Leadership Courses
A strength of Leadership Development in the John Martinson Honors College lies in our curricular approach. Leadership experience is valuable, but that value increases significantly when leadership experience is matched with instruction on leadership concepts, coaching on leadership principles and practices, and opportunities for structured reflection. These courses allow students to excel in their leadership roles and accelerate their leadership growth while at Purdue.
From courses where students begin to explore their leadership strengths and commitments, to courses that provide intensive coaching and resources that students need to execute their own leadership vision, the college offers enriching experiences for all students at each stage of their leadership journey. Descriptions of our current offerings for leadership-focused courses are listed below. To see when these courses are being offered, check the HONR Courses page.
HONR 199: Intro to Leadership (1 credit)
In the Introduction to Leadership course, students at all phases of discovery and development will explore foundational leadership theories, examine the roles of values, ethics, and power in leadership, and consider how leaders influence groups, organizations, and communities. Students will engage with leadership ideas through class discussions and activities, but also through an independent book study and curated podcast episodes that bring leadership lessons to life. By the end of the semester, students will have a foundation for understanding leadership, greater self-awareness of their own strengths, and practical tools they can apply in campus, community, and future career settings.
HONR 299: Honors Leadership Retreat (1 credit)
This retreat is for Honors students who want to take meaningful steps on the path to becoming an exceptional leader. The retreat consists of a highly interactive two-day, one-night stay at Jameson Camp over Fall Break. Here, students can explore principles of leadership excellence in a fun, supportive, low-stakes environment, while also making connections with other Honors leaders. The fundamental tenets of the Leadership Development Pillar will be explored, including collaborative leadership; social responsibility and inclusion; and developing one’s personal leadership strengths, values, and commitments.
HONR 299: Lead for Social Impact (1 credit)
Lead for Social Impact provides students with a framework for social impact leadership that will foster valuable insights about personal commitments and collaborative processes for making a meaningful change in the world. Students explore captivating case studies that allow them to see different leadership principles in context and in action. Students also have opportunities to explore their own relationship with this leadership framework through dynamic class conversations and exciting activities outside the classroom. In this way, the course helps students clarify the causes that matter most to them and begin building a network for enacting social impact leadership.
Note: this course can be used for completing the Lead Forward credential program and applying for the Lead Forward Fellowship Grant.
HONR 299: Designing Teamwork Games (2 credits)
Designing Teamwork Games provides students with an exciting opportunity to design fun games, explore research on effective teamwork, and enhance their own capacities to lead project teams. Through the course, students will read the most cutting-edge research teambuilding, collaborative problem solving, the psychology of groups, cohesion and belonging, and collective intelligence. They will also participate in fun team games and activities designed to explore different facets of teambuilding and teamwork. For the final project, students will work in groups to design their own teambuilding game. This course is a great way to hone teamwork, innovation, and systems thinking skills, all of which are essential for professional success.
HONR 299: Leadership Praxis (3 credits)
Leadership Praxis acts as an asynchronous, curricular companion to a student's extracurricular leadership experience. Students will choose from a menu of course modules, allowing them to tailor the instruction they receive to their leadership context. A portion of the course is designated as a leadership lab, which acknowledges time devoted to the leadership role as part of the course. The course aims to help students feel more prepared for leadership roles as well as turn those roles into opportunities for intelligently experimenting with leadership practices to find out what works for the given context and the students’ own unique leadership style.