A country, state or region prospers in direct proportion to the number of quality of citizens with the skills and vision to be leaders. To encourage leadership, one of our greatest natural resources, ETSU is offering students a new minor in leadership studies.
The program is the only undergraduate, interdisciplinary minor in leadership studies in a Tennessee public university.
Transfer articulation with selected community colleges is planned for students in other schools who are interested in this course of study. The new minor is the result of interdisciplinary collaboration under the auspices of the College of Business, with other sponsoring departments, including communications in the College of Arts and Sciences, military science in the College of Applied Science and Technology, and educational leadership and policy analysis in the College of Education, as well as the office of Student Life and Leadership.
The program offers challenging opportunities for service learning activities, mentoring relationships, and unique interaction among students, faculty and staff across many disciplines.
Students who fulfill the obligations of the minor will be ready to assume leadership roles in business, government, educations, religious organizations, communities and families. Requirements for a minor in leadership studies consist of 21 credit hours and the submission of a leadership portfolio.
Classroom courses over diverse areas: organizational management, leadership studies, ethics and social responsibility, oral and written communications, and electives designed to develop the student’s’ understanding of leadership through multicultural, sociological and experiential methods.
A comprehensive portfolio will document each student’s progress and achievement in leadership development, including a hands-on service project, a critiqued videotape of a presentation, leadership in a campus or community organization, and meetings with a mentor.
Community members are invited to become involved in this new program by offering to serve as a mentor to students, speak to classes or in a leadership lecture series, provide resources or serve on the leadership minor’s advisory board.
The new minor represents another component of university’s commitment to leadership education and innovative learning opportunities as the “university of choice” in our region.
To learn more about the new program, or to declare a minor in leadership studies, contact Dr. Deborah White, assistant vice president for Student Life and Leadership, at 439-5675.

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