Course Syllabus

EXAMPLE

Introduction to Leadership

Course: CSBS 200

Credits: 3

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to basic leadership skills, this course will cover models in a variety of areas such as communication, decision making, problem solving, time management, conflict resolution and ethics.

Additional Description/Rationale

Most definitions of leadership reflect the assumption that it involves the following: a process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over other people to guide, structure, and facilitate activities and relationships in a group or organization; to influence others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it; and, to facilitate individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives.  The position held during this course is that leadership occurs only when people are influenced to do what is ethical and beneficial for the organization, community, State, Nation, or themselves.  The underlying challenge we are interjecting is the deliberate and intentional intent to do no harm! 

This course is an introduction to leadership.  We will cover a variety of leadership areas such as: finding your voice as a leader; understanding the other; hope; the importance of unlearning; trust; reconciliation and forgiveness; leading quietly; cross cultural leadership; the lives of individual leaders; and traditional and nontraditional models of leadership.

The vision or purpose of this course is to help you, the student, to critically examine what you have been taught about leadership as well as who you are as a person and to discover what your gifts and talents are.  It is our position that anyone can learn basic LEADERSHIP skills, but not everyone does the initial hard self-work.  This introductory course to the Leadership Certificate focuses on personal leadership in your life and in any group setting.  You will be exposed to new ways to learn and think about leadership while being exposed to some leadership theory. 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• To identify various approaches to leadership
• To develop your own personal leadership approach
• To apply your leadership approach to real-world leadership experiences.

Additional Course Goals:

1. To develop increased awareness of self

2. To further develop your understanding of leadership; You will learn some of the major and minor leadership theories

3. To develop an increased awareness or sensitivity to factors which facilitate effective leadership; You will be able to recognize these factors in yourself and others

4. To gain and hone your own leadership style and to assist others in finding theirs

5. To develop increased confidence in your own communication abilities in a leadership context

6. To develop criteria for value clarification and ethical decision making; You will be able to understand the process of ethics in organizations and the notion that Leadership is ethical by definition;

7. To improve your ability to think about questions, conceptualize, and analyze situations/problems;

8. To implement and model active learning in the classroom as an approach to life-long learning;

9. To have fun, be challenged, and enjoy the learning process.

 

Instructor Contact Information:

Hannah Seagrave

Email: hseagrave18@ewu.edu

When emailing, please mention this class in the subject line of the message.

I will also respond to personal messages sent through Canvas messenger.

If you would like to set up a virtual meeting using Zoom or a phone conversation, please email me to schedule a meeting.

 

Required Textbooks:

Multimedia materials are free and embedded in Canvas. No textbook required for this course.

 

CLASS FORMAT

The assignments in this class are designed to achieve the goals for the course. Article readings, recorded lectures, discussions, and the case study will not only provide you with information about major concepts, but will allow you the opportunity to experience the concepts. The focus will be on an active learning process which will be greatly facilitated by your efforts and participation. Therefore, your thoughtful engagement and discussion responses are of utmost importance.

You will earn grades based on both attempts at and evidence of (1) understanding of conceptual material, (2) the ability to apply skill sets for application, and (3) the ability to differentiate when, where, and how to apply knowledge and skill sets. Assignments, exercises and discussions will facilitate the process of taking conceptual topics presented and integrating them into your leadership action plan. I will be available to you for consultation.

The primary goal of the instructors and the class is to be informative, interesting, challenging, and fun. Please contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or specific needs. Engaging lectures, readings, films, and assignments will be provided as well as PowerPoint presentations and Canvas postings to foster meaningful class discussions and develop understanding. Your active participation will help to facilitate this for you and your classmates.

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR CREDIT:

1. PARTICIPATION: Discussions are our primary learning tool. You will be expected to post and respond to your classmates with meaningful insights/questions/reflections. Less than full engagement will result in loss of points. The number of times that you participate is not as important as the quality of your participation. There are also assignments which you will be required to submit in order to pass this class.  These assignments are outlined in the course schedule at the end of this syllabus.  Please note the schedule is subject to change. 
   
   
2. NEATNESS COUNTS: You will be expected to do a professional job on your assignments. I expect assignments to be turned in just as you would to your supervisor if you were in a job you might be in after receiving your degree. This does not mean that you need fancy or expensive covers or require online platforms (I prefer that you don't). It does mean typed, PDF file format, and using appropriate headings/subheadings. Professional in appearance is as important as content. The evaluation of every assignment will have professionalism as part of the grade.
   
   
3. QUIZ/EXAMS: There are no quizzes or exams for this class.
   
   
4. TIMELINESS: Students are expected to turn in all assignments on time. There will be a penalty for lateness. However, it is better to be late than not at all. Failure to complete an assignment may result in a failing grade in the course. No LATE assignments will be accepted after 12:00pm (noon) PST on the Monday of the final week. 
   
   
5. NEED MORE: If you feel you are not being adequately challenged by the assignments or the content in this course, please feel free to visit with us so that more appropriate readings and assignments can be arranged.
   
   
6. PLAGIARISM: Any cheating will be handled in accordance to university policy. For more information, please refer to EWU’s Academic Integrity Policy.
   
   
7. NEED ASSISTANCE: If you have a challenge that inhibits your ability to perform in this class, please see me so that I can make arrangements to facilitate the learning process. Your ability to succeed in this class is important to me. If you already have an accommodation plan through Disability Support Services (DSS) and would like to use your approved accommodations in this class, please let me know as soon as possible. If you do not have an accommodation plan but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that may require an accommodation, please contact DSS at dss@ewu.edu or 509-359-6871. You can also visit their website at https://inside.ewu.edu/dss/. EWU also offers many other support services for students; click this link for more information.
   
   
8. EWU offers many additional support services for students including: Academic Advising, Career Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, Online Tutoring, Library Services, and the Writing Center, as well as others. Please visit EWU student resources for more information.
   
   
9. HAVE FUN!!!

 

Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action: Eastern Washington University does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, age, marital status, families with children, protected veteran or military status, HIV or hepatitis C, status as a mother breastfeeding her child, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, as provided for and to the extent required by state and federal laws. Eastern Washington University adheres to affirmative action policies to increase the number and retention of students and employees from historically underrepresented groups.

EWU Student Learning Commons: In recognition that people learn in a variety of ways and that learning is influenced by multiple factors (e.g., prior experience, study skills, learning disability), resources to support student success are available on campus and online. The Student Learning Commons, a one-stop shop, which assists students with academic and career related services, is located in the JFK Library on the EWU Campus and many services are also available online. Students who think they might benefit from these resources can find out more about:

• Course-level support (e.g., faculty member, departmental resources, etc.) by asking your course instructor.
• University-level support (e.g., tutoring services, university writing services, disability services, academic coaching, career services, and/or facets of curriculum planning) by visiting the Student Learning Commons or by going to https://www.ewu.edu/learning-commons.

 

Eastern Washington University Accreditation: As an institution, Eastern Washington University is fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). EWU has been continuously accredited since 1919.

 

GRADE INFORMATION:

The following categories are weighted with the listed percentages to create your final grade/percent in the course.

Discussions: 50%

Assignments: 50%

Grading Scale: 

A        95.5% to 100%
A-      < 95.5% to 92.5%
B+     < 92.5% to 88.5%
B        < 88.5% to 85.5%
B-      < 85.5% to 82.5%
C+     < 82.5% to 78.5%
C        < 78.5% to 75.5%  
C-       < 75.5% to 72.5 %
D+     < 72.5% to 68.5%
D        < 68.5% to 65.5%
D-      < 65.5% to 62.5%
F         < 62.5% to 0.0%

Progress:
I will keep you informed of your progress in the class via a grade report updated on Canvas. You are responsible for checking Canvas for class information and to monitor your own course progress. If you are not getting all of the assignments done in a timely fashion you will fall behind. Additionally, the learning process will not be as effective. Check the submission comments for additional feedback.

Rubrics:
There are grading rubrics for all assignments as well as discussion boards online.  There are also specific due dates and times.

Questions:
Please feel free to visit with me about any aspect of the course. You may schedule appointments with me at anytime. My goal is to be available to you. If you require more feedback, have questions about grades or have any other questions/comments regarding this course, please email me (hseagrave18@ewu.edu).

If there is a problem, don’t panic.  Do take action.  If you have a special circumstance, contact me. I will respond and work with you.

 

Questions? Just Ask!!!

I am excited for our time together!