Leadership Studies Minor
The 15-unit SDSU Leadership Studies Minor is a multi-disciplinary program and a collaboration between the Leadership Studies Programs and Student Life & Leadership -- offering students both an in-depth look at leadership theory and opportunities to enact it in practice.
Minor Overview
The Interdisciplinary SDSU Leadership Minor seeks to develop self aware, culturally competent, transformational leaders. Established in 2008, the minor complements any major and is open to all undergraduate students. The Leadership Minor consists of required coursework, hands-on learning (internships, service learning, and leadership roles), plus elective coursework determined by the student, and a capstone class that integrates the art and science of leadership.
We surveyed hundreds of employers and have designed the minor based on what they want from current graduates. Competencies resulting from the Leadership Minor include:
- Understanding and Applying Current Leadership Theories
- Engaging in Project Planning and Management
- Creating a Shared Vision
- Enacting Compassionate Leadership
- Implementing Equity-mindedness, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Developing Effective Presentation Skills
- Working Collaboratively in Diverse Teams
- Writing Effectively
“I learned A LOT from the SDSU Leadership Minor such as: Conflict Management Styles; Time Management; Strengths Based Leadership; Servant Leadership; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); presentation skills; interpersonal skills; intrapersonal skills, and much more!”
Philosophy
Inquire
Students explore the science of leadership by studying the theories and research that shape effective leadership practices. The Leadership Studies Minor helps students build self-awareness, strengthen emotional intelligence, and better understand others so they can create positive change in people, organizations, and communities.
Serve
Leadership, communication, and collaboration are among the top skills employers seek. Through internships, community service, and campus leadership opportunities, the Leadership Studies Minor gives students hands-on experience that strengthens these essential skills while preparing them to lead in their careers and communities.
Explore
Students learn alongside peers and faculty from the College of Education, the School of Communication, the Fowler College of Business, and other academic disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach gives students the flexibility to choose an upper-division elective that aligns with their interests while preparing them to lead effectively in their careers and communities.
Integrate
A cornerstone of the Leadership Studies Minor is putting leadership theory into practice. In the capstone course, students work with award-winning faculty to apply what they have learned through a real-world project. The course brings together leadership research, vision development, and project management.
“The minor also opened my eyes to my previously unrecognized privilege. Privilege is not something a cis white female is taught to think about, but my time at SDSU and within the minor helped that to come into focus for me and the minor allowed me to truly open my mind to racial theories as well as what diversity, inclusion, and equal access truly mean in the workplace.”
Coursework
The minor in Leadership consists of 15 units (see course requirements below). See the Leadership Minor Advisor to enroll in the minor. You may pick up a Declaration of Minor form from the Registrar’s Office. Use SIMS Minor Code 331907 on your form.
Two 3-unit courses on the Science of Leadership:
Prerequisite for all other Leadership Minor classes.
Understanding, applying and critiquing leadership theories, examining personal strengths, values, goals, and philosophy of leadership.
Prerequisite: Completion of all courses in the leadership development minor with a 3.0 GPA.
Advanced leadership theories applied to real-world practice. Self-awareness, team collaboration, and ethical leadership. Industry issues with support from external organizations. Effective communication and organizational strategies to prepare students for leading in diverse and dynamic professional environments.
Two courses on the Art of Leadership:
Prerequisite: LEAD 205 (or concurrent enrollment)
Laboratory on campus and at other postsecondary settings to integrate academic work with experiences on campus and in postsecondary settings.
Students should consider which on-campus leadership position they wish to get involved in by the end of the first week of classes for the semester they are enrolled in LEAD 250. We are here to support you! If you are in need of assistance on how to get involved, please see the following list of organizations and advisors who can assist you with getting connected to the organization.
If you are looking to get involved in a certain student organization, email the advisor below based on the category you are most interested in. They can refer you to student leaders who can assist with finding a potential leadership role. You can also find more information on student involvement at student organizations.
- Kayla Wilkins, [email protected]
Student Life Advisor for Student Organizations and Activities eduCultural, Political, Recreation, and Religious-based Organizations - Dana Haxby, [email protected]
Student Life Advisor for Student Organizations and Activities
Academic-Major Related, Honor Society, A.S., & Res Hall Organizations - Lexy Nguyen, [email protected]
Assistant Student Life Advisor, Center for Student Organizations and Activities
Academic clubs, honors societies, and SDSU Imperial Valley Recognized Student Organizations. - Kayla Snow, [email protected]
Student Life Advisor for Fraternity and Sorority Life
Prerequisite: LEAD 205 (or concurrent enrollment)
Community service and concepts associated with the servant leadership model.
Prerequisite: LEAD 205 (or concurrent enrollment)
Internship. Hours to be arranged. Career readiness best practices to include interviewing strategies, job search strategies, resume development, social capital, and networking.
As the title indicates, an internship is required for this class.
Then complete:
One 3-unit elective course selected from:
Prerequisite: Approved upper division business major, business minor, or another major approved by the Fowler College of Business. Proof of completion of prerequisite required: Change of major form or other evidence of acceptable major code.
Human behavior at individual, interpersonal, and group levels including effect of organization structure on behavior. Emphasis on managerial roles, historical evolution of management, ethics, and behavior in multicultural contexts.
Prerequisites: Eighteen units of upper division coursework in the School of Communication. Admission to a major or minor in the School of Communication.
Communication principles in professional contexts including interviewing and technical and nontechnical oral presentations. Skill in meeting management.
Prerequisites: Communication 103; and completion of the General Education requirement in Foundations of Learning II.B., Social and Behavioral Sciences required for nonmajors. Open to majors and nonmajors.
Study of communication with emphasis on influence of cultural background, perception, social organization, language and nonverbal messages in the intercultural communication experience.
Prerequisites: Communication 300 and 350. Admission to a major or minor in the School of Communication.
Current theory and research in leadership and communication. Understanding yourself, the role of leadership, and the selection of appropriate communication strategies for leadership.
Prerequisites: Communication 300 and 350. Admission to a major or minor in the School of Communication.
Key variables and theories in the persuasion process; persuasive sources, messages, receiver variables, propaganda, brainwashing, cognitive, behavioral, and social theories of persuasion.
Prerequisite: Management 350.
Leadership, communicating vision, initiating changes and innovation, and developing leadership competencies through self-assessment.
Prerequisite: Completion of the General Education requirement in Foundations of Learning II.C., Humanities.
Ethical issues of contemporary life. Individualism vs. collectivism; democracy vs. dictatorship; ethical problems arising in law, medicine, business, government and interpersonal relationships.
Prerequisite: Completion of General Education requirement in Foundations of Learning II.C., Humanities.
Development of traditional values concerning the natural environment. Reasons for altering values in light of modern changes in the relationship of human beings to the environment. Application of ethical principles to actions affecting the environment.
Prerequisite: Completion of General Education requirement in Foundations of Learning II. C., Humanities.
Historical and contemporary arguments regarding morality of war, pacifism, and terrorism, with contemporary applications.
Prevailing and critical theories of international relations and application to historical developments and contemporary issues in global affairs.
Analysis of personnel problems. Supervision and management of public employees and public organizations in an age of change.
Social, psychological, and behavioral theories of organization; concepts of administrative leadership; organization and the individual; emphasis on governmental organizations. Not open to students with credit in Psychology 321.
Prerequisite: Public Administration 301.
Leaders as energizing forces for public administration. Analysis of leadership theories and case studies.
Prerequisite: Psychology 101. Proof of completion of prerequisites required: Copy of transcript.
Broad-based survey of various content areas of industrial (e.g. selection, appraisal) and organizational (e.g. motivation, leadership) psychology. Underlying psychological principles that influence human behavior in the workplace. Not open to students with credit in Psychology 320 or 321.
Prerequisite: Psychology 319. Proof of completion of prerequisite required: Copy of transcript.
Psychological principles applied to industrial problems of selection, placement and training.
Prerequisite: Psychology 319. Proof of completion of prerequisite required: Copy of transcript.
Human behavior in the context of organizational life. Factors related to effectiveness of individuals and groups within organizations, including organization design, leadership and control, motivation, cooperation, and conflict.
If you have taken or intend to take a class that you believe should count as an elective for the minor, you can make a case for that. Visit our FAQ for more information.
Students can typically complete these requirements in 3-4 semesters. Students must have completed a minimum of 60 units to enroll in upper division courses. With the permission of the Leadership Minor Advisor, students may take courses concurrently and take Field Labs during their sophomore year. Courses in the minor may not be counted toward the major, but may be used to satisfy preparation for the major and general education requirements, if applicable. A minimum of six upper-division units must be completed in residence at San Diego State University.
Advising
Declaration of Minor
It is easy to declare the SDSU Leadership Minor. To declare the minor please email Dr. Lisa Gates, the Director and Advisor for the Leadership Minor, at [email protected] with your RED ID and she will proceed with your declaration of the minor through My.SDSU.
Have further questions about the SDSU Leadership Minor? Feel free to reach out to Dr. Gates with any questions.
“It took all three years of learning, reflecting, and executing with the guidance of the leadership minor and the support of the leadership minor professors for me to envision myself as a leader and advocate in and beyond my nursing profession.”
Frequently Asked Questions
It is easy to declare the SDSU Leadership Studies Minor. To declare the minor please email Dr. Lisa Gates, the Director and Advisor for the Leadership Studies Minor, at [email protected] with your RED ID and she will proceed with your declaration of the minor through My.SDSU.
The Leadership Studies Minor is open to students from all academic majors. Every discipline and industry needs strong, ethical, global leaders. Our classes are filled with majors from across the university. The Leadership Studies Minor prepares you for success in any field of study.
Everyone has the potential to lead others. They may not be aware of it just yet. As such, no formal leadership experience is necessary to declare the minor. The Leadership Studies Minor is designed to include high impact experiences that offer you real leadership opportunities. You’ll have opportunities to lead on campus, in the San Diego region through service learning opportunities, and/or through the experience of an internship of your choice.
The university does not allow a major course to satisfy both a major and minor requirement. However, your upper division elective for the minor CAN count toward your upper division GE electives—supporting your time to graduation. Also, if you have already taken a course or wish to take one that is NOT on the approved list, and you believe that it could count toward your elective, please email the information below to Dr. Lisa Gates at [email protected].
Please include:
- Your contact information (name, Red ID)
- The name, number, and units for the course you are requesting to substitute for for an upper division elective course (e.g., SOC 352. Global Social Problems ; WMST 325: Psychology of Women)
- A few sentences describing how the course relates to the Leadership Studies Minor theories, concepts, etc.
It depends on your major course requirements and whether you plan to “double count” the minor’s upper division elective requirement with a General Education course (Explorations: Social Science and Humanities or the Cultural Diversity requirement) required by SDSU. The Leadership Studies Minor requires the completion of just 15 units. Typically, the minor can be completed in two semesters. Some students complete it in one semester and some distribute the minor across their time at SDSU. It is a minor at SDSU that complements all majors.
Related Program
Leadership Studies Major
The Leadership Studies Major is also multidisciplinary and includes courses from a variety of departments, such as psychology, communication, education, business, public administration, philosophy, political science, journalism and media studies, and cultural diversity. The major is designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in which leadership skills are essential. Learn more about the major:
