Organizational Strategy & Leadership Studies Program Requirements

To fulfill the requirements for the organizational strategy & leadership studies minor, a student must complete the following seven courses and two applied experiences:

Five Core Courses

  • PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology
  • PSYC 230 Organizational Psychology
  • PSYC 230 or GC 260 must be taken in advance of participating in the Immersive Experience ORGS 030
  • ORGS 330 Organizational Decision Making
  • ORGS 400 Senior Capstone: Navigating Complexity in Organizations and Leadership

Two Additional Electives from an approved list:

One course focusing on each of the following areas must be taken. Both elective courses cannot be taken from the same department.

Note: Students may petition for other courses (i.e., a special topics course or an off-campus study course) or an academic project (a 4-credit Senior Research/Independent Study project) to fulfill one of their two elective courses. Courses or academic projects that meet this option must be designed to focus on an aspect of organizational behavior or leadership studies that is particularly appropriate to the integrity of the ORGS Minor as well as the student’s major and/or professional aspirations.

Area A: The Individual Within Organizations

Courses in this area examine the role and development of individuals as essential contributors within organizations and teams. They emphasize the intra- and interpersonal knowledge and skills that support both individual success and organizational effectiveness, including understanding sociocultural behavior, applying organizational knowledge, communicating effectively in diverse social contexts, and using analytical tools to support problem-solving and decision-making. A representative list of approved courses appears below:

Organizational Strategy & Leadership

  • COMM 101 Public Address
  • COMM 221 Theories of Group Communication
  • COMM 224 Theories of Interpersonal Communication
  • COMM 244 Theories of Intercultural Communication
  • PHIL 121 Ethics: Philosophical Considerations of Morality
  • PSYC 206 200-level Special Topics courses (Psychology of Consumer

Behavior or Psychology of Leadership)

  • PSYC 240 Theories of Personality
  • PSYC 290 Psychology of Thinking
  • PSYC 380 Nonverbal Behavior in Human Interactions

Area B: Organizational Processes and Systems in Society

Courses in this area focus on the systems, processes, and external forces that shape how organizations and institutions operate within broader social, cultural, and economic contexts. They might examine organizational models, inter-organizational relationships, or specific functions such as communication networks, policy development, or strategic adaptation. These courses equip students with frameworks for analyzing both internal operations and external dynamics across diverse organizational settings, including businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions, government agencies, and arts and cultural organizations. A representative list of approved courses appears below, though offerings will be reviewed and updated regularly.

  • ANTH 101 Being Human: Introduction to Anthropology
  • BLST/WGST 265 Black Women and Organizational Leadership
  • COMM 306 Organizational Culture
  • COMM 320 Language, Culture, and Communication
  • COMM 403 Culture and Communication
  • DPR 190 War, Wealth, & World Politics
  • DPR 311 Political Organizations in the U.S
  • ECON 201 Economic Justice
  • ECON 422 Industrial Organization and Antitrust Economics
  • ECON 423 International Trade
  • ECON 426 Behavioral Economics ECON 464 Labor Economics
  • EDUC 213 The U.S. Education System
  • GC 101 Commerce and Society
  • GH 100 Introduction to Global Health
  • HESS 200 History and Organization of Sport in the U.S.
  • HESS 401 Organization and Administration of Athletics and Physical Education
  • HESS 406 Leadership Theory and Development Through Sport
  • HIST/HESS/BLST 393 Race, Identity, & Power in U.S. Sports
  • PHIL 126 Social and Political Philosophy
  • PPA 307 The Politics of Congress
  • PPA 314 Foreign Policy Formulation
  • PPA 344 The United Nations and World Problems
  • PPA 346 The European Union
  • REL 102 Ethics, Society and the Moral Self
  • SES 217 Sustainable Development Goals
  • SES 220 Sustainable Global Finance
  • SPAN 330 Cultures of Spain
  • SPAN 335 Cultures of Latin America
  • THTR 100 Introduction to Theatre-making

ORGS students are also required to complete:

  • ORGS 030 Immersion Experience
  • ORGS 050 Internship