Leadership competencies will support you in your future, no matter your career aspirations, and they can be strengthened at multiple levels– the self, interpersonally, within group and organizational dynamics, and in accountable relationships with communities. Consequently, we have divided our electives into four broad categories, framed around courses where the learning objectives explicitly focus on increasing students’ cognition and proficiency of at least one student leadership competency in a particular level of focus. You must take one class from each of the following categories.
Courses in the Self category ask you to look inward, exploring your own unique skills, identities, mindsets and perspectives as you grapple with questions about who you want to be as a leader. In these courses, students explore the self-awareness and development competencies (self-understanding, personal values, personal contributions, scope of competence, receiving feedback, self-development), and the personal behavior competencies (initiative, functioning independently, follow-through, responsibility for personal behavior, ethical, responsibility to ambiguity, responding to change, resiliency, positive attitude, confidence, excellence).
Courses in the Interpersonal category ask you to strengthen your capacity to work in relationship with others. In these courses, students explore the interpersonal interaction competencies (productive relationships, appropriate interaction, helping others, empathy, mentoring, motivation, others’ contribution, empowerment, providing feedback, supervision, collaboration) and the communication competencies (verbal communication, nonverbal communication, listening, writing, facilitation, conflict negotiation, advocating for a point of view).
Courses in the Group & Organization category ask you to practice navigating group and organizational dynamics and prepare you to envision and enact change within groups. In these courses, students explore the group dynamics competencies (organizational behavior, power dynamics, group development, creating change) and the strategic planning competencies (mission, vision, goals, plan, organization).
Group and Organization Electives
Courses in the Community & Society category encourage you to interrogate the ethical and moral dimensions of authentically leading with and alongside communities. In these courses, students explore the civic responsibility competencies (diversity, other’s circumstances, inclusion, social justice, social responsibility, service, equity, understanding effects of structural systems on diverse individuals and groups; understanding one’ role in addressing structural systems).
Community and Society Electives
Study and develop competencies for leadership in your professional and public life.
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