Public Leadership

Changing the world through effective, ethical leadership

Introduction

As a nation and as a world, we face multiple urgent challenges, from social inequalities to climate change. How do we assess what could work, and why? How might our differing identities and perspectives impact how we shape our solutions?

Public Leadership (PL) focuses on developing and strengthening students’ leadership and life skills so that they can use their talents to address social, political, environmental, and economic problems in their local and global community. We use current events and policy issues to explore the theory and practice of leadership. PL Scholars explore:

Different models of leadership, citizenship and social change;
Forms of persuasion and power and how to use them effectively;
Ethical approaches to decision-making and negotiation; and
Life and career development skills.

Through panels, debates, simulations, case studies, group discussions, long-term projects, and dialogue with guest speakers, PL students become informed citizens able to engage in a healthy discussion of issues and reason critically and persuasively about community matters. Personal and professional development are also integrated into the curriculum: Students will advance their writing, communication, and presentation skills; practice negotiation fundamentals; and discover and develop their own leadership styles and strengths.

PL welcomes students of all majors who are committed to developing their leadership skills in pursuit of the common good.

Colloquium and Lecture Topics

Understanding leadership strengths in yourself and others
Leadership and social change application
Communicating across differing values and identities
Time management and coping with stress

Joining the PL program was one of the best decisions I made at Maryland. Because of PL, many career opportunities opened for me that otherwise would have been a long shot, and the floormates I lived with in the PL dorms are some of the best friends I've made at UMD.

Amir Kalantary '22

Other Learning Opportunities

Located near the nation's capital, the state capital and a large international diplomatic community, the University of Maryland is an ideal setting for examining and growing public leadership. Students:

Take engaging field trips, such as to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts;
Experience professional development seminars and speaker events; and
Engage in a team-based grant-making experience, where they seek grant proposals from nonprofits in the capital region serving an identified social issue, evaluate proposals and award grants with actual funding from the Do Good Institute.

Finally, through the program’s practicum requirement, students gain valuable professional experience that allows them to leverage their newly learned communications and leadership evaluation skills in their field of choice. Past students have interned in a wide variety of career fields including: on Congressional committees; for local nonprofits; in the Student Legal Aid office; for large tech and finance organizations; and even engaged in research in labs on and off campus.

Curriculum Overview

Over the two-year program experience (four semesters), students will complete a 3-credit oral communication course that will count toward their PL Scholars citation and General Education requirements. Note that your Scholars courses will generally be in addition to any courses you take to satisfy major requirements.

The following table represents a typical two-year curriculum, but individual schedules may vary. Details about courses and requirements can be found on the PL Citation Checklist.

View the Public Leadership Citation Checklist

SEMESTER	COURSE	CREDITS
Semester 1	CPPL 100: Colloquium I (DVCC)	1 credit
	PLCY 201S: Public Leaders and Active Citizens (SCIS, DSHS or DSSP)	3 credits
Semester 2	CPPL 101: Colloquium II	1 credit
Semester 3	CPPL 200: Colloquium III	1 credit
Semester 3 or 4	Practicum (var. Gen Ed)	3 credits
Semester 1, 2, 3, or 4	Oral Communication Course (FSOC)	3 credits