Civic Leadership Minor

Civic Leadership Minor

Faculty Advisor:
Jennifer Allen
503-725-8546
jhallen@pdx.edu

1. Program Overview
The Civic Leadership minor consists of 34 required credit hours drawn from more than 20 courses throughout the campus. The minor combines newly developed courses with other relevant courses offered by nine different departments located in three Colleges. The minor is intended to create a curricular focus for students who have a broad general interest in civic leadership and community service. The minor features several specific programmatic elements including:

a. Introductory, foundations course with rigorous civic leadership and community engagement components, which are tied to a final integrative seminar;

b. Long-term, focused community partnership development;

c. Final integrative/reflective seminar, which culminates in a professional portfolio presentation;

d. Intentionally connected community-based practicum requirements;

e. Recognition and integration of multi-disciplinary approaches to civic engagement and leadership development;

f. Balanced attention given to both theoretical understanding and practical civic skill-building;

g. Broad, non-hierarchical presentation of "leadership," including the recognition and integration of emerging political challenges to re-engage citizens in public life and democratic governance.

2. Objectives
This minor builds on the University's service learning mission that has been institutionalized in both the University Studies program and the broader efforts to build partnerships with local community organizations and political entities within the region. This minor will deepen and further integrate the university's commitment to sustained institutional engagement with the Portland Metropolitan community and beyond. The specific objectives include the following:

• Provide students with a curricular opportunity to pursue a secondary interest in community and public service, while completing their major requirements. 

• To address the growing national concern about the decline in civic engagement and political participation on the part of the current generation of college graduates.

• To expand the University's partnership with community organizations and political entities with in the larger Metropolitan region.

3. Course of Study

• PA 311U Introduction to Civic Leadership = 4 cr. (Required. Recommended to take as early as possible)

• Five elective courses, 4 credits each (see list of courses below) = 20 cr.

CR 417 Intro to Non-Violence
CR 301U Intro to Conflict Resolution
CR 399U Intro to Peace Studies
ELP 450 Introduction to Leadership for Sustainability
ELP 457U Cultural Pluralism and Urban Education
ELP 410U  Spiritual Leadership
ELP 456U Urban Schools at Risk Status
ELP 418U Educational Leadership in Public School
MS 311 Leading Small Organizations
PA 411U Theoretical Foundations of Citizenship and Community Leadership
PA 412U Civic Engagement: The Role of Governing Institutions
PA 413U Civic Engagement: The Role of Individuals
PA 414U Civic Engagement: The Role of Social Institutions
PA 417U Ethical Leadership and Public Service
PHE 365 Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth
PS 312 Legislative Process
PS 417 Interest Groups
PS 431 State and Local Politics
SCI 347 Science, Gender and Social Context
SCI 331U Atmospheric Interactions: Urban Air Pollutions
SOC 423 Stratification
SP 220 Public Speaking
SP 313U Communication in Groups
SP 415U Problems in Intercultural Communities
USP 450 Concepts of Citizen Participation

• PA 415 Civic Leadership Integrative seminar = 4 cr. (Required. Recommended to take as the final course)

• One 6 credit, community-based experience course related to salient themes in civic leadership. This requirement may be fulfilled by a Capstone course (students may need to get approval from the faculty advisor for the selection of the Capstones) or by an independent civic leadership project, developed in conjunction with a faculty sponsor, and approved by the minor advisor.

4. Admission and Requirements

• Admission shall be treated in the same way as all other PSU minors.

• At least 1/2 of the required course credit for the Minor will be taken at PSU.

• Not more than 1/3 of the courses may be taken with the pass/no pass grading option.

• SP 215, senior standing or instructor permission is a prerequisite for SP 415. There are no additional enforced prerequisite requirements associated with course credit for the Minor. However, some elective courses for the Minor recommend prior coursework.

• All courses with U designation in the list above will qualify for cluster requirements.