National Security Leadership

1 Credit · Level: Undergraduate

Leaders in the national security and foreign policy arena are responsible for high-stakes endeavors, and many (not just the military) are entrusted with America’s sons and daughters, making strong leadership an imperative. Building leaders is an art and the cornerstone is teaching individuals to first lead themselves. This highly interactive course explores the basic tenets of leadership through the lens of individual growth and development. A broad range of topics within the psychology, sociology, and national security realms will be discussed; to include communication strategies, conflict resolution, constructive feedback, and coaching skills. Through self-assessments, readings, podcasts, guest lectures, case-studies, seminar discussions, and simulations, students will learn the basics of leading others, build their leadership philosophy, develop a strong foundation of self-awareness, and practice applying the skills to different real-world scenarios. No prior leadership experience is required to take this course. The course is designed to give students of all experiences and personality types a foundation in fundamental leadership skills.