2024-2025 Catalog

 

400

LDR-400 Leadership and Change

This course focuses on the leader as a transforming agent of change. Students will learn to understand the dynamics of personal and organizational change and how to best serve others through the change process. This course explores various change models while focusing on the servant organizational culture as the best foundation for effective change. Prerequisite: LDR-200.

3

LDR-405 Developing Others as Leaders

The course examines the formation and function of teams to improve organizational performance. Key concepts include factors for designing teams and supporting effective teamwork by understanding group dynamics and the variety of contexts in which teams operate in the global environment. The course will also focus on leadership styles and models for team effectiveness. Prerequisites: LDR-305, LDR-320, LDR-365

3

LDR-410 Leading With Wisdom, Vision, and Values

The course examines the importance of shared mission and vision among organizational members, including the leaders and followers. Key concepts include values and alignment as well as stewardship. Students will also integrate biblical perspectives on wisdom for developing effective leadership. Prerequisites: LDR-305, LDR-320, LDR-365

3

LDR-411 Mission-Driven Leadership Lab 4 - Community or Global Leadership

This course is the fourth in a collection of four Mission-Driven Leadership Labs. These leadership labs facilitate experiential learning within a local church, non-profit, or other organizational context, particularly one that is faithbased or faith-leaning in perspective. Lab 4 gives special attention to both the local community and global contextual nature of modern organizations, including diverse and multicultural perspectives. Using the course topics and resources as a guide, the student will work with a site mentor to develop a learning contract with specific outcomes, artifacts, and demonstrated skills. Leadership Labs are not pre-requisite restricted.

3

LDR-415 Communication as Leaders

The course examines communication models and strategies for effective verbal and non-verbal communication as a leader. Key concepts include recognizing and overcoming barriers to communication, including how biases contribute to miscommunication between the leader and follower. Students will also analyze biblical perspectives on respectful communication. Prerequisites: LDR-305, LDR-320, LDR-365

3

LDR-420 Leadership and Authenticity

This course explores the leader's relationship to self and the unique demands of authenticity and character to leadership. Students will be guided to see that authentic leaders are open and accountable to others, are willing to learn from others and maintain the highest integrity and ethics. Prerequisite: LDR-200.

3

LDR-430 Leadership and Conflict

This course is an introduction to the scope and nature of leading self and others through conflict. Students will learn about their personal communication and conflict styles, will be introduced to biblical principles and prominent theories on conflict, as well as various techniques of managing conflict (with a focus on conflict coaching, negotiation, and mediation). Students will develop skills reflecting sensitivity to intercultural and diverse population contexts and needs. In addition, students will explore concepts of nonviolent social change. Students will have opportunity to develop and practice skills through in-class experiential activities, assignments, and observational coaching/evaluation.

3

LDR-435 Leading Innovation, Learning, and Change

The course examines how the characteristics of adult learning influence effective leadership and followership, as well as leading innovation and change processes within organizations. Key concepts include andragogy, organizational learning, the learning organization, as well as overcoming barriers and resistance to change. Students will also analyze biblical perspectives for learning and change. Prerequisites: LDR-370, LDR-385, LDR-405, LDR-410, LDR-415

3

LDR-440 Leading in the Future, Complexity, and Conflict

The course examines leadership within the current environment of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) within which modern leaders and organizations function. Key concepts include leadership that creates vision, understanding, clarity, and agility (VUCA Prime) as well as conflict resolution. The course will also analyze how organizational factors for the future, such as artificial intelligence and the accelerating rate of change, may influence leader decision-making and the role of followers. Students will integrate biblical perspectives of faith, trust, and hope within the context of a Christian Worldview of the future. Prerequisites: LDR-370, LDR-385, LDR-405, LDR-410, LDR-415

3

LDR-450 Leadership Capstone Seminar

In this course students will be asked to focus on a particular field of leadership (political, organizational, community, educational, etc.) and interact together around current issues in that field with an emphasis on ethical issues and how to be a change agent within that leadership area. Prerequisite: LDR-200. This course is designed to be taken later in the program when most, if not all, leadership courses have been taken.

3

LDR-455 Leading in a Diverse and Global Context

The course examines leadership practices within multi-cultural and global contexts. Key concepts include cultural dimensions as well as cultural intelligence and global competencies. Students will integrate a biblical perspective of diversity and inclusion for ethical and effective leadership. Prerequisites: LDR-370, LDR-385, LDR-405, LDR-410, LDR-415

3

LDR-470 Current Issues in Leadership

This course is designed for students who are interested in undergraduate collaborative research, conference presentations, new topic explorations, and publications in the field of leadership studies. Current topics are chosen for leadership scholarship discussions either hosted by the department of Leadership Studies or by national and/or international visits. Students through peer or faculty collaborations will engage in field research, cross-cultural contexts assessment, conference attendance and presentations. Students will explore current topic or issues in leadership studies relevant to their needs and the mission of the Leadership Studies program. The instructor will develop a specific course description based on the chosen topic in leadership.

1 to 3

LDR-475 Leadership Project (Leading for Community Improvement)

In this course students will conduct an individual field project providing leadership to a community improvement project that they identify and implement through mobilizing others. Students will utilize the learning gained from the leadership major and put that learning into action in a true service-learning design. This course is available to students who are majoring in Leadership and have completed most, if not all, the other leadership courses.

3

LDR-475H Leadership Project (Leading for Community Improvement) Honors College Thesis

In this course students will conduct an individual field project providing leadership to a community improvement project that they identify and implement through mobilizing others. Students will utilize the learning gained from the leadership major and put that learning into action in a true service-learning design. This course is available to students who are majoring in Leadership and have completed most, if not all, the other leadership courses.

3

LDR-480 Leadership Capstone Seminar

In this course students will be asked to focus on a particular field of leadership (political, organizational, community, educational, etc.) and interact together around current issues in that field with an emphasis on ethical issues and how to be a change agent within that leadership area. Prerequisite: LDR-200. This course is designed to be taken later in the program when most, if not all, leadership courses have been taken.

3

LDR-485 Capstone: Applying the Practices and Principles of Leading

The course is the capstone for the Bachelor of Science with a major in Organizational Leadership. The central focus of the program and capstone course is applied leadership. Students will synthesize their learning from the program to develop practical tools to guide current and future leadership such as a personal and professional development plan, training presentations or workshops, and a personal philosophy and principles of effective leadership. Students will also integrate biblical themes in their leadership perspectives. Prerequisites: LDR-435, LDR-440, LDR-455

3

LDR-490 Capstone in Service and Leadership

The course is the capstone for the Bachelor of Science with a major in Service and Leadership. The central focus of the program and capstone course is integration of important leadership principles and practices with the student's interests, context, or career through the perspective of service. Students will synthesize their learning from the program to develop practical tools to guide current and future leadership such as a personal and professional development plan, training presentations or workshops, and a personal philosophy and principles of effective leadership. Students will also integrate biblical themes in their service and leadership perspectives. Prerequisites: All prior major courses in the program.

3

LDR-499 Leadership Experience 4

This course provides a supervised, practical experience in a professional work environment. Students will demonstrate advanced-level leadership knowledge and skills commensurate with an experienced leader related to their degree program within the work environment. Departmental permission required.

3
Indiana Weselayan