SDEV 3013

Leadership concepts

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Fall 2005

______

INSTRUCTOR:

Carol A. McBryde OFFICE HOURS: CLASS INFO:

464 Ag HallMondays 9-11amT/R, 9:00-10:15am

744-6942Wednesdays 2-4pmCLB 217

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION:

Prerequisite: 12 hours completed coursework. Increases undergraduate student competence through the study of leadership concepts. Stresses communications, decision-making, leadership styles and theories, and group dynamics. Attempts integration of theoretical concept with reality of application within the university community.

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE:

To provide students with an understanding of the basic components of leadership and its impact on the environment as well as to explore the interpersonal and social skills related to effective leadership.

GOALS OF THE COURSE:

  1. To provide, through experience, insights into the leader and characteristics of groups.
  2. To create an awareness of the impact of individuals and groups upon each other.
  3. To provide an overview of those specific skills related to leadership.
  4. To promote an experience-based learning environment in the area of leadership.
  5. To build upon the combined knowledge of the group and have fun while learning from each other.

REQUIRED COURSE TEXT:

Komives, S.R., Lucas, N., & McMahan, T.R. (1998). Exploring leadership: For college students who want to make a difference. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

COURSE EVALUATION:

Assignment / Assignment Description / Points
Personal Leadership Reflection / Short paper / 50 Pts
Midterm Exam / Chapters 1-6 plus lecture materials / 100 Pts
Group Leadership Reflection / Group observation & report / 50 Pts
Leadership Book Review / Read and report on a book / 75 Pts
Presentation / Group leadership experience / 75 Pts
Final Exam / Chapters 7-11 plus lecture materials / 100 Pts
Class Participation & Attendance / Active listening and participation / 50 Pts
TOTAL POSSIBLE: / 500 Pts

COURSE GRADE:

Course grades will be calculated using the following key:

450-500 points A

400-449 pointsB

350-399 pointsC

300-349 pointsD

Below 300 pointsF

BLACKBOARD:

A class site has been created for your use on Blackboard ( All course materials will be provided here, as well as links to important resources and class announcements. It is your responsibility to login to the site to check for announcements and gain access to course materials. You will not be required to complete course assignments on Blackboard, but you may use it as a means of communicating with your fellow classmates and instructor.

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance at each class meeting is considered a professional obligation. If, for some reason, you cannot attend a class meeting, you are expected to notify the instructor (either in person or via a phone message) PRIOR to the class. Failure to follow this procedure could result in the lowering of the final grade by 25 points (one-half letter grade). Excessive absence or tardiness may also lower the final grade in the above manner. Once a student has been identified as being at excessive absence or tardiness status, the instructor may take additional action, such as lowering the final grade by more than one-half letter grade or by asking the student to drop the class.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Assignments are due when indicated on the syllabus. If you cannot meet the due date, please contact the instructor PRIOR to the time at which it is due. Assignments designated as late will have the grade lowered at five (5) points for the first day and one (1) point for each day after for one week. Assignments will not be accepted which are more than one week late except under exceptional circumstances. If you have an excused absence, you must make arrangements to turn in your work by the due date.

All written assignments submitted for this course must be thoughtful and insightful showing the author put an adequate amount of time and effort in completing the assignment. Statements must be typed or word processed in APA style (one inch margins, 10 or 12 point font, doubled spaced, correct spelling and grammar are the features of APA style we are most concerned about). For more information about APA style go to Once there, choose APA Style Helper from the down arrow in the “Welcome” menu.

TESTING:

The midterm and final exams will each cover one half of the class, including both information from the text as well as from lectures and class notes. Each exam will include a variety of question types, including but not limited to multiple-choice, short answer, and essay. The final exam is not cumulative.

Make-up examinations are strongly discouraged unless absolutely necessary. In the event of serous illness or personal crisis, special arrangements must be made to take a make-up examination. Make-up examinations may vary in format from the one administered at the regularly scheduled time.

ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES:

Special Accommodations: If any member of this class feels that he/she has a disability and needs special accommodations of any nature whatsoever, the instructor will work with you and the Office of Disabled Student Services, 326 Student Union, to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure that you have a fair opportunity to perform in this class. Please advise the instructor of such disability and the desired accommodations at some point before, during, or immediately after the first schedules class period.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the representation of someone else’s ideas as if they were your own. Where the arguments, data, designs, etc. of someone else are being used in a paper, report, oral presentation, or similar academic project, this fact must be made explicitly clear by citing the appropriate references. The references must fully indicate the extent to which any parts of the project are not your own work. Although verbatim copying certainly requires crediting, paraphrasing someone else’s ideas is still using someone else’s ideas, and must be acknowledged. Students who are found guilty of academic dishonesty or misconduct are subject to disciplinary action by the instructor and/or university. If you have any questions, please see your instructor or consult the Students Rights and Responsibilities available online at

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Revisions to this syllabus may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Changes in dates and topics will be announced in class and may not be communicated in writing.

COURSE SCHEDULE AND READINGS:

Date / Topic / Reading
23-Aug / Intro to Course & Class
25-Aug / Defining leadership & introduction to leadership concepts / Ch 1
30-Aug / Myths and realities of leadership / Ch 2
1-Sep / Overview of Leadership Theories / Ch 2
6-Sep / Emergent Leadership Paradigms / Ch 2
8-Sep / Relational Leadership Models / Ch 3
13-Sep / Power and power sources / Ch 3
15-Sep / Understanding Self - Identity and values / Ch 4
20-Sep / Understanding Self - Personality types and learning styles / Ch 4
22-Sep / Understanding Others - Diversity & Difference
Personal Leadership Reflection Due / Ch 5
27-Sep / Understanding Others - Communicating through Difference / Ch 5
29-Sep / Group Dynamics / Ch 6
4-Oct / Group roles and functions / Ch 6
6-Oct / Midterm Exam
11-Oct / Leadership Credibility
13-Oct / Organizational Structures & Culture
Group Leadership Reflection Due / Ch 7
18-Oct / FALL BREAK
20-Oct / Systems Theory / Ch 7
25-Oct / Community Development / Ch 8
27-Oct / Quality of the Environment
Leadership Book Review Due / Ch 8
1-Nov / Ethical Leadership theories / Ch 9
3-Nov / Ethical Decision making models / Ch 9
8-Nov / PRESENTATION
10-Nov / Change Leadership
15-Nov / PRESENTATION
17-Nov / Organizational Renewal / Ch 10
22-Nov / PRESENTATION
24-Nov / THANKSGIVING
29-Nov / Personal Renewal/Self Exploration / Ch 11
1-Dec / PRESENTATION
6-Dec / PRESENTATION
8-Dec / Wrap-up and test review
15-Dec / 8:00-9:40am: FINAL EXAM