Leadership Minors and Academic Courses
Leading begins with learning. Through partnerships with the NC State European Center in Prague, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Education, College of Natural Resources, Poole College of Management, University College, and Wilson College of Textiles, the Shelton Leadership Center offers academic minors both locally and globally. The Center also offers a variety of undergraduate courses on values-based decision-making, ethics, and an internship. Additionally, in partnership with the Impact Leadership Village, a one-credit course on relational leadership assists students in learning practical ways to live and learn in the community.
Leadership Minors
The Shelton Leadership Center offers two innovative interdisciplinary academic minors designed to give students from any academic background a competitive edge.
The Global Leadership & Team Decision-Making minor offers a unique opportunity for students to earn 12 of 15 credit hours abroad during a 9-week spring semester program. Classes are held at partner universities in three countries across Europe. Through coursework grounded in theory, inquiry and application, students will gain insight into their own leadership styles and learn how to lead more effectively and collaboratively in any profession or field of study. This minor is made possible through a partnership between SLC and the NC State European Center in Prague.
Learn more about past Global Leadership & Team Decision Making participants.
The Leadership: Cross Disciplinary Perspectives minor is designed for students who seek to gain greater knowledge and understanding of leadership perspectives from a variety of academic fields of study. All majors are welcomed!
Academic Courses
The Shelton Leadership Center’s academic courses seek to align with the university’s strategic plan for student success and organizational improvements. The Center’s academic courses strengthen the university’s interdisciplinary scholarship to better address societal challenges and global engagement through focused strategic partnerships. Explore these courses that will help develop students’ understanding, skills, and leadership mindset.
- SLC 101: Community Leadership
- The purpose of this course is to encourage students to carefully analyze their responsibilities and commitments in the context of leadership for the common good and for purposeful change. Students will come to understand the concept of relational leadership and how it differs from traditional leadership theories. The course includes the study of leadership as well as the application of leadership theories, concepts, and skills. Students will also develop their own leadership potential through the completion of personal and leadership self-assessments, values exploration, and leadership skills applications through course activities.
Note: First-year students who reside in the Impact Leadership Village are required to take this course in the fall semester.
- The purpose of this course is to encourage students to carefully analyze their responsibilities and commitments in the context of leadership for the common good and for purposeful change. Students will come to understand the concept of relational leadership and how it differs from traditional leadership theories. The course includes the study of leadership as well as the application of leadership theories, concepts, and skills. Students will also develop their own leadership potential through the completion of personal and leadership self-assessments, values exploration, and leadership skills applications through course activities.
- SLC 102: Building Community Around Values Based Leadership
- SLC 102 is a one-credit course for students in the Chancellor’s Leadership Development Program (CLDP) offered through the Shelton Leadership Center (SLC). Within the context of the three-year program, this course serves as a foundation that provides a framework for student success. The purpose of this course is to encourage students to examine their responsibilities and commitments as student leaders through the principles of the SLC (integrity, diversity, social responsibility and compassion). Students will explore the Frost model of values-based leadership and Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth Model, practice applying these concepts and skills in their own lives, and explore their own leadership through self-assessments, reflection, and practice. The application of course content will be through other CLDP experiences, such as faculty/staff mentoring groups, service projects, and other programs within the three-year experience.
Note: First-year students who are a part of the Chancellor’s Leadership Development Program are required to take this one-credit course in the fall semester.
- SLC 102 is a one-credit course for students in the Chancellor’s Leadership Development Program (CLDP) offered through the Shelton Leadership Center (SLC). Within the context of the three-year program, this course serves as a foundation that provides a framework for student success. The purpose of this course is to encourage students to examine their responsibilities and commitments as student leaders through the principles of the SLC (integrity, diversity, social responsibility and compassion). Students will explore the Frost model of values-based leadership and Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth Model, practice applying these concepts and skills in their own lives, and explore their own leadership through self-assessments, reflection, and practice. The application of course content will be through other CLDP experiences, such as faculty/staff mentoring groups, service projects, and other programs within the three-year experience.
- SLC/EI 202: Carolina Regional Entrepreneurial Albright Team Experience (CREATE)
- The purpose of this course is to equip students with the skills and competencies to guide high school students through the Carolina Regional Entrepreneurial Albright Team Experience (CREATE). Students will think critically and apply skills related to leadership, entrepreneurial concepts, teaching and facilitation while working with high school students. This course prepares students to design their own interactive curriculum which they will facilitate in the spring semester.
Note: Instructor approval required for registration.
- The purpose of this course is to equip students with the skills and competencies to guide high school students through the Carolina Regional Entrepreneurial Albright Team Experience (CREATE). Students will think critically and apply skills related to leadership, entrepreneurial concepts, teaching and facilitation while working with high school students. This course prepares students to design their own interactive curriculum which they will facilitate in the spring semester.
- SLC/EI 203: Carolina Regional Entrepreneurial Albright Team Experience (CREATE) II
- This course builds upon the foundation set in SLE/EI 202 CREATE I. Students will continue to think critically and apply skills related to leadership, entrepreneurial concepts, teaching and facilitation while preparing students for the spring competition. This semester is focused on facilitation and mentorship and helping the high school students finish their group projects.
Note: Instructor approval required for registration.
- This course builds upon the foundation set in SLE/EI 202 CREATE I. Students will continue to think critically and apply skills related to leadership, entrepreneurial concepts, teaching and facilitation while preparing students for the spring competition. This semester is focused on facilitation and mentorship and helping the high school students finish their group projects.
- SLC 250: Critical & Creative Decision-Making Models
- This course is open to all undergraduate students. It is designed for students who want to learn to think critically and creatively when making decisions by taking into consideration a variety of decision-making models across disciplines. Throughout the course, students will be presented a variety of decision-making processes, as well as five models on decision-making across disciplines to consider when addressing different problems. Questions will be asked of students in a way that will foster critical and creative thinking in order to analyze, process, and identify effective ways for approaching a problem or situation. Students will be asked to reflect on how the decisions made may or may not apply to their respective majors.
Note: This course is required for the Leadership: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives Minor and the Global Leadership & Team Decision Making Minor
- This course is open to all undergraduate students. It is designed for students who want to learn to think critically and creatively when making decisions by taking into consideration a variety of decision-making models across disciplines. Throughout the course, students will be presented a variety of decision-making processes, as well as five models on decision-making across disciplines to consider when addressing different problems. Questions will be asked of students in a way that will foster critical and creative thinking in order to analyze, process, and identify effective ways for approaching a problem or situation. Students will be asked to reflect on how the decisions made may or may not apply to their respective majors.
- HON 296-005: Leadership in Professional Research
- The purpose of this course is to equip students with the skills and competencies to exert leadership in academic- or research-related careers and prepare for inquiry-based capstone independent studies or internships before graduation. Within the structure of the course, students will participate in activities, experiential and investigative assignments, and regularly scheduled classes to explore topics of leadership within the academic and research realms of the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Students will develop an understanding of the academic life and learn how to compose application materials. Furthermore, students will learn how to navigate the administrative concerns of the professional research realms, examine and apply personal values in research, and learn effective leadership techniques to create positive change through inquiry-based enterprises. Collectively, this class will prepare students to engage the nuanced concerns of ethical practices, intellectual and academic honesty, and the social responsibility of professional research.
Note: Instructor approval required for registration.
- The purpose of this course is to equip students with the skills and competencies to exert leadership in academic- or research-related careers and prepare for inquiry-based capstone independent studies or internships before graduation. Within the structure of the course, students will participate in activities, experiential and investigative assignments, and regularly scheduled classes to explore topics of leadership within the academic and research realms of the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Students will develop an understanding of the academic life and learn how to compose application materials. Furthermore, students will learn how to navigate the administrative concerns of the professional research realms, examine and apply personal values in research, and learn effective leadership techniques to create positive change through inquiry-based enterprises. Collectively, this class will prepare students to engage the nuanced concerns of ethical practices, intellectual and academic honesty, and the social responsibility of professional research.
- SLC 300: Leading with an Ethical Perspective
- Students will explore personal and professional aspects of ethical leadership perspectives. They can look at ethical perspectives from a general overview or they can choose to focus on ethical perspectives within their specific field, such as business, entrepreneurship, engineering, or athletics. Students will use a variety of ethical frameworks to analyze ethical situations and how values held by leaders and organizations result in ethical impacts and outcomes. The course will address philosophical origins of ethical frameworks and how they relate to the current business and societal environment. Primary focus will be on supporting students in identifying their personal values and developing a values-based plan for their individual leadership style to help them succeed as values-based leaders in their fields.
- SLC 350: Leadership and Negotiation
- In this course, students will explore the theories and techniques for effective negotiation practices. Through a theoretical and experiential curriculum, students will consider the ethics, cultural sensitivities, and power dynamics of expressing leadership when negotiating with peers, teams, and external partners. The course is structured in a scaffolded manner that iteratively reinforces the methodological assumptions and intentions of multiple disciplines, critically considers the historical and social influences on modern systems of inequity, and teaches principles of effective negotiation. As a result of this structure, successful students will be able to synthetically formulate their own negotiation approaches that are rooted in personal values, integrated with elements of discipline-specific approaches, and informed about the systemic issues related to diversity in the United States. As developing leaders, students will be well equipped to articulate their ideas persuasively in a variety of situations and with different audiences.
- SLC 401: Independent Study in Leadership Theory Application
- The purpose of this course is for students to analyze and apply one or more leadership theories through a discipline-specific, independent project. The course includes the study and application of leadership theories, concepts, and skills within the context of a discipline-specific, independent project related to the academic and professional aspirations of the student. The scope of the independent project is broad and recognizes a range of opportunities from faculty-guided research, to independent studies, to community-engagement projects, but must be designed in consultation with the faculty and/or organizational lead and course instructor. Through associated assignments and projects, students will be expected to evaluate their selected leadership theory or theories in comparison with more traditional applications of leadership models. The student may be charged a $20 liability insurance fee through the registrar office if the selected independent study requires any off-campus travel. This will be confirmed with the faculty, site-coordinator, and student during the development of a mutually-beneficial contract for all entities involved in the project.
- SLC 450: Applied Leadership Skill-Building Within an Internship Experience
- This course provides an opportunity for students to gain practical leadership skills and knowledge that will be transferable to the student’s academic and career goals. A minimum of 150 hours over the equivalence of a semester period will earn three credit hours for the experience. The student is responsible for arranging the internship experience. The coordinator for Shelton Leadership Courses (SLC) will need to approve the experience prior to the start date. To gain approval, a student must submit the completed SLC 450 contract and have it approved by his/her internship experience supervisor, academic advisor, and the SLC 450 coordinator. In addition to the work described in the contract, a student will complete a series of reflective assignments related to the experience.
There are no set meeting times for SLC 450 beyond the scheduled due dates for assignments. The work schedule is by agreement between the student and his/her experience supervisor. A minimum of 150 hours over the equivalence of a semester period will earn three credit hours. This does not include time spent on the assignments submitted through the Moodle course management system. Due dates for assignments are provided on the course Moodle site and will be set at the beginning of the semester.
- This course provides an opportunity for students to gain practical leadership skills and knowledge that will be transferable to the student’s academic and career goals. A minimum of 150 hours over the equivalence of a semester period will earn three credit hours for the experience. The student is responsible for arranging the internship experience. The coordinator for Shelton Leadership Courses (SLC) will need to approve the experience prior to the start date. To gain approval, a student must submit the completed SLC 450 contract and have it approved by his/her internship experience supervisor, academic advisor, and the SLC 450 coordinator. In addition to the work described in the contract, a student will complete a series of reflective assignments related to the experience.
- SLC/CBS 463/563: Leadership in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences
- This is a two-credit, graduate level course designed for graduate and advanced undergraduate students interested in gaining an understanding of how to lead others effectively through complex situations as it relates to ethical and leadership dilemmas within interdisciplinary biomedical sciences. The structure of the course is based on discussion and group activities. Students will develop leadership skills and negotiation strategies for working with interdisciplinary teams in biomedicine. Through interaction with professionals in the biomedical field, students will evaluate, apply and propose action plans for how to respond to situations as it relates to theories and practices discussed in the course. This course is associated with an undergraduate and graduate minor related to biomedical research.