Department: Leadership Studies

Code Name Description
LDST 101 Leadership and the Humanities Introduction to leadership as an object of study through examination of its historical foundations and intellectual development. Readings selected from history, literature, philosophy, political theory, religion, and social theory. Emphasis on assess...
LDST 102 Leadership and the Social Sciences Introduction to the study of leadership through theoretical and empirical explorations of social interaction. Readings selected from anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology. Emphasis on advancing the understanding of lea...
LDST 210 Justice and Civil Society Exploration of contemporary society and understandings of justice. Readings on civil society, theories of justice, and analysis of poverty and related socio-economic problems. Includes a service learning component with critical reflection on communit...
LDST 249 Quantitative Social Science Prepares students to be informed consumers of quantitative social science and provides students with basic skills in and understanding of research strategies. Introduces issues associated with empirically testing hypotheses and collecting, analyzing,...
LDST 250 Critical Thinking and Methods of Inquiry Examination of knowledge and argumentation as they pertain to leadership. Analysis of scientific methodology and logic, language and interpretation, and their influence on the study and practice of leadership.
LDST 290 Selected Topics Topics developed by Jepson school faculty, visiting faculty, or faculty in other schools of the University that address particular issues in leadership studies. Examples may include leadership studies courses in the Sophomore Scholars in Residence pr...
LDST 300 Theories and Models of Leadership Examination of theories and models in leadership studies. Introduces role of theory in social science, and both classic and contemporary leadership theories/models are presented. Emphasis on critical analysis of theoretical perspectives.
LDST 301 Native Peoples and the U.S. Supreme Court This course explores the role of the U.S. Supreme Court as a policy-making institution in its variegated dealings with Indigenous nations and their citizens, who also happen to be American citizens. The course utilizes theoretical, behavioral, politi...
LDST 302 Leadership in Organizations Focus on leadership theory and research within and across formal organizational settings such as public/private, profit/nonprofit, professional/nonprofessional, and unitary/multidivisional. Examination of rational, natural, and open systems, and of h...
LDST 303 Leadership in Political Contexts Informal and formal processes by which power and authority are exercised and leadership is selected within political systems in various settings. Examination of leadership in basic processes and institutions of government through case study of legisl...
LDST 304 Social Movements Exploration of history of leadership in social movements. Comparison and contrast of forms, mechanisms, and practices of leadership in various stages of a social movement. Examination of values of leaders as expressed through stories of ordinary peop...
LDST 305 Law, Native Sovereignty, and Treaty Rights This course examines U.S. domestic policy and federal law as it pertains to Native nations as the original sovereign peoples in the U.S. and to their individual citizens/members.
LDST 306 Sex, Leadership, and the Evolution of Human Societies Study of how biological and cultural adaptation shape leadership and, more broadly, political organization. Case studies drawn from primatology, cultural anthropology, and political history, about what makes human leadership unique and investigate wh...
LDST 307 Leadership in International Contexts Examines the ethics of international leadership. Considers ethical issues relating to international affairs that leaders and followers confront in politics, the military, business, and the nonprofit sectors. Topics include war, global poverty, migrat...
LDST 308 The Creation of the American Republic Examines principles and practice of leadership within political context of the founding of the American Republic from 1776 through 1788. Primary focus will be on day-to-day work of the Constitutional Convention and the subsequent debates over ratific...
LDST 310 Folk Music and Protest Thought An exploration of leadership in the arts that will examine the subject from three perspectives. First, it will consider figures in traditional, old-time, and folk music whose contributions have been transformative. Second, consideration will be given...
LDST 317 Reimagining Richmond: History, Power, and Politics in the Former capital of the Confederacy The role of historical context and leadership in shaping urban development, particularly the development of Richmond, Virginia. Study of Richmond's history from the colonial era, through Reconstruction, and into the twentieth century, including how h...
LDST 331 Comparative Public Law US/UK Examination and comparison of underlying principles of constitutional and administrative law in the United States and United Kingdom. This course is only offered in the summer as part of the Jepson at Cambridge summer study abroad program.
LDST 340 Early Modern Crisis in Leadership Discussion of primary texts that disclose difficulties in formulating political and religious policy during the crises that start with the later Middle Ages in Western Europe and run into the seventeenth century. Students will be expected to evaluate...
LDST 345 Civil War Leadership A study of the events leading to the Civil War, and the military and political leadership on both Union and Confederate sides during the war. Topics include the roles of slavery and political leadership in starting the war, the leadership of Abraham...
LDST 346 The Democratic Prospect Examines democracy by reviewing current critiques, key historical periods in its development, and central philosophical principles. Interpret and respond to challenges to democracy. Overview of the current condition of democracy and a review of key...
LDST 350 Killers and Cults: Leadership Gone Awry This course examines toxic and destructive leadership through the dual lenses of serial killers and cults from a historical perspective. It considers how society makes and unmakes social norms, and raises questions about society’s interest in violenc...
LDST 351 Group Dynamics Introduction to scientific study of group processes through vocabulary, concepts, theories, and research. Both classic and contemporary theories and research are presented. Emphasis on both theoretical and applied components of group dynamics. Primar...
LDST 352 Presidential Leadership A study of theories of presidential leadership and assessments of several presidencies, including those of George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. Addres...
LDST 354 Conflict Resolution Understanding principles and dynamics of mediating disputes and achieving agreements between groups and individuals. Discussion of negotiating techniques and ethical issues related to use of such techniques by leaders. Use of simulations and exercise...
LDST 355 Competition, Cooperation, and Choice Economic approach to leadership examines how individuals come together in social settings (a market place, an organization, a political entity) to make distributive decisions. Particular focus on Adam Smith's analysis of the development of modern ind...
LDST 357 The Ethics of Influence Investigates the moral limits of the influence tactics that leaders employ. Uses traditional moral theory and contemporary philosophical literature to distinguish justified influence from coercion, deception, and manipulation. Topics include public p...
LDST 361 Sex, Power, and Politics Explores the processes by which "sexuality" is constituted and informs the leadership process. Readings on the social construction of gender, theories of power, and conceptions of freedom will be coupled with analyses of policy debates on issues such...
LDST 367 Leadership Ethics Applied in the Field Examine the ethics of leadership in various applied contexts. LEAF is a public speaking course. There is very little writing in LEAF. Students will learn to talk about contemporary moral debates in a range of contexts. The course will address topics...
LDST 368 Leadership on Stage and Screen Discussion of primary dramatic texts and films that examine leadership in a variety of settings and frameworks. Uses critical readings to contextualize the works as commentary on the issues and crises of leadership present at the time of their creati...
LDST 369 Culture & Resistance: Race, Gender, Power, and Pop Culture This course examines works of popular culture as a means of leadership, protest, and social change, including literature, film, and music.
LDST 375 Economic Policy and Leadership Explores two questions using debates amongst economists as our policy laboratory. First, what is the scope for policy makers to lead the economy through crises and the inevitable ups and downs that accompany economic expansion? How much agency should...
LDST 377 Ethical Decision Making-Health Care Systematic examination of the central ethical decisions faced by leaders in medicine and healthcare. Topics include deception, decision making for incompetent patients, consent, abortion, euthanasia, disability, resource allocation, organ donation, a...
LDST 378 Statesmanship Focus on statesmanship through historical and biographical case studies of such figures as the American founders, Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill. Also will seek to understand ways in which constitutional, legal, and political institutions can...
LDST 383 Leadership and the Future of Higher Education Examines issues of leadership in higher education. Focus on how presidents work with constituents to achieve legitimacy, guide plans, and make decisions. Explore both traditional and emerging models in higher education.
LDST 384 Education and Equity Explores inequity in K-12 education due to racial and income segregation. Examines possible solutions to alleviate these inequities and overcome the opportunity gaps.
LDST 386 Leadership in a Diverse Society Study of how diversity affects social relations with an emphasis on leadership. Examines diversity, primarily through the lens of social psychology, by examining individual and collective dynamics in pluralistic settings. The primary focus is to fami...
LDST 387 Leadership and Religious Values Study of how persons draw on their religiously-based moral convictions as they lead and serve in a diverse society. Attention to public functions of religious ideas, practices, and communities. Focus on appropriate roles of religion in politics, the...
LDST 390 Selected Topics in Leadership Studies Topics developed by Jepson School faculty, visiting faculty, or faculty in other schools of the University that address particular issues in leadership studies. Examples may include leadership and psychology and literature and leadership. May be take...
LDST 399 Junior Honors Tutorial Juniors accepted to honors track (in fall of junior year) work with Jepson faculty members in this spring tutorial to develop thesis proposal and preliminary bibliography to be accepted by the course instructor and a Jepson faculty thesis advisor.
LDST 406 Summer Undergraduate Research Documentation of the work of students who receive summer fellowships to conduct research [or produce a creative arts project] in the summer. The work must take place over a minimum of 6 weeks, the student must engage in the project full-time (at leas...
LDST 450 Leadership Ethics Application of moral theory to the values and assumptions of leadership, focusing especially on the ethical challenges of leaders past and present, group behavior, and leadership theory. Topics include self-interest, power, charisma, duty, obedience,...
LDST 488 Internship First semester of applied experience in field of leadership studies and accompanying seminar. Observations of leaders in government, corporate, or nonprofit settings. Students are expected to apply what they have learned in required courses such as T...
LDST 489 Internship Second semester of applied experience in field of leadership studies and accompanying seminar. Observations of leaders in government, corporate, or nonprofit settings. Students are expected to apply what they have learned in required courses such as...
LDST 490 Independent Study Independent study allows students to pursue research on their own topic of interest under the supervision of a faculty member. Independent study proposals must be submitted to the associate dean for academic affairs at least two weeks before the begi...
LDST 491 Collaborative Study Collaborative study provides students with the opportunity to conduct research collaboratively with a Jepson faculty member on a project of theoretical or methodological importance to the faculty member's program of research. Collaborative study must...
LDST 492 Directed Study Group reading and discussion in a specified area of leadership studies under faculty supervision.
LDST 495 Senior Thesis I Year-long engagement in independent research project under supervision of faculty advisor.
LDST 496 Senior Thesis II Year-long engagement in independent research project under supervision of faculty advisor.
LDST 497 Senior Honors Thesis I Year-long engagement in independent research to produce written thesis worthy of honors in leadership studies. See description of Jepson honors track for further details.
LDST 498 Senior Honors Thesis II Year-long engagement in independent research to produce written thesis worthy of honors in leadership studies. See description of Jepson honors track for further details.