Leadership, one of the university’s core values, is an important skill for students to develop during the undergraduate education regardless of discipline. The Certificate of Leadership at Augusta University exposes students to leadership theory and practice, guides students in leadership development and offers students opportunities to gain significant leadership experiences. After completing this course, students will have developed leadership competencies in Communication, Problem Solving, Leadership, Professionalism, and Teamwork.
The Certificate of Leadership is an embedded certificate, meaning that it allows students to earn an additional certification while completing coursework required for the declared undergraduate degree. The Certificate is housed in the Center for Instructional Innovation located in University Hall 235; our staff can be reached at 706-737-1742. This is an embedded certificate.
Eligibility and Admissions
Undergraduate students in any program of study may declare the intention to pursue the Certificate of Leadership. Students may seek entry into the Certificate of Leadership by enrolling in the foundational LDRS 2000 course and/or speaking with his/her academic advisor. Interested students should complete the Declaration of Major, Minor, or Certificate Form and submit this form to the Registrar’s office in Rains Hall.
Although the full certificate requirements may be completed in less than one year, it is ideal that students enroll in LDRS 2000 during the second semester of the freshman year or during the sophomore year.
Program Requirements
Students wishing to earn the Certificate of Leadership will complete at least 9-12 hours of approved course work with a C or better.
Specifically, the program requires 3 credits of Leadership 2000 to be completed as the foundational course in the certificate. Subsequent to LDRS 2000, students must take 2 bridge courses successfully earning 3-6 credits of combined upper level experiential learning (EXL) courses, and 3 credits of an approved Capstone experiential course. Finally, students must enroll in the Leadership Capstone course (LDRS 4999, 0 cr) the final semester of the program. Bridge courses and Capstone experiences may be taken simultaneously. Students are responsible for working with the Certificate of Leadership advisor to ensure that required assignments are contributed to the student’s portfolio.
Course Types
There are three course types associated with the Certificate of Leadership: the foundational course, bridge courses and capstone courses. Each type is explained below.
The Foundational Course LDRS 2000 - Introduction to Leadership and Professionalism (3 Credit Hours) is a 3-credit, introductory education to leadership, ethics, and professional behavior. The course will introduce the concepts and relationships among leadership, engagement, and professionalism through readings, experiences, and assignments. This course is a required first course for students pursuing the Certificate and counts also as a free elective for all majors.
Bridge Courses are value-added courses which incorporate leadership competencies and utilize experiential learning teaching methods. These courses are offered throughout the curriculum and also may satisfy requirements for the student’s major or minor. These courses foster student leadership and professional development within the particular field by allowing a student to practice and build upon his or her leadership skills and philosophy. In the context of discipline specific courses, students will have opportunities to engage in public speaking, team building, course organization or assistance and other types of experiences wherein students learn by doing. All Bridge courses can be identified in the Course Schedule through the attribute “EXL” indicating that the course utilizes experiential learning.
Capstone Courses are options that allow the student to engage in a more advanced experience of leadership and should allow the student to “cap off” the full experience with a deeper and more involved learning experience and should entail an oral or written presentation about the experience. Capstone courses must be a 3 credit EXL 4000-level course, a Capstone course for the major, or other pre-approved experience by a Certificate of Leadership Advisor. Common capstone experiences include undergraduate research, an Internship in Leadership, or a pre-approved leadership role during a Study Away/Abroad course. Other professional experiences may also be accepted after discussion with the Certificate advisor.
Recognition
Students must enroll in the Leadership Capstone course (LDRS 4999, 0 cr) the final semester of the program to complete post-program assessments. Upon graduation students who successfully complete all of the requirements listed above will be awarded the Certificate of Leadership and an honor cord in addition to the baccalaureate degree. The student’s official transcript will carry a Certificate of Leadership designation.
