Leadership
Degree: BA
Campus: Columbus
College: Arts and Sciences
Now and in the future, our communities require excellent leaders in every area; this major is designed to respond to that need. The College of Arts and Sciences leadership major immerses students in the core principles of leadership while also providing them with a broad interdisciplinary grounding in the liberal arts.
The liberal arts core of the leadership major provides every major with crucial skills — to ask questions, to think clearly, to communicate, to understand a variety of perspectives, to navigate a complex world ethically — that serve leaders in every field. Specializations then allow majors to engage with careers in particular fields, whether that be law, politics, health, business, sports, arts, military and security, science and innovation, sustainability, or civil rights.
Upon admission to the university, students can declare a major in Leadership within the College of Arts and Sciences.
This program consists of a minimum of 33 semester hours of course work at the 2000-level and above. After consultation with and approval by the student’s advisor, a student may apply up to nine hours of course work from another major, whether that is inside or outside of the College of Arts and Sciences. All students must complete a four-course Core sequence that includes courses in the History of Leadership, Ethics of Leadership, Leadership in a Complex World, and the Practice of Leadership. Towards the end of the degree, students must also complete a Capstone Seminar.
Students majoring in leadership will choose from among twelve specializations and pathways. Within their specialization or pathway, students will complete 9 credit hours of content-related work, as well as 9 credit hours of skills-related work, which must include at least one course in Communication, and may include up to 3-credits of Experiential Learning.
Specializations and Pathways
- Politics and Law
- Leadership in Society
- Urban Leadership
- Leadership in the Arts
- Health Leadership
- Sports Leadership
- Business and Markets
- Military and Security Studies
- Civil Rights
- Science and Innovation
- Environmental Leadership
- Leadership in Innovation
Students in the ASC Leadership major are encouraged to contact the Office of International Affairs to find study abroad experiences related to their particular specialization that can strengthen their applications to future jobs and graduate study programs.
Enrolling in ASC3192, Leadership Experiential Learning, allows students to earn credit towards the major for internships and other experiential learning opportunities during the student’s academic career.
While students may find their own internship opportunities, the Leadership Program has also made a number of connections with external partners in order to help place majors into internships. Internship scholarships are also available through the program to support students who may need financial assistance to take advantage of a particular internship opportunity.
Honors sections of courses in the Leadership Major are offered in many of the departments that offer courses for the major. The senior Honors thesis lets qualified students choose a topic they’re interested in and work closely with a faculty advisor.
The liberal arts core of the leadership major provides every major with crucial skills: to ask questions, to think clearly, to communicate, to understand a variety of perspectives and to navigate a complex world ethically. These skills serve individuals in every field, whether one holds a leadership position, or simply wants to “move up” in their career one day.
The Leadership Major provides both a robust stand-alone degree, as well as ample opportunity to double alongside a major related to one’s specialization. The major is designed to broaden one’s opportunities, understanding that effective leadership is needed in both expected and unexpected spaces.
To assist students with career planning, the major requires that students develop a Portfolio throughout their college career that will be refined and submitted during the Capstone Course. The Capstone also includes other career readiness modules and mentorship from the Arts and Sciences Career Services Office.