Request for Designation as a Community Interest (CI) Course in Explorations
Name_____Victoria E. Ott______
Course number and title___LS 200 Leadership Theory and Practice______
Departmental endorsement___Yes______
Has this course been submitted for any other Explorations designation? ______no____
If so, which one? ______
Please list which of your course assignments or activities addresses each of the guidelines, state briefly how this is accomplished, and attach a syllabus or a preliminary redesign plan for the course.
The criterion for a global perspectives CI course is a primary focus on interests in competing ethical, moral, or community interests.
Leadership in this course is conceptualized as a group function and thus is presumed to be a process involving competing ethical and moral interests. At the most abstract, the course seeks to answer the question “what is leadership?” It does so by examining contemporary leadership theories and their utility in explaining the behaviors, practices, and choices of leaders and followers. As such, the course examines a range of historical and organizational examples of leadership as well as the student’s individual involvement in leadership. By its very nature, leadership considers the competing ethical and moral decisions facing leaders and their constituents, as well as an overall concern with the group’s common good.
Although specific assignments may vary from professor to professor, the student’s ability to weigh competing interests is demonstrated in a writing assignment that asks students to evaluate the decisions of individuals and group members involved in leadership. Using one of the examples discussed in the class or one that students research on their own, students articulate why they think the group members made the right or wrong decisions—did they behave in a way that the student finds ethically or morally responsible? Did they behave in a way that serves the interests of the community’s common good? Did they engage in what the student would deem “good leadership”?
Attached is the syllabus for the fall term. Future syllabi will be revised to include this or a similar assignment.
Return this form as one electronic file with a syllabus appended to by 30 May 2011.
LS 200
Leadership Studies: Theory and Practice
Fall 2009
Instructor: Dr. Victoria Ott
Office hours: TBA
Office location: HC 119
Phone: 226-7826
Email:
Course description: This course introduces you to the concepts and practices of leadership by exploring the fundamental question of “what is leadership?” To begin to find some answers, we will focus on various principles of leadership by examining the ideas, practices, successes, and failures of leaders throughout history and in our own contemporary environment. First, you will be challenged to think about the role of leaders through the theories introduced by major scholars in the field. Second, we will look at the application of these theories through case studies that serve as examples of both group and individual dynamics. Finally, through class discussions, group projects, individual presentations, as well as the LS 200 retreat, you and your classmates will engage in critical application of theories to help in developing your own understanding of leadership.
Course objectives:
1. Understand notable leadership theories and their practice both in the past and present.
2. Examine these ideas to improve your own leadership skills, develop communication skills, and enhance group effectiveness.
3. Explore the ethical issues of leadership and moral dimensions arising from various situations.
4. Hone analytical skills through discussion, paper assignments, and independent research project/class presentation.
Texts:
Meacham, American Lion
Grint, The Arts of Leadership
(other readings are available on the course Moodle site)
Short paper assignments: You will complete three, 2-3 page papers that address a central question regarding the reading or group of readings. Guidelines for the assignments, questions, and late paper policy are available on the Moodle site under “Paper Assignments”. These papers are in lieu of course examinations.
Research project/class presentation: Each student will complete a 10-12 page research project on a particular individual or group involved in some aspect of leadership. In this project, you will place the subject in the context of the theories studied in the course and their effectiveness in advancing the goals of the person or group. Students may choose a person from their daily lives or choose a topic from American history. The guidelines for this project are available on the Moodle site. This paper is in lieu of a final exam and is due on the scheduled day of our class exam. At the end of the semester, you will also give a five minute presentation followed by a 5-minute question and answer period addressing the topic.
Discussion: This is a discussion-based course and, therefore, depends on your participation for effectiveness. A good deal of your grade also relies on your active engagement in class discussions. Thus, I will call on you if you do not participate.
Retreat: Students will attend a weekend retreat at Camp Lee on October 2 and 3 geared toward developing community building skills, enhancing group learning, and delving deeper into your own concepts of leadership. Guidelines for the retreat, including required gear, will be available on the Moodle site. Participation in this retreat will boost your discussion grade, so I encourage you to attend.
Movie night: On Tuesday, October 20, we will meet to watch the movie The Last King of Scotland at 6:00 pm. Students are allowed to bring their dinner. A handout will be provided with questions that we will address the following day in class. Students are required to attend this movie event as part of their discussion grade.
Attendance: Students will be allowed four (4) absences for any reason. Your final grade will be reduced half a letter grade for each absence after those three. Please note: your class participation grade may be adversely affected by excessive absences. Students are responsible for all material missed.
Academic integrity: Anyone caught cheating, which includes plagiarism, will be considered in violation of the Birmingham-Southern Student Honor Code and will referred to the Honor Council.
Moodle: This course has a Moodle site available through the BSC website. You will find guidelines and questions for paper assignments as well as syllabus, helpful hints, and reminders on this site.
Disabilities: Those students with special needs stemming from a disability must register with the Personal Counseling Center or Academic Advising. Once you have documented the disability, please see me if special arrangements are needed. This does not excuse students from meeting the requirements of the course.
Classroom civility: I expect each student to conduct themselves with maturity and respect for others. No one will be permitted to mock other students for their opinions or talk over each other. I welcome all questions and comments, but please either raise your hand or wait for an appropriate pause. If you disrupt the class, I will ask you to leave and will count you absent for the day. Also, no cell phone, blackberry, or Ipod activity is permitted, including text-messaging and photos. Finally, if you come in after I have called the roll, it is your responsibility to notify me AFTER class of your attendance. Failure to do so will result in an absence for the day.
Grade breakdown: Grade scale:
Short papers (15% each) 45% A 93-100 C+ 77-79
Final paper 30% A- 90-92 C 73-76
Presentation 10% B+ 87-89 C- 70-72
Discussion 15% B 83-86 D+ 67-69
B- 80-82 D 60-66
F 0-59
Class schedule:
(Subject to change)
Week 1
9/3 Introduction: Conceptualizing leadership
Week 2
9/8 What is leadership? What is the role of the follower?
Bass, “The Meaning of Leadership”
Hughes, et. al., “What is Leadership?”
Kellerman, “Intemperate”
9/10 Grint, chapter 2
Week 3
9/15 Meacham, 3-69
Paper #1 due in class
9/17 Trait Leadership
Kirpatrick and Locke, “Leadership: Do Traits Matter?”
Hersey and Blanchard, “Behavioral Theories of Leadership”
Week 4
9/22 Grint, chapter 5
Submit project ideas via email to your partner by 5:00 pm
9/24 Grint, chapter 6
Discussion of two research project ideas
Week 5
9/29 No class
10/1 Meacham, 70-154
10/2 LS Retreat
10/3 LS Retreat
Week 6
10/6 Transformational Leadership
Goleman, “Leadership That Gets Results”
Burns, “The Crisis of Leadership”
_____, “Transactional and Transforming Leadership”
Submit typed research proposal
10/8 Schein, “Would women Lead Differently”
Rosener, “Ways Women Lead”
Week 7
10/13 Grint, chapter 9
Paper #2 due in class
10/15 Fall break, no class
Week 8
10/20 The Process of Leadership
Lipman-Blumen, “Toxic Leadership”
Miller, “Domination/Subordination
Kelley, “In Praise of Followers”
Movie viewing, 6:00 pm, place TBA
10/22 Last King of Scotland discussion
Grint, chapter 3
Week 9
10/27 Meacham, 157-226
10/29 The Role of Leaders
Shamir and Lapidot, “Shared Leadership in the Management of Group Boundaries”
Manz and Sims, “SuperLeaderhip”
Week 10
11/3 Grint, chapter 7
11/5 Meaham, 227-297
Week 11
11/10 Leadership and the Social Role
Grint (article on Moodle), “Problems, Problems, Problems: the Construction of ‘Leadership”
Cronin, “Leadership and Democracy”
11/12 Drath, “Leadership Principles and Leadership Tasks”
Paper #4 due in class
Week 12
11/17 Grint, chapter 4
11/19 Meacham, 298-353
Week 13
11/24 “Graduating the Program: Theory in Practice”, panel discussion
11/26 Thanksgiving holiday, no class
Week 14
12/1 Presentations
12/2 Presentations
Week 15
12/8 Presentations