LEADERSHIP STUDIES (LDRS)

This course is designed to engage students in essential foundational questions relating to the areas of knowledge and competence that are fundamental to the study and practice of leadership. Spring.

This course explores leadership theory and organizational frames models as students develop and systematic theoretical leadership framework for personal and complex organizations. Fall.

This course is designed to be a practical, skill-building leadership course. The focus of this course will be on developing and practicing key leadership skills such as managing conflict, team building, communication, decision making, ability to delegate, creativity, empathy and emotional intelligence, practice of presence, provide appropriate feedback, and listening. The course will involve simulations, case studies, role plays, exercises and discussions designed to give students opportunities to practice and cultivate essential leadership skills. Spring.

Understand and practice key concepts of leadership theory through an international experience. The leadership theories explored include servant leadership, social change model, and adaptive leadership in Zambia, Africa. Spring

This course seeks to understand and practice key concepts of leadership theory through an international experience, develop and promote an ethic of accompaniment through our community development projects, develop intercultural competencies as they strive to be global leaders, and develop self-awareness and critical thinking skills through experiential education and critical reflection of our international service. Summer

Through this course, students will gain knowledge of diverse cultures, cross-cultural communication, the dynamics of privilege and oppression, and the uses of power between groups. To develop cultural competency, leaders need to know: themselves, others, the relevant issues, and have an appreciation and curiosity for working with others. Students will connect global leadership concepts to practice and engage in a number of activities, discussions, and self-assessment instruments to increase their self-awareness of leadership styles, abilities, strengths, and limitations. Fall.

This course is designed to look into the models of outdoor education known as Adventure Education and Expeditionary Learning. Both Adventure Education and Expeditionary Learning came out of the Outward Bound movement of the 1940's in England and later in the 1960's in the USA. While the concepts are based in the foundational tenants of outdoor education, Adventure Education and Expeditionary Learning focus on the concept of adventure and the context of the "expedition" as the container in which learning takes place. This is a leadership seminar, but it is also a seminar about risk, adventure, decision-making, education and outdoor competency - it will be about teaching, learning and leading through adventure.

This course will look at gender differences in leadership styles and efficacy as well as specific issues women face in attaining and retaining leadership positions. Through readings, discussions, and projects that critically examine images and gender stereotypes of women leaders, the course is designed to give students practical skills they can use to be better communicators and leaders. Spring.

This course offers students an opportunity to explore the growing synergy between two research areas: leadership, and narrative or story. Spring.

In this course we will explore the links between community service, social action (activism) and public leadership, which we define as making a difference in one's community, organization, government, state and/or nation. The goal of the course is to bring students to a deeper understanding of their role as servant leaders in the communities they not only find themselves living and working in, but also those they wish to affect in humane ways. Spring.

This course provides critical study and preparation for the East LA spring break immersion experience by exploring contemporary expressions of kinship, leadership, and social change. Readings, reflections, and assignments explore societal and structural issues related to homelessness, mass incarceration, gang violence and immigration reform. Students will understand and practice the skills and vision necessary to promote community engagement and social change both locally and in East LA. Students must go to East LA Spring Break, open to all undergraduates by application.

The course initiates a thoughtful consideration of the nature of leadership as depicted in film. Spring.

Through exploring contemporary issues in leadership, this course is designed to be a capstone experience of integrating leadership knowledge and skills. This course will provide students with an understanding of the principles of Servant Leadership (Greenleaf, 1970, 1998, 2001) and an exploration of adaptive leadership theory and practice (Heifetz, 1994, 2001, 2009). These two leadership theories in tandem provide a uniquely Jesuit approach to leadership, with servant leadership cultivating the heart, while adaptive leadership provides an avenue for the head and hands. A focal point of the course is on helping students begin to develop a vision of their vocation as leaders by participating in real-time, casein-point examples of adaptive leadership. As a capstone to the Minor in Leadership Studies, students will practice their leadership skills and knowledge in a legacy project and construct a learning portfolio from their coursework. Fall

Topic of course to be determined by department and instructor.

Course content to be determined by the instructor.

This course is designed to give students a hands-on experience in leadership. The course affords students the opportunity to use the skills and knowledge learned through the CLP in real-world internship context. The course materials cover theories behind experiential education, mentorship and internship education. The class time allow opportunity to process and reflect on the student' internship experience.

This course will examine the ways in which artificial intelligence is used as a tool to communicate – in business, education, and personal settings through the written, visual, and verbal uses of AI. The course will discuss how we can implement AI tools to solve various problems that face our society in areas including environmental, social, business, and health while understanding the ethical issues and concerns inherent within AI. Students will explore the design, use, and potential for AI tools through hands-on interactions.

Technology is one aspect of the accelerating change that leaders must deal with. Leadership responsibilities in organizations will increasingly influence and be influenced by technology. This course is designed to provide a foundation for understanding technology in today's societies and the role of leadership in enhancing organizations through technology.

Students are invited to consider how different forms generate different kinds of understandings. They are introduced to qualitative research methods known as arts-based, arts-informed, or alternative methods. The topic of leadership is explored through stories and narrative, dance and theater, music and poetry, film, and visual arts data.

Exploring AI and Leadership: Context, Meaning-making, and Practice is the full title of this course. This course provides an overview of large language models and a workshop on their applications featuring ChatGPT. This exploration consists of philosophical, theoretical, and practical elements approaching the topics of both leadership and artificial intelligence from perspectives inherent in a variety of speculative (philosophical) accounts of reality (ontology) and mind (epistemology). The course also includes a critical analysis of social, cultural, and historical factors undergirding learning, teaching, and the legitimization of knowledge in the age of AI.