employee recruitment, retention, training, and empowerment. Legal pitfalls, employment law, and expanding stakeholder interests. Develop strategic knowledge of staffing, compensation, workforce design, assessment and legal issues. [Prereq: LDRS 311; Interdisciplinary Studies: Leadership Studies Major]

• Introduction to Human Resource Management (e.g. recruiting, training, compensation, legal).
• Research, analyze and suggest improvements to HR documents, policies, procedures in organization.
• Identify employee and HR needs/concerns relevant to PLP and CDP. Develop improvements needed.

Develops the concept of strategic sustainability to implement the triple bottom line of economic viability, environmental conservation and social responsibility to transform an organization. Examination of various sustainability frameworks. [Prereq: LDRS 311; Interdisciplinary Studies: Leadership Studies Major]

• Introduction to the concepts of, and interplay between: ethics, sustainability, investment, returns.
• Practice validation, verification and continuous improvement tactics. Consider project survival issues
• Refine CDP and strategic components of PLP to add or augment these aspects.

Develop an understanding of the strategic role of information systems to include hardware, software, personnel, databases, impact on organization, networking, the Internet, information security, the law and the future. [Prereq: LDRS 311; Interdisciplinary Studies: Leadership Studies Major]

• Introduction to databases, informational management systems, the cloud, social media, etc.
• Consider and use technologies that could be leveraged in your career or project.
• Develop technology elements of the PLP and add technology considerations to CDP (eg training).

Fundamentals of developing a flexible organization that creates a proactive learning environment. Motivating employees and creating new leadership opportunities. Organizational behavior and organizational psychology framework for transforming an organization. [Prereq: LDRS 311; Interdisciplinary Studies: Leadership Studies Major]

• Introduction to organizational design and behavior, development of culture, and human motivation.
• Compare different organizational types and assess/characterize your current organization.
• Identify and address organizational characteristics relevant to the success of PLP and CDP.

(final class in program) Devoted to completing the leadership project of transforming an organization. A retrospective integrative course that requires students to synthesize relevant concepts and experiences to formulate an effective Personal Leadership Plan. [Prereq: LDRS 321, LDRS 331, LDRS 351, LDRS 411, LDRS 421, LDRS 431, and LDRS 441]

• Professional Leadership Project (PLP): An improvement or new project for current organization/market.
• Output to include strategic and implementation plans including supporting data.
• Write-up and “pitch” presentation to be presented to and reviewed by peers and mentors.
• Career Development Plan (CDP): 10yr career/life goals and likely path with key decision points.
• Output to include meeting log and topics discussed with mentors
• Exit interview with a faculty member regarding CDP to demonstrate implementation of plan.

• See Major Academic Plan options
• Humboldt Leadership Studies Checklist (PDF*)
• LDRS Degree Requirements Summary (PDF*)

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