LDR - Leadership

This course will lead students to develop an understanding of their unique design as a key to discovering their life purpose and calling. Students will then explore how to work with this uniqueness in maximizing their college experience and life beyond college. A major focus of this course concentrates on the discovery of one's God-given strengths, passions and life experiences as a basis for this calling. Students are then led to understand how education, work, and other relationships in life are best understood and developed from this life calling perspective. Cannot take if earned credit in LDR-150.

This course focuses on students developing an understanding of the concept of life calling and the discovery of one's God-given design as a basis for this calling. Students then are led to understand how work and individual leadership is best understood from the life calling perspective. Students will evaluate values, spiritual gifts, interests, abilities, personality traits, and experience. Students will combine each component in an in-depth self-assessment paper, and will integrate this into a life and leadership plan. Additional fees required.

The Leadership Studies major, as an interdisciplinary study program, must be studied in the context of another major. This seminar introduces how the curriculum of the Leadership Studies major, developed around a three-dimensional conceptual model exploring of leading, following, and organizational context, will enable students to design their own study plans for a double major by integrating the curriculum of the Leadership Studies major with another major. The seminar will also guide students on how to articulate a servant-minded paradigm of leading and following from biblical-theological and research-findings perspectives. Students will acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and disposition to prepare them to meet the academic standards expected in the first and second year of the Leadership Studies program.

This course provides a supervised, practical experience in a professional work environment. Students will apply introductory-level leadership knowledge and skills related to their degree program within the work environment. Departmental permission required.

This course presents the paradigm of servant leadership within a study of the historical and theoretical models of leadership. Leadership will be defined and the Servant Leadership Model presented and contrasted to traditional views.

The course covers fundamentals of leadership that may be applicable to any organizational context. The student will examine the role of a leader and key leader characteristics and behaviors. The student will consider a variety of leadership types, foundational theories, and historical evolution of leadership, as well as the leader's use of power and influence to accomplish organizational objectives.

Provides an introduction to student development theory and practice and how residence hall living impacts college students. The course concentrates on developing self-awareness, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills that are needed and useful to residence life. Emphasis is given to integrating current trends and theories of student development with residence life on a Christian university campus. The course is open to all students but is offered mainly to students anticipating working as a resident assistant.

The course covers important themes related to the person or the self as the instrument of leadership. Reflecting an inside-out perspective on leadership, the primary focus will be on developing the inner person as the foundation for effective and enduring leadership influence. Prerequisite: LDR-205

This course is designed for those who are in student leadership positions. It is an applied course that relates servant leadership theory directly to various student leadership roles. An emphasis will be placed on developing and implementing program plans, dealing effectively with student conflict and learning to appreciate the field of student development leadership.

An examination of the unique ethical challenges faced by leaders with an emphasis on building ethical competency through self-assessment, challenge, and feedback. Topics include virtue ethics, evil, forgiveness, moral theories, moral reasoning, ethical decision-making, ethical influence, transformational leadership, servant leadership, ethical group problem solving, ethical organizational climate, ethical diversity and ethical crisis leadership.

This course involves high adventure experiential learning (backpacking, canoeing, rappelling) with a focus on developing leaders through mentoring, self-discovery and personal challenge.

This course focuses on developing students in the understanding and practice of leading their peers, both individually and as a group. The participants will minister and serve freshmen students in their breakout group through small group meetings, individual contact, mentoring, and community service projects. The student's experience will be facilitated by purposeful reflection, group discussion, interaction with faculty, and class assignments.

Provides an introduction to basic theory and skill development for peer leadership and mentoring. The participants will serve as a peer mentor for 2-3 first year students to assist in making a successful transition to college, and foster growth in character, scholarship and leadership. Experiences will be facilitated by purposeful reading and reflection, group discussion, and class assignments. No prerequisites are required for this course. May be repeated up to 4 credits.

This course introduces students to servant-leadership concepts and facilitates the practical application of such concepts to student leadership roles within the Honors College. The course is restricted to students currently serving in a leadership capacity within the Honors College. The course will challenge students to develop as reflective servant leaders and assist students in the assessment of their leadership style and effectiveness. This course may be used to meet Leadership electives in the Leadership Major.

The course covers the importance of worldview and critical inquiry for the effective practice of leading a team or organization to its goals in the volatile, complex global context that characterizes the modern environment. Important themes include the value of a leader's clarity in knowing what they believe and the need to demonstrate information literacy to assess the quality of information accessed and utilized for organizational processes. Prerequisite: LDR-205

This course provides an experiential learning process that introduces leadership concepts and development based on a servant-leadership paradigm. Students will utilize a learning cycle to combine concrete experiences with reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation as a way of developing as leaders. This course is conducted in an international setting.

Students integrate their professional and educational experiences into a perspective for leading people and managing organizations in a wide variety of career fields and additional educational pursuits of interest to the learner. Students will apply fundamentals of leading, managing, serving, and communicating to help individuals and organizations achieve their goals. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all required courses

The Leadership Studies major, as an interdisciplinary study program, must be studied in the context of another major. This seminar enables students to modify or improve their own study plans for a double major by integrating the curriculum of Leadership Studies with another major. Students will acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and disposition to prepare them to meet the academic standards of the Leadership Studies program. Prerequisite: LDR-180.

This course provides a supervised, practical experience in a professional work environment. Students will apply intermediate-level leadership knowledge and skills related to their degree program within the work environment. Departmental permission required.

This course provides a supervised, practical experience in a professional work environment. Students will apply intermediate-level leadership knowledge and skills related to their degree program within the work environment. Departmental permission required.

This course explores the key relationships between leaders and followers with a focus on mutual learning, mutual influence, and mutual empowerment that enable them to value and develop each other. Students will learn about leadership and followership types and how the leader-follower dyad works in organizational setting. Students will also explore historical models of leadership and followership styles across cultural, philosophical and faith traditions. Prerequisite: LDR-200.

The course examines the ethical challenges for leaders within the current pluralistic, global context. Key concepts include the variety of ethical systems and decision-making models that leaders will need to navigate for thinking and acting in ways that demonstrate respect for all organizational stakeholders while achieving organizational goals. An important focus of the course will be considering a biblical perspective on what makes a Christian leader. Prerequisites: LDR-220, LDR-260

This course helps prepare upper division students of any major to transition into the workforce following graduation. The course focuses on preparing for a life of leadership after college by understanding how to develop life skills that will allow them to integrate their unique life calling into work environments and career interests. Four broad areas will be addressed: 1) Job Search, 2) Professional Development, 3) Personal Financial and Time Management, and 4) Lifelong Leadership and Learning. Students will prepare a personal portfolio and develop a strategic life and leadership plan.

The course examines the follower element of a leadership system. Students will analyze the interdependent nature of leading and following. Important concepts include the follower as role not personal characteristic of the follower and the need for engaged and courageous followers to facilitate the success of the leader and organization's goals. Prerequisites: LDR-220, LDR-260

This course provides a supervised practical leadership experience in a professional work environment. Students will provide leadership under the mentorship of a more experienced leader to develop and reinforce learning from the Leadership program. Prerequisites: LDR-200 and advisor approval. Instructor consent may be required.

Leaders are in a privileged position to effect a transformation of perspectives on race, ethnicity, lifestyle, and understanding, etc. This course gives participants the opportunity to explore this potential, and, through life experiences and current literature, to assess their personal leadership styles and attitudes toward diversity. For administrators, managers, trainers, and leaders in any context, the goal will be to develop well-articulated positions and strategies for shaping a just response to issues surrounding leadership and diversity.

This course allows a student to assist in ongoing research projects being conducted through the Servant Leadership Research Center at IWU. Students will conduct a literature review in a specific leadership research area while being actively involved in a research project. Prerequisites: LDR-200 and advisor approval.

This course explores the leadership of teams. Students will learn how to build community among the people they lead by building relationships, working collaboratively and valuing differences. Students will also learn to view work and results from the perspective of partnership as opposed to competitive individualism. Students will learn to respect the unique contribution of diverse individuals who make up teams and organizations. Prerequisite: LDR-200.

This course introduces biblical-theological and anthropological foundations of leadership and development (a Trinitarian model) grounded in the Scriptures and theological traditions of Trinitarian theology, Christological Anthropology, and Pneumatology. The New Testament model of Christ-like leadership and development is discussed. A special attention is given to (a) the role of the Triune God, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, in followership and leadership making and (b) current challenges of leadership development are addressed in light of Christ's "discipling the twelve," a universally applicable and cross-culturally relevant model for developing Christ-like followers and leader.

The course introduces the broad topic of organizational behavior. Key concepts include the various levels of analysis through which an organization can be viewed, including individual, group, and organizational levels. Additionally, the student will examine important constructs such as power and influence, culture, technology, and systems that affect all levels of analysis. Prerequisites: LDR-220, LDR-260

The course examines the psychological mechanisms affecting the attitudes and actions of leaders and followers. Within that context, a central focus of the course is how leaders influence motivation and behaviors of followers to enhance performance while understanding how to lead in more effective, ethical, and humane ways. Prerequisites: LDR-305, LDR-320, LDR-365

The Leadership Studies major, as an interdisciplinary study program, must be studied in the context of another major. This seminar enables students to continuously improve their own study plans for a double major by integrating the curriculum of Leadership Studies major with another major. Students will acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and disposition to prepare them to meet the academic standards of the Leadership Studies program. Prerequisites: LDR-180 and LDR-280.

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

This course introduces the nature of organizational leadership, classical and contemporary theories of organizations, organizational types, development, communication, and strategies. Students explore topics and issues relating to human resource theory, structural organization theory, organizational culture theory, theories of organizations and environments, learning organizations, and the dynamics of organizational communication. Through individual and group activities, students learn about organizational ethics, effective organizational culture, shared organizational vision, and value-based strategic planning.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 are 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

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.