Leadership Studies at Aurora University

Program Description

The academic field of Leadership Studies (LS) at Aurora University is designed to embody a broad,

interdisciplinary range of disciplines with origins from the social sciences, humanities, and applied areas

of organizational management. The academic discipline of Leadership Studies has been expanding, due to

increasing research and discussion on effective leadership strategies, and students that major in

Leadership Studies typically work in organizations that can operate at any logistical level – local,

regional, national and international – and oftentimes are interacting within small and large group

dynamics. Graduating with such a degree at the undergraduate level can lead to a variety of occupational

outcomes, including careers in the business or social sector, and more specifically in the areas of nonprofit

management, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community development, Foreign Service,

education, hospital administration, youth/social services and international relations.

The LS Major at Aurora University will be a distinctive program that connects traditional leadership

theories with unique applied techniques including outdoor immersion experiences, interactive field study

programs and elite internship opportunities. In developing this program to be responsive to workforce

demands, the curriculum in this program is designed to partner with several external organizations that

will help curriculum development, establish internship and job placement connections and advance

student recruitment. The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA) and Peace Corps Prep Program (PCPP)

will assist the curriculum in aligning with current industry standards and desired competencies.

Learning Outcomes

The undergraduate program in Leadership Studies is a multidisciplinary program that focuses overall on

the following four learning outcomes:

- Leadership Theory & Application - Ethical Theory & Application

- Group Work Strategies & Application - Global Competency

Concentrations

International Service

For students wanting to apply their leadership skills in an international/foreign service career, an

International Service concentration is available that will focus on topics of globalization, humanitarian

issues, diplomacy and cultural development, and foreign language. Aurora University will also partner

with the Peace Corps to become a Peace Corps Prep Program (PCPP) institution. The PCPP is a formal

partnership designed to better prepare students for international development fieldwork, intercultural

service careers and possible placement into the Peace Corps. A highly selective program, Aurora

University will be one of only 26 colleges/universities in the country to host a Peace Corps Prep Program.

The partnership with the Peace Corps is intended to support a growing job demand and increasing

competition for positions in the Peace Corps and other international service organizations. Additionally,

this concentration is designed to assist students, with a passion for service, better build their intercultural

skill sets around their vocation and what truly matters to them. Students will focus on completing four

interdisciplinary learning outcomes in this concentration (to complete program and earn PCPP certificate):

- Intercultural competence - Foreign language skills

- Training/experience in specific work sector - Professional and leadership development

Nonprofit Leadership

The Nonprofit Leadership concentration is designed to better prepare students for professional careers in

the nonprofit industry and other social sectors. In partnership with the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance

(NLA), Aurora University has built around a competency-based, contemporary curriculum that reflects

current standards in the nonprofit world and provides AU students with valuable connections to the youth

and social sector workforce. As the leading nonprofit career preparation organization in the country, the

NLA confers upon graduating students the nonprofit industry’s most recognizable credential, the Certified

Nonprofit Professional (CNP). Individuals conferred with a CNP credential are seven times more likely

to rise to “director-level” positions in nonprofit industries such as charitable organizations, youth/social

services, higher education, education management, hospitals and health care. AU will be one of only 38

colleges/universities selected in the country to partner with the NLA and offer the competitive CNP

credential, and only the third liberal-arts institution in the Midwest.

This concentration is intended to support state and national occupational projections suggesting strong

employment growth for social and nonprofit service leaders. Careers in the social sector and nonprofit

organizations are expected to grow 13% nationally by 2022 (compared to data in 2012), while careers in

social and community service are expected to grow 21% by 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor

Statistics. To prepare for these professional nonprofit careers, students will demonstrate mastery of

learning outcomes in both course material and extensive applied learning experiences, including:

1. Completing coursework on core NLA learning objectives (ex: Financial Resource Management)

2. Nonprofit internship and field experiences totaling 300 hours

3. Attendance at nonprofit career development conferences

Distinctive Programming

Elite Internships

By utilizing the unique partnerships with the Peace Corps and Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, AU

students will have a significantly large network of organizations to intern with and engage in meaningful

applied learning - increasing their professional skill sets when entering the workforce, as compared to

their peers. National nonprofit partners include: Boys and Girls Club of America, Catholic Charities

USA, Volunteers of America, Make-A-Wish, Feeding America, Wounded Warrior Project and the

YMCA.

Immersion Experience Course

A core leadership course that exposes students to an experiential learning environment that will challenge

them to apply theory into practice through an out-of-the-classroom immersion experience. Designed as a

three week intensive study course, students engage in outdoor adventure programming, small group

activities, and character development courses to distinctively develop group work strategies in practice.

Field Experiences

These experiences enable students to integrate their academic coursework with periods of external,

experiential programming that enriches their educational pursuits. Experiences can include research

projects with local legislative officials, adventure programming trips to George Williams College,

participating in professional development conferences (ex: Alliance Management Institute) and observing

nonprofit professionals in action.