Developing Future Leaders

The Leadership Studies Minor is available to all undergraduate students in good standing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Drawing from social psychology, philosophy, organizational development, communication, and educational theory, the Minor enhances your understanding of the social and organizational processes that influence effective leadership across diverse contexts.

Students in the Leadership Studies Minor will:

  • develop effective team-building, communication, and decision-making practices
  • create and implement a team-based collaborative change initiative
  • identify factors that influence performance and productivity in the workplace 
  • investigate issues of diversity, culture, and inclusivity in leadership theory and practice

View minor requirements

How to Enroll

In order to be eligible for the Leadership Minor you need to:

  • Have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours
  • Possess a U of I GPA
  • Be in good academic standing

To enroll in the minor, complete the online Minor Declaration Form for the College of ACES.

Pending approval, your form will be sent to the appropriate college for inclusion on your academic record.

If you have questions about the Leadership Studies Minor, required courses, or how to enroll, please email Dr. Jenn Smist, the Coordinator of the Leadership Studies Minor.

What students say about the Leadership Minor

  • Going through interviews this year, talking about the Leadership Studies Minor was always something that I brought up and could explain how concepts from class relate to working outside of the classroom.
  • Because of this minor, I got an internship this summer at a company working with their leadership development team to implement new management training programs.
  • I have really enjoyed working with professors and classmates who are not in my major. That aspect of this experience has allowed me to really take myself out of my comfort zone and truly test my leadership skills with people who I do not already know. 
  • The fact that everything you learn can be applied to life outside of the classroom. Also, the interactive faculty are great and I created lasting bonds with them.
  • As someone who aspires to follow a career path in Human Resources, the leadership studies minor helped me learn effective leadership strategies and how to appropriately implement them.
  • How much the instructors really care! I felt I took away the most practical information that will really influence my decisions and performance in a corporate setting. I feel more confident as I have the appropriate knowledge that'll give me a head start compared to my peers when working in a team-based setting.