LDR 1200. Assessing Your Leadership Capacity. (3 Hours)
Introduces the methodologies and processes that are essential aspects of leadership: conceptualizing motivation, identifying traits, creating a vision, understanding influence, overcoming obstacles, developing character, and establishing a professional brand. Offers students an opportunity to focus on self-awareness, reflection, individual effectiveness, and self-assessment to learn how to recognize and utilize the differences between themselves and others. Students receive ongoing feedback from their peers and a chance to develop their own philosophy of leadership. The successful student should be able to answer the question, “What does it take to be a 21st-century leader?”
LDR 1990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
LDR 2990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
LDR 3200. Leading and Managing Change. (3 Hours)
Offers students an opportunity to develop the knowledge base necessary to lead and manage organizational change in all sectors with an emphasis on a 360-degree approach to understanding the many facets of change. Uses case studies that address various aspects of implementing change, such as: addressing the human psychology of change through innovative technology, social media, theoretical frameworks, understanding change agents, and operations. Encourages students to develop their views from both a management and nonmanagement perspective. The successful student should be able to gain knowledge and practical skills in how to connect change with strategy, anticipate resistance, assess readiness, and measure sustainability.
Prerequisite(s): LDR 1200 with a minimum grade of D- or CMN 2210 with a minimum grade of D- or HRM 2350 with a minimum grade of D- or LDR 1203 with a minimum grade of D- or LDR 1501 with a minimum grade of D- or MGT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or MGT 2310 with a minimum grade of D-
LDR 3250. Leading Teams Locally and Virtually. (3 Hours)
Covers the skills needed to manage teams in one office, in multisite locations, internationally or virtually. Topics include effective communication strategies, how to structure teams within an intergenerational environment, and how to leverage individual strengths to lead high-performance teams. Offers students an opportunity to identify barriers, study strategic methods for overcoming obstacles, leverage technology to build virtual spaces for people and ideas, and work to develop a strategy to optimize team effectiveness through a shared process and peer coaching by participating on a cohort team. The successful student should be able to understand their role as a catalyst, visionary, and leader in the formation and success of any team.
Prerequisite(s): LDR 1200 with a minimum grade of D- or CMN 2210 with a minimum grade of D- or HRM 2350 with a minimum grade of D- or LDR 1203 with a minimum grade of D- or LDR 1501 with a minimum grade of D- or MGT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or MGT 2310 with a minimum grade of D-
LDR 3400. Evidence-Based Leadership and Decision Making. (3 Hours)
Examines the components of evidence-based leadership that have been tested in various settings, shown to be effective, operational, and able to be used in solving real-world dilemmas. Emphasizes using decision-making models to analyze behaviors, align organizational goals, determine consequences, and make recommendations for actions leaders can make to solve problems. Studies the relationship(s) between scientific data, academic theory, technological advances, and changes in society toward the goal of understanding ethical problems. The successful student should be able to demonstrate increased information literacy, identify strategies for decision making, and know where to seek evidence needed in order to make high-quality decisions on a wide range of issues.
Prerequisite(s): (LDR 1200 with a minimum grade of D- or CMN 2210 with a minimum grade of D- or HRM 2350 with a minimum grade of D- or LDR 1203 with a minimum grade of D- or LDR 1501 with a minimum grade of D- ); (MTH 2300 with a minimum grade of D- or MTH 2310 with a minimum grade of D- or MTH 3300 with a minimum grade of D- or ALY 2010 with a minimum grade of D- )
Attribute(s): NUpath Writing Intensive
LDR 3990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
LDR 4850. Strategic Decision Making (Capstone). (3 Hours)
Offers students an opportunity to examine and test leadership theory in practice. Students demonstrate their leadership knowledge gained during their undergraduate studies by completing an experiential action-oriented project. Under faculty guidance and approval, each student must present a body of work that addresses a critical leadership topic that will enhance their professional development as a 21st-century leader. Experiences can be undertaken within any industry sector or at the workplace with supervisor approval. Past projects have included research studies, case studies, new products, leadership development plans, publications, journals, magazines, media/films, training programs, etc. Requires students to deliver a presentation on their project and share a culmination of learned outcomes.
Prerequisite(s): LDR 3400 with a minimum grade of D-
Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience, NUpath Integration Experience, NUpath Writing Intensive
LDR 4955. Project. (1-4 Hours)
Focuses on in-depth project in which a student conducts research or produces a product related to the student’s major field. May be repeated without limit.
LDR 4990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
LDR 4995. Practicum. (1-4 Hours)
Integrates theory and practice through a structured consulting experience working with organizations or conducting an applications-oriented research study. Introduces the problem-solving consulting model. From problem identification through recommendations, offers student teams an opportunity to work with decision makers to solve organizational leadership issues or conduct practical research studies.
LDR 6105. Developing 21st-Century Leadership Capability. (3 Hours)
Seeks to establish the premise that leadership is a developed capability by exposing students to theories and alternative perspectives, including contemporary collaborative models. This is the foundation of the master's degree program. Offers students an opportunity to demonstrate a holistic perspective of leadership by gaining an appreciation for the self and how it relates to the greater world around them. Students take a series of leadership and professional assessments/instruments designed to increase self-awareness and to develop a practice of critical reflection. From careful consideration of these perspectives, successful students then build a personal model of leadership that can be put to immediate use in work, community, or personal settings.
LDR 6155. Leadership Lab: Challenge for Leaders. (3 Hours)
Offers students an opportunity to participate in an intensive, group leadership learning experience that is challenge based and experiential. Incorporates concepts of leadership theory and practice, growth mindset, and design thinking as it addresses contemporary leadership issues. Provides the foundation for a series of reflective, feedback-based activities resulting in a student e-portfolio and development of a personalized leadership development plan. Includes peer and faculty coaching.
Prerequisite(s): LDR 6105 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C-
LDR 6200. The Language of Leadership. (2 Hours)
Introduces students to different communication approaches to help them develop their authentic leadership voice, because today's dynamic global work environment requires leaders to have a broad set of communication skills. Offers students an opportunity to use interpersonal, technology-mediated, and intercultural communication competencies and techniques; to develop a strategic approach for leadership communication; and to define an action plan for continuous growth.
LDR 6250. Driving Organizational Success Through Leadership Development. (3 Hours)
Focuses on developing leadership capacity, or bench strength, throughout an organization. Understanding organizational dynamics and developing leadership capacity within the organization are two critical challenges facing leaders today. Studies best practices for onboarding, developing, coaching, and mentoring leaders, as well as the systems, practices, and procedures required to develop leaders throughout an organization. Students participate in a coaching exercise, where they give and receive coaching from their peers in the program and from faculty.
LDR 6300. Ethical Leadership. (3 Hours)
Considers leadership dilemmas that can arise when the individual’s values conflict with those of the organization, or when a situation requires decisions with conflicting value sets. Students use case studies, their own experiences, and current events to examine actions leaders have taken and consequences faced when confronted with ethical dilemmas. Requires work on a real-life ethical dilemma for understanding in-depth reasoning of the problem and developing an action plan for solving and preventing similar problems at the organizational and societal levels. From these exercises and discussions, students have an opportunity to develop a personal model for ethical leadership.
LDR 6323. Event Management. (3 Hours)
Examines strategies and techniques required to run successful sporting events. Offers students an opportunity to learn how to manage logistics— the who, what, where, when, and how to run the event; develop checklists and manage processes to keep things running smoothly; and have contingency plans. Covers the basic details involved in running sport-related events of various sizes, including budget; venue; hospitality; marketing; publicity management; and working with vendors, community organizations, spectators, and celebrities.
LDR 6400. Sports Management. (3 Hours)
Presents an overview of management and administration of various athletic levels, fundamental management theories, and administration in athletic organizations. Covers how to develop communication and management skills emphasizing decision making while examining multiple aspects of sport and the organizations within it. These include but are not limited to intercollegiate athletics, recreation, communications, marketing, event and facility planning, and professional sports. Also explores different career opportunities available, the requirements for entrance into various employment areas, and the trends in the sports industry.
LDR 6405. Sport in Society. (3 Hours)
Examines current issues in sport and society. Offers students an opportunity to consider how their personal leadership skills and assumptions can offer solutions for change. Covers youth in sports, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, sports media, and big business and international perspectives on sport and participation.
LDR 6406. Leading Teams Strategically in a Global Environment. (2 Hours)
Examines principles of building highly effective teams by analyzing the variety of interrelated practices underlying group dynamics. Offers students an opportunity to learn how teams operate, the value of diversity in teams, leadership skills that best support teams, characteristics of successful teams, stages of group development, and the challenges associated with leading virtual teams. Combines learning through case studies, interactive discussions, reflective journaling, and an experiential team-based exercise.
LDR 6410. Leadership and Organization in Sports. (3 Hours)
Delves into leadership principles, personal development, and strategic thinking to provide the comprehensive knowledge and skills required to excel in sports management. Analyzes leadership styles, examines emotional value impact, discusses tools for building effective organizations, and studies the role of strategic thinking. Designed for sports enthusiasts, aspiring managers, coaches, and any student eager to improve their understanding of leadership within the dynamic world of sports.
LDR 6416. Leading Strategic Development and Implementation. (2 Hours)
Addresses the idea that strategic leadership capability extends beyond operational excellence. Examines the necessity of appreciating the internal and external environment, the need for an execution mindset to create the future, the identification of a central point for incremental and radical innovation, and the establishment of an organizational learning repository for risk and change management. Requires work on an action learning project that examines the role of leaders in delivering value in continuously changing and evolving technological, competitive, economic, and operational environments. Offers students an opportunity to obtain an understanding of the core concepts of strategy making and a strategic mindset.
LDR 6426. Developing Sustainable Global Leadership. (2 Hours)
Explores continually emerging global trends as they impact organizations of today and in the future. Examines best-in-class organizations’ motivations to more fully appreciate the backgrounds, cultures, experiences, viewpoints, styles, and contributions of all workforce members. Offers students an opportunity to reflect on leadership from key ethical, legal, policy, business, political, and societal frameworks. In a global economy, leaders of best-in-class organizations understand that creating an inclusive work environment is essential for continued competitive advantage. The world’s diversity coupled with technological advancements demand effective collaboration among employees from countries with different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds.
LDR 6430. Sports Law. (3 Hours)
Explores the fundamental legal knowledge necessary to operate effectively in the increasingly complex sports business environment. Aims to equip students with sound and informed judgment in assessing legal risks in everyday situations, problem solving independently, and working with attorneys and other legal professionals. Examines and discusses legal issues facing organizations and individuals in the sports industry. Includes overviews of the amateur and professional sports industry and the U.S. court system. Examines substantive principles of tort and contract law, antitrust law, labor and employment issues, intellectual property protection, and rights of privacy and publicity.
LDR 6435. Fiscal Practices in Sports. (3 Hours)
Examines the financial and regulatory issues confronting sports, fitness, and recreation industry managers. Covers accounting principles, financial statements, and related concepts that help determine the viability and strength of financial decision making.
LDR 6436. Innovation and Organizational Transformation. (2 Hours)
Studies the framework for organizational transformation as well as the competencies required to develop and implement a holistic model of change. Offers students an opportunity to learn how to think innovatively, design a vision for change, assess the current situation in relation to the desired change, and manage the transition from the current situation to the desired future. Within this course, students serve in the role of consultants or change agents for real-life organizations, assisting managers in their endeavors for organizational transformation. From this experience and class discussions, students have an opportunity to develop a personal model for change leadership and define an innovative action plan for personal growth as change agents.
LDR 6440. Sports Marketing and Promotions. (3 Hours)
Presents an overview of the various techniques and strategies used to meet consumers' wants and needs in the sports industry and an understanding of how sports can be used to assist in marketing other companies and products. Addresses areas of uniqueness in sports marketing compared to traditional marketing, an overview of the segments of the sports industry, and the importance of market research and segmentation in identifying the right sports consumer. Evaluates the use of data-based marketing in reaching the sports consumer. Introduces the marketing mix as individual units and the relationship between those units. Explores the development of sponsorship and endorsement packages.
LDR 6441. Sports Media Relations. (3 Hours)
Studies media relations in sports. Emphasizes building and managing an effective communications program on the intercollegiate and professional level. Covers how to develop and write news releases and hometown features, contest management, organizing press conferences, compiling statistics, publications, and creating effective social media campaigns.
LDR 6442. Athletic Fund-Raising. (3 Hours)
Examines the fundamental tools and strategies necessary to raise funds within college athletics. Emphasizes annual fund-raising through solicitations via the mail, telephone, and interpersonal meetings and major gift and capital campaign solicitations and presentations. Discusses the role of the annual fund within the scope of an athletics department.
LDR 6443. Ticket Sales and Strategies. (3 Hours)
Examines the ever-changing environment of ticket sales and strategies in the sports industry. Discusses the reliance on ticket sales as a critical revenue source in athletics. Covers the standards, principles, and practices that can be applied to the ticketing industry at any level by combining knowledge of ticket sales strategies with management of ticket office operations.
LDR 6455. NCAA Compliance. (3 Hours)
Studies the governing structure, rules, and legislative process within the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Examines compliance issues within collegiate athletic departments, including drug testing, self-reporting, and student-athlete eligibility.
LDR 6460. Risk Management in Athletics. (3 Hours)
Offers students an opportunity to develop the tools to conduct a thorough risk assessment for their organization and events: identifies potential risks, estimates their frequency and severity, determines how to control them, and develops safety policies and processes for staff and event participants. Emphasizes conducting a safety review and risk assessment and running an event that complies with health, safety, and security regulations.
LDR 6480. The Business of eSports. (3 Hours)
Explores the current state of the esports evolving sports enterprise, including the trend of professional sports leagues and organizations entering this digital space to expand their global portfolios. Investigates career opportunities in sports through technology and social media platforms. Examines issues concerning the National Collegiate Athletic Association and member institutions that have entered the esports realm by providing scholarships and sanctioned events for gamers and competitive teams.
LDR 6566. Leadership Coaching for Purpose and Performance. (3 Hours)
Offers students an opportunity to develop leadership expertise aligned with their vision and achieve specific performance goals. Emphasizes developing coaching competencies needed to advance resonant, impactful relationships. Focuses on foundational coaching competencies and a leadership coaching model that can be used in various real-world coaching scenarios. Students participate in multiple experiential coaching activities and conclude with a coaching practicum, where they demonstrate their expertise in a recorded coaching session.
LDR 6576. Advanced Leadership Coaching: An Interdisciplinary Approach. (3 Hours)
Examines the use and impact of evidence-based theoretical models—such as positive psychology, adult learning, experiential learning, and leadership—in the practice of leadership coaching. Considers the relationship between key coaching competencies identified in the International Coaching Federation Core Competency model and existing theoretical models. Examines the use of the different coaching frameworks to integrate theoretical models and leadership competencies while conducting coaching sessions. Offers students an opportunity to practice applying the various coaching models and frameworks during their coaching sessions, thereby demonstrating the impact of their leadership coaching expertise.
Prerequisite(s): LDR 6566 with a minimum grade of C- or LDR 6190 with a minimum grade of C-
LDR 6615. Academic Advising for Student-Athletes. (3 Hours)
Offers an overview of the foundations of academic advising and life-skill training as an essential component of student-athlete success and retention programs on higher education campuses. Topics include definitions and concepts for developmental advising; literature and research on the key concepts of academic advising; exploration of the various models and delivery systems for academic advising; skills for effective advising; advising diverse populations; and training, development, evaluation, assessment, and reward systems for advisers and advising programs.
LDR 6961. Internship. (4 Hours)
Utilizes relationships with local college, professional, and amateur organizations to offer students an opportunity to intern on a term basis in specific sports-related assignments while under the supervision of a sports professional. Students share their experiences through a discussion board forum, deliver a final paper, and develop a web portfolio. The web portfolio highlights the students' skills, knowledge, development, quality of writing, and critical thinking by showcasing a comprehensive collection of work samples and artifacts from their experiences in the sports leadership program. May be repeated four times.
LDR 6962. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
LDR 6980. Sports Leadership Capstone. (4 Hours)
Engages students in an in-depth project as a culmination of their study of sports leadership. Students share their experiences through a discussion board forum, deliver a final paper, and develop a web portfolio. The web portfolio highlights the students' skills, knowledge, development, quality of writing, and critical thinking by showcasing a comprehensive collection of work samples and artifacts from their experiences in the sports leadership program.
LDR 6983. Special Topics in Leadership Studies. (1-4 Hours)
Covers special topics in leadership studies. Topics vary by semester. May be repeated up to three times for a maximum of 15 semester hours.
Prerequisite(s): LDR 6105 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C-
LDR 6995. Project. (1-4 Hours)
Focuses on an in-depth project in which a student conducts research or produces a product related to the student’s major field. May be repeated four times for a maximum of 20 semester hours.
LDR 7100. Advanced Leadership Theory, Coaching, and Development Techniques. (3 Hours)
Explores leadership theory, coaching strategies, and development techniques. Designed for aspiring leaders and organizational consultants seeking to elevate their impact. Emphasizes evidence-based approaches, offering insights into contemporary leadership models and complex leadership challenges in diverse organizational contexts. Also emphasizes the role of coaching as a strategic tool for leadership development, focusing on advanced techniques for fostering personal growth, enhancing team performance, and driving organizational change. Explores emotional intelligence, transformative leadership, and ethical decision-making topics.
LDR 7110. Advanced Organizational Behavior. (3 Hours)
Presents a comprehensive view of advanced knowledge and analytical skills to address pressing issues in organizational behavior and contribute to developing effective organizational strategies. Reviews contemporary research on leadership dynamics, group behavior, organizational culture, and applications of human behavior within organizational contexts, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary perspectives. Presents case studies and empirical studies to understand the impact of individual, group, and organizational factors on performance, motivation, power dynamics, decision making, and diversity in organizations.
LDR 7120. Global Leadership and Cultural Awareness. (3 Hours)
Presents a comprehensive exploration of global leadership dynamics for advanced research and leadership roles in multinational organizations and international initiatives. Explores fundamental theories and practical applications underpinning effective leadership across diverse cultural contexts. Offers insight into key concepts of cross-cultural communication, multicultural team dynamics, the impact of globalization on leadership strategies, and ethical considerations in navigating cultural complexities.
LDR 7130. Emerging Technologies in Organizational Leadership. (3 Hours)
Explores the intersection of leadership, innovative technologies, and digital transformation shaping modern organizations. Studies the transformative effects of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, Big Data analytics, and virtual and augmented reality on leadership strategies and practices. Discusses successful integration strategies and ethical considerations in technology-driven leadership.
LDR 7962. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions.
LDR 7980. The Capstone: Demonstrating Leadership in Action. (4 Hours)
Offers students a culminating experience with several opportunities to further increase their impact and effectiveness as leaders and to demonstrate their leadership expertise, knowledge, and capability. Real-life options for the capstone experience include a leadership in action project, an Experiential Network project, and a consulting case study. Students critically reflect on the experiences they have gained through the leadership program; relate those experiences to their personal experiences; and refine their personal leadership models.
Prerequisite(s): LDR 6105 with a minimum grade of C- ; LDR 6155 with a minimum grade of C- ; LDR 6200 with a minimum grade of C-