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Leadership Themed Inquiry

Focus: Everywhere you look, it is obvious that the world is in desperate need of more – and better! – leaders. Recent national surveys reveal that leadership competencies (encompassing interpersonal, communication, critical thinking and decision-making skills) are the # 1 priority for prospective employers, and for good reason. The best leaders strive to bring out the best in others and act from a moral/ethical base to improve their organizations and/or serve the world around them. The “LEAD Themed Inquiry” provides a foundation for enhancing your understanding and practice of leadership in both personal and professional life. Theoretical models are often reinforced through experiential learning, linking theory and practice. The themed inquiry is a valuable complement to any major in the university, and allows students to connect in meaningful ways with colleagues throughout the university. The LEAD TheFmed Inquiry may be further customized through the selection of a Leadership Interest Area.

Themed Inquiry Coordinator/Email:  Dr. Gregory Warren, Assistant Professor

Important information regarding Leadership Themed Inquiry completion:

  • No course in the student’s major discipline can be used to satisfy themed inquiry requirements, even if the course is not being used to satisfy major requirements.
  • Because you may not apply a GE course to more than one GE category, no themed inquiry courses may be shared with another GE category.
  • Course prerequisites appear in brackets in the list below.
  • If a course is restricted to majors only, you may request permission of the instructor or department chair, if space is available and you have met pre-requisites.
  • Courses in the themed inquiry are not guaranteed for availability. Please check the schedule and/or catalog for the semesters in which the course is offered.
  • If you are having problems completing a themed inquiry or finding available courses, please contact Academic Advising and/or the Themed Inquiry Coordinator.

Restrictions: Open to all majors. [However, students may NOT apply courses from their major field or discipline towards the Themed Inquiry]

Courses: Four LEAD or leadership-related courses from the listing below, totaling 12 credits, at least 2 courses of which (at least 6 credits) MUST be in leadership (“LEAD”), and 2 courses of which (6 credits) must be at the upper division level. NOTES: The listing of a course here does not guarantee admission or access to the course, including the LEAD courses listed.  Programs reserve the right to restrict admission to selected courses to their majors or minors (i.e., students in their programs). [Prerequisites listed in brackets.] Other courses may be applied, subject to the approval of the Themed Inquiry Coordinator. “Blanket approvals” designated by the Themed Inquiry Coordinator shall not be construed as exceptions or waivers for program evaluation purposes.

Take at least 1 LEAD Foundations course (including, but not limited to) from among the following:
LEAD 101: Introduction to Leadership: Principles & Practices
LEAD 260: The Leader as Teacher & Coach
LEAD 301: Theory and Practice of Leadership
LEAD 310: Emotional Intelligence, Leadership and the Good Life
LEAD 382: Principles of Effective Facilitation
LEAD 401: Mindfulness, Leadership & Organizations
LEAD 410: The Leader as Global Citizen: Democracy, Service and Collaboration in the European Union [Summer International Travel Couse]
LEAD 495: Special Topics in Leadership and Organization Studies

Take at least 1 LEAD elective:
This may be ANY course in “LEAD,” including but not limited to any of the above courses and:
LEAD 240: Leadership, Communication, and Conflict Resolution (Interterm)
LEAD 302: Developing Effective Teams: Understanding Yourself and Others (4 credits, formerly LEAD 297, LEAD 314)
LEAD 315: Diversity and Inclusion in Leadership 
LEAD 320: Great Leaders: Ethics, Passion & Service [1 LEAD course or consent]
LEAD 333: Theory and Practice of Career and Professional Development: Leading Your Life, Managing Your Career (P/NP)
LEAD 360: Sports in Contemporary Society: A Leadership Perspective
LEAD 365: Ethical Controversies in Sports and Leadership
LEAD 382: Principles of Effective Facilitation
LEAD 383: Critical Discourse, Social Change and Positive Peace
LEAD 384: Ethnic Studies Activism: Theory and Practice
LEAD 385: Democracy, Leadership and Civic Engagement
LEAD 390: Service in Action Practicum (3 credits minimum)
LEAD 396: Gender & Leadership [1 LEAD course or consent]
LEAD 397: Leading as a Way of Serving (restricted to minors first, 4 credits, P/NP; formerly LEAD 414)
LEAD 429: Experimental Course
LEAD 475: Introduction to Students Affairs in Higher Education
LEAD 485: Leadership in Times of Crisis: Case Studies in Disaster Response [Interterm Travel Course]
LEAD 490: Leadership in Action, Internship
LEAD 495: Special Topics in Leadership & Organization Studies
LEAD 499: Individual Study

Take any 2 additional leadership-related electives, either from the above or from the following
(Organized by potential/optional areas of student interest) NOTE: Students must meet any applicable departmental/program prerequisites for the courses listed.  Consult the catalog.

Arts and Leadership 
AMST 282: Folklore
AMST 372: Images of Indians
ENG 372: Language and Ideology
FREN 386: Images of Leadership in French Literature [FREN 201 or instructor consent)]
HIST 297: The Holocaust in History and Film
IES 316: Aesthetic Education: Philosophy and Practice [or IES 444: Aesthetics and Learning: Florence, Italy – Interterm Travel Course)]
MUS 201C: Protest Music
MUS 201E: Popular Music: LGBT Perspectives
MUS 202: Music and Gender
SOC 310: Feminist Art-Theory-Power (Same as WGST 310) [SOC 101 or WGST 101]
TH 320: Improvisation

Athletics and Leadership, Sports in Society
COM 302: Sports Communication [COM/SCC 100 and COM/SCC 295]
ENG 241: Introduction to Sports Journalism
HIST 240: History of America through Sport
LEAD 260: The Leader as Teacher & Coach
LEAD 302: Developing Effective Teams: Understanding Yourself and Others (4 credits; space available basis) (Formerly LEAD 297 or 314)
LEAD 360: Sports in Contemporary Society: A Leadership Perspective
LEAD 365: Ethical Controversies in Sports and Leadership
PSY 345: Sports Psychology [PSY 101]

Diversity & Inclusion in Leadership
HIST 233: Disability and American Life
HIST 297: The Holocaust in History and Film
HIST 330: America and Its Revolution: Bonfires of Change
HUM 102: Introduction to Latinx and Latin American Studies
HUM 200: Women’s Realities
HUM 205: Introduction to LGBTQIA+ Studies
HUM 310: Theoretical Foundations of LatinX and Latin American Studies
IES 102: The Social Construction of Difference
IES 150: Introduction to Disability Studies: Challenging Myths of Normalcy (Same as PCST/POSC 150)
IES 300: Valuing Differences in American Society
IES 317: Disabilities, Family, & Society
LEAD 315: Diversity and Inclusion in Leadership 
LEAD 384: Ethnic Studies Activism: Theory and Practice
LEAD 385: Democracy, Leadership and Civic Engagement
LEAD 396: Gender & Leadership [1 LEAD course or consent]
PCST 239: People with Disabilities in Politics and Society (Same as POSC 239)
PCST 352: Race and Change in South Africa and the United States (Same as POSC 352)
PHIL 319: Philosophy of Women/Women of Color
POSC 309: Sexual Politics in a Diverse Society
POSC 318: Women and Politics
POSC 372: Racial and Ethnic Politics in the U.S.
REL 307: Germany and the Holocaust (Same as HIST 307)
REL 316: Genesis and Gender
REL 330: Women and Religion
REL 365: Topics in the Holocaust (Same as HIST 365)
SOC 281: Sociology of Sex and Gender
SOC 370: Race and Ethnicity [SOC 101 or consent]
WGST 101: Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies

Leadership in Action, including Social Entrepreneurship
BUS 100: Introduction to Business
COM 101: Public Speaking
COM 210B: Theories of Persuasion for Non-Majors
FTV 310: Industry Insiders
IES 302:  Information, Communication and Management: Theoretical and Practical Issues
LEAD 385: Democracy, Leadership and Civic Engagement
LEAD 485: Leadership in the Eye of the Storm: Case Studies in Disaster Response
LEAD 490: Leadership in Action, Independent Internship [½ -4 credits, variable, same as LEAD 492]
POSC 304: Citizenship in Theory and Practice
SCC 410: Training and Consulting in the Corporate Context [COM/SCC 100 and COM/SCC 295]
TWP 310: The New Era of Television

Peace Studies 
LEAD 240: Leadership, Communication, and Conflict Resolution (Interterm)
LEAD 383: Critical Discourse, Social Change and Positive Peace
PCST 150: Introduction to Peace Studies
PCST 253: Mediation and Conflict Resolution (Same as PCST 453)
PCST 353: Peace and Conflict in the Middle East (Same as POSC 353)
PCST 354: Non-Violent Social Change (Same as POSC 354)
PCST 393: Peace Communication [PCST 150]
REL 375: Violence and Nonviolence in Society and Religion

Political Context of Leadership
LEAD 385: Democracy, Leadership and Civic Engagement [1 LEAD course or consent]
LEAD 410: The Leader as Global Citizen: Democracy, Service and Collaboration in the European Union [Summer International Travel Course]
POSC 120: Introduction to International Relations (Same as PCST 120)
POSC 304: Citizenship in Theory and Practice
POSC 310: The Presidency
POSC 318: Women and Politics
POSC 332: Democracy and Democratization
POSC 343: Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties
POSC 372: Racial and Ethnic Politics in the U.S.

Social Justice, Social Change and Leadership
ANTH 361: Conflict and Social Change in Latin America (same as PCST 366)
HIST 359: Elie Wiesel: Life and Works (Same as REL 359)
HIST 365a: Perpetrators, Witnesses, and Rescuers (Same as REL 365a)
LEAD 315: Diversity and Inclusion in Leadership 
LEAD 320: Great Leaders: Ethics, Passion & Service
LEAD 385: Democracy, Leadership and Civic Engagement
LEAD 485: Leadership in the Eye of the Storm: Case Studies in Disaster Response
PCST 352: Race and Change in South Africa and the United States (Same as POSC 352)
POSC 354: Nonviolent Social Change (Same as PCST/SOC 354)
SOC 217: Social Change Through Community Engagement
SOC 306: Social Movements [SOC 101]

Spirituality, Values and Ethics in Leadership
IES 101: Self and Identity
IES 103: Philosophy of Helping
IES 301: Organizations, Ethics & Society
LEAD 320: Great Leaders: Ethics, Passion & Service [1 LEAD course or consent]
LEAD 397: Leading as a Way of Serving (4 credits; on a space available basis. Formerly LEAD 414)
LEAD 401: Mindfulness, Leadership & Organizations
PCST 325: Albert Schweitzer: His Life and Thought (Same as PHIL/REL 325)
PHIL 303: Environmental Ethics
PHIL 314: Medical Ethics
PHIL 316: Business and Professional Ethics
PHIL 319: Philosophy of Women/Women of Color
PSY 437: Health and Well-Being [PSY 101]
REL 120: Global Ethics and Religion (Same as PHIL 120)
REL 217: The Holocaust and Religious Faith
REL 240: Interfaith Leadership, Understanding and Engagement
REL 242: Mindfulness (1 credit)
REL 329: Experimental Course: An Introduction to Mindfulness
REL 350: Happiness: Exploring its Spiritual and Rational Foundations
REL 351: Health, Healing and Wholeness in World Religions
SOC 326: Mind, Self and Society in Tibetan Buddhism (Interterm)