The Joni and John Axel Leadership Development Series provides an academic foundation for students interested in leadership theories and practice. The three courses that make up the series are designed to provide an introduction to leadership, to promote critical thinking and to learn how to conduct research in the areas of leadership.
The series is made up of three courses taught by the faculty and faculty affiliates of Leadership Studies:
Leadership Styles and Strategies in a Diverse Society (CL PS 322) – This interactive seminar provides examination of a variety of leadership theories and practices. The core themes of the seminar are diversity and leadership—how individuals differ in their styles of leading and how to understand and work with diverse populations. Students are expected to find their own effective leadership style and learn how to interact with other leadership styles in diverse groups.
Women and Leadership (CL PS/WGS 333) – This seminar is designed to provide students with ideas, information and insights that pertain to women and leadership. It aims to help students develop an understanding of the challenges women face and the opportunities women have for leadership, the reasons why women accept or decline leadership opportunities, and the skills and abilities that women bring to leadership. Current issues and trends of women and leadership are examined from historical, contemporary and personal perspectives.
Research on Women and Leadership (CL PS/WGS 488) – This course will examine research on women and leadership in selected content areas (e.g., athletics, business, education, politics and public service, popular culture). Following an overview of quantitative and qualitative methods and critical analyses of scholarship on women and leadership, students will work in groups in selected content areas to research, write and present papers. Nonmajor graduate credit.
All three of these courses serve as credit toward earning the 21-credit Certificate in Leadership Studies, and CL PS 322 and CL PS 333 serve as credit toward earning the 15-credit Minor in Leadership Studies. The Axel Leadership Development Series courses served as the foundation on which the academic certificate was developed and continue to serve an integral role in the curriculum of the certificate and minor.