Leadership Studies, Certificate
This is the first version of the 2026–27 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies requires a minimum of 20 s.h. of credit, including at least 14 s.h. earned at the University of Iowa. Transfer credit must be approved by the home department or college. Students must maintain a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 in work for the certificate.
The certificate may be earned by any student admitted to the University of Iowa who is not enrolled in a UI graduate or professional degree program. Undergraduate to Graduate (U2G) students may earn the certificate when the undergraduate classification is primary.
Students must declare their intent to earn the certificate in MyUI. Students should contact the academic advisor for leadership studies to complete a plan of study and plan for the experiential learning requirement.
The certificate program provides a structure for involvement and commitment to leadership. It introduces students to leadership concepts and offers them hands-on leadership experiences they need to begin the lifelong development of these skills. Certificate students complete two interdisciplinary core courses (6 s.h.), area electives (12 s.h.), and an experiential learning course (2 s.h.). A course may not be used to satisfy more than one certificate requirement. Courses are offered on campus and online, allowing distance and online students the opportunity to earn the certificate.
Students who wish to count a course not listed in the certificate program of study may submit a request for approval to the academic advisor for Leadership Studies. The proposed course content and requirements must fit into one of the program's required areas.
The Certificate in Leadership Studies requires the following coursework.
Interdisciplinary Core Courses
All certificate students are required to complete two interdisciplinary core courses. In order to enroll in either course, students must have sophomore or higher standing and be in good academic standing as defined by University College (cumulative GPA of at least 2.00).
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LS:3004 | Perspectives on Leadership: Principles and Practices | 3 |
| LS:3012 | Leadership Theory to Practice | 3 |
Perspectives on Leadership: Principles and Practices (LS:3004) provides students with a broad foundation of leadership knowledge. It introduces diverse approaches to studying and practicing leadership and gives students a structure for organizing knowledge and skills from other leadership courses and experiences. The course features presentations by guest instructors from across the university, offering students an interdisciplinary perspective on leadership.
With the world changing at an accelerating rate, Leadership Theory to Practice (LS:3012) examines leadership effectiveness and focuses on the high-level ability to work with others and respond to change. Foundational concepts of major theories and behaviors of leadership models are covered, and practical challenges of leadership are analyzed.
Area Electives
Area electives are drawn from four developmental areas central to effective leadership: self and group leadership, communication, cultural competence, and ethics and integrity. Students must complete 3 s.h. from each of these areas (total of 12 s.h.).
Self and Group Leadership
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 3 s.h. from these: | ||
| LS:1020 | Introduction to Leadership | 3 |
| LS:1022 | President's Leadership Class | 3 |
| LS:2002 | Career Leadership Academy Part 1: Leadership in Practice | 3 |
| LS:2020 | Women in Leadership | 3 |
| LS:3002 | Career Leadership Academy Part 2: Leadership in Action | 3 |
| AERO:3100 | Leadership Studies: Leading People and Effective Communication I | 3 |
| AERO:3200 | Leadership Studies: Leading People and Effective Communication II | 3 |
| COMM:2011 | Group Communication | 3 |
| COMM:2819 | Organizational Leadership | 3 |
| LLS:1150 | Leadership in the Outdoors | 3 |
| MGMT:2100 | Introduction to Management | 3 |
| MGMT:3200 | Individuals, Teams, and Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT:3999 | CIMBA Italy Experiential Leadership | 1-3 |
| MGMT:4300 | Leadership and Personal Development | 3 |
| MILS:1010 | Leadership and Personal Development MSL101 | 1 |
| MILS:1020 | Introduction to Tactical Leadership MSL102 | 1 |
| MILS:2010 | Innovative Team Leadership MSL201 | 2 |
| MILS:2020 | Foundations of Tactical Leadership MSL202 | 2 |
| PSY:2501 | Introduction to Social Psychology | 3 |
| SOC:1220 | Principles of Social Psychology | 3-4 |
| SOC:3610 | Organizations and Modern Society | 3 |
| SOC:4225 | The Social Psychology of Leadership | 3 |
| SSW:3600/MGMT:3600/NURS:3600/RELS:3701 | Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness II | 3 |
Communication
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 3 s.h. from these: | ||
| BUS:3000 | Business Communication and Professionalism | 3 |
| BUS:3800 | Business Writing | 3 |
| CNW:3640 | Writing for Business | 3 |
| COMM:1112 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COMM:1117 | Advocacy and Argument | 3 |
| COMM:1130 | The Art of Persuading Others | 3 |
| COMM:1170 | Communication Theory in Everyday Life | 3 |
| COMM:2091 | Organizational Communication | 3 |
| COMM:2818 | Communication Skills for Leadership | 3 |
| COMM:2819 | Organizational Leadership | 3 |
| MGMT:4100 | Dynamics of Negotiations | 3 |
| WRIT:3005/CW:3005/INTD:3005 | Professional and Creative Business Communication | 3 |
Cultural Competence
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 3 s.h. from these: | ||
| AFAM:3459/ENGL:3459 | African American Literature Before 1900 | 3 |
| AMST:1074/GWSS:1074/SPST:1074 | Inequality in American Sport | 3 |
| ASP:3135/GHS:3050/SSW:3135 | Global Aging | 3 |
| CCCC:2220 | Foundations of Critical Cultural Competence | 3 |
| CSED:4197 | Citizenship in a Multicultural Society | 3 |
| GWSS:1002 | Diversity and Power in the U.S. | 3 |
| GWSS:1310/SOC:1310 | Gender and Society | 3 |
| GWSS:3154 | Sexuality in the United States | 3 |
| HHP:2280 | Cultural Competency and Health | 3 |
| HIST:1040 | Diversity in History | 3 |
| JMC:1200 | Introduction to Media and Culture | 3 |
| LS:2022 | Leading From the Margins | 3 |
| MUS:1310 | World Music | 3 |
| NURS:3111 | Caring for Vulnerable Populations | 3 |
| SOC:2810 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| One elective approved for the Certificate in Critical Cultural Competence; see an advisor for approved electives | 3 | |
Ethics and Integrity
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 3 s.h. from these: | ||
| CSED:4195 | Ethics in Human Relations and Counseling | 3 |
| HRTS:2115/IS:2115 | Introduction to Human Rights | 3 |
| JMC:2600 | Freedom of Expression | 3 |
| JMC:2700 | Media Ethics | 3 |
| MGMT:2000 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| MGMT:3400 | Employment Law | 3 |
| PHIL:1034 | Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness | 3 |
| PHIL:1401 | Matters of Life and Death | 3 |
| PHIL:1636 | Principles of Reasoning: Argument and Debate | 3 |
| PHIL:1861 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL:2402 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL:2432 | Introduction to Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL:2435 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PTRS:5100 | Professional Issues and Ethics | 1 |
| SRM:3700 | Ethics in Sport | 3 |
Experiential Learning
Certificate students must earn at least 2 s.h. in coursework focused on experiential or hands-on learning. There are three options to fulfill the experiential requirement: (1) enroll in approved service-learning courses, (2) complete a capstone course to receive credit for an internship or an on-campus leadership practicum, or (3) enroll in other approved course offerings.
Option 1: Service Learning Courses
Service learning courses incorporate community engagement with academic coursework. They allow students to gain hands-on experience along with a deeper understanding of course content while responding to real community needs. Students may satisfy the certificate's experiential learning requirement by earning a minimum of 2 s.h. from the following courses.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LS:1024 | Hawkeye Service Breaks | arr. |
| LS:3002 | Career Leadership Academy Part 2: Leadership in Action | 3 |
Option 2: Leadership Certificate Capstone Course
Certificate students may register for LS:3011 Leadership Certificate Capstone to receive credit for an internship or on-campus leadership practicum. Registration in LS:3011 requires special permission and students must contact the academic advisor for Leadership Studies to begin the approval process. Students must take the course during the same semester they complete the internship or practicum.
Certificate students must complete LS:3004 Perspectives on Leadership: Principles and Practices and at least 6 s.h. of additional leadership coursework in the certificate before they may enroll in LS:3011. All course assignments must be completed to fulfill the experiential learning requirement. Students who want to count LS:3011 toward the Tippie RISE requirement must register for an internship or career experience; registering with an on-campus leadership practicum will not satisfy Tippie RISE.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LS:3011 | Leadership Certificate Capstone | 2 |
Internships
Internships consist of preapproved, supervised on-the-job learning; they may be paid or unpaid.
To meet the certificate's experiential learning requirement, an internship must consist of professional experience that relates to a student's major field of study or career interest area and allows the student to build on the academic coursework already completed in the certificate program. At least 80% of a student's internship duties must be professional-level work, and a student must receive continuous supervision by a professional (not a student) in the internship field. The internship requires 150 hours of work and must last a minimum of 15 weeks in fall or spring semester or six weeks in the summer.
Internships that fulfill the certificate's experiential learning requirement must be approved in advance by the academic advisor for leadership studies. The internship site supervisor must agree to the terms of the internship and complete the required form before the internship may be approved. Students may work with staff at the Pomerantz Career Center to find an approved internship opportunity, or they may secure their own internship.
For more information about internships, see Jobs and Internships on the Pomerantz Career Center website.
On-Campus Leadership Practicum
An on-campus leadership practicum consists of a formal, pre-approved experience that is meaningful, educational, and cocurricular. It requires a student to take initiative and pursue active leadership roles and responsibilities. Examples include positions as student organization leaders, student government leaders, University Housing resident assistants, orientation leaders, peer educators, and fraternity and sorority leaders. Practicums may be paid or unpaid.
To meet the certificate's experiential learning requirement, a practicum requires 150 hours of work and must last a minimum of 15 weeks in fall or spring semester or six weeks in the summer.
Practicums that fulfill the certificate's experiential learning requirement must be approved in advance by the academic advisor for leadership studies. Students must submit a list of goals and assignments and/or duties they will complete during the practicum in order to demonstrate that the practicum provides substantive work assignments and opportunities to build on the academic coursework they have completed in the certificate program. Students must also identify a practicum mentor and demonstrate that the mentor is willing to guide and evaluate the student's development of leadership skills, review the student's goal-setting assignment, and conduct the final review of the student's performance.
Option 3: Other Approved Experiential Learning Courses
Students may also satisfy the certificate's experiential learning requirement by earning a minimum of 2 s.h. from the following.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COMM:1302 | Introduction to Civic Bridge-Building: Skills for Effective Dialogue | 1 |
| COMM:3829 | Leadership for Civic Dialogue | 1-3 |
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Leadership Studies, Certificate
This sample plan is currently being reviewed and will be added at a later date.