Leadership Studies Program - Courses

Total units for program: 37 units

LEAD 711 Introduction to Leadership Studies (6 units)
Explores interdisciplinary approaches and historical foundations of leadership theory. Study of the individual includes both theoretical perspectives and personal introspection into strengths and areas of growth. Study of organizations focuses on the need to develop learning organizations. Study of community examines our stewardship of both our human and natural environments. This course serves as the cornerstone of the Leadership Studies Program.

LEAD 712 Creativity and Leadership (3 units)
From a creative viewpoint, explores leadership approaches to vision, mission and core values. Explores internal service to the organization and external services to the community. Encourages creative thinking and problem solving as approaches. Introduces the various levels of strategic action leaders must take to fulfill mission, vision, and values priorities.

LEAD 721 Conflict, Collaboration, and Change  (3 units)
An introduction to conflict, collaboration, and change. Includes basic theory and methodologies, as well as the opportunity to develop skills in such areas as listening and mediation. Through role playing, the course prepares leaders to collaborate and manage conflict.

LEAD 722 Leadership: Leading Ourselves and Others (3 units)
Explores the leadership and human resources. Topics include: 1) trends in human resources in global and international scope, 2) recruitment and employee selection in terms of job analysis, role identification, workforce planning, 3) performance, assessment, and development of training and educational needs, 4) organization development strategies, and 5) development and leadership of a learning culture that respects and values ethics, conflicts, diversity and change.

LEAD 723 Law, Ethics and Society (3 units)
This course explores what matters for leaders when legal issues arise. The ability to identify issues and properly apply organizational resources to them are key leadership functions. This course will give an overview of law as it applies to the leaders of organizations and prepare the student to both identify important issues and begin responding to them in an effective way.

LEAD 731 Leadership Integrative Seminar A (3 units)
The first of two leadership integrative seminars, this course focuses on integrating ideas, theories, and practices at the mid-stage of the program; serves to inspire ideas for the final thesis, and clarifies various elements of the program; and also synthesizes key ideas to launch the second phase of the program.

LEAD 732 Approaches to Change and Transformation (3 units)
Presents approaches for leaders to facilitate change and transformation in organizations and communities with a focus on learning dialogue, appreciative inquiry, and participatory action research. 

LEAD 733 Research Methods (3 units)
Bridging the gap between theoretical and practical understandings, this course brings research methods into dialogue. Students will understand various components of research, nature of leadership research, formulations and certification of a research topic, review of the literature, selection of research approach and research strategy, negotiation access and ethics, selection of participants, data collection, analysis, and presentation of final results.

LEAD 741 Globalization, Culture and Change (3 units)
Investigates the importance of building organizational and community-based cultures that honor and foster diversity and are capable of serving worldwide communities. Multicultural and multilingual attitudes and skills are emphasized as the keys to organizational and community-based success.

LEAD 742 Leadership Integrative Seminar B (3 units)
This course serves as a culminating experience for the program. Models, ideas, theories and practice are synthesized and applied to organizational and community challenges. Offered in a seminar format, this advanced course moves students to the next level sharing "expert" knowledge -- a shift from apprentice to master.

LEAD 751 Master's Research Thesis (4 units)
To complete the graduation requirements of the Master of Arts in Leadership Studies, students must complete and defend a substantial research thesis that applies academic and professional experiences. Development of the thesis is done with the supervision of a LEAD faculty advisor and committee members in a class setting with students as co-learners. The thesis consists of an approved proposal and introduction, literature review, research methods, results and discussion, and conclusions and recommendations. A final defense is made as a presentation to a faculty committee.