Courses
PLLC offers five experiential undergraduate courses in partnership with UAlberta host faculties, which are open to undergrads in any program. In these unique classes, students will actively apply course content via creative activities and facilitated discussion with the support of a graduate or law student Teaching Fellow, in addition to the course's instructor. Assignments and activities are mostly based on real-life situations, current events and innovative research that engage students to problem-solve and reflect on their leadership practice.
Our undergraduate leadership courses include:
- Popular Representations of Leadership (INT D 135)
- Foundations of Leadership (INT D 301) *
- Leadership for Social Innovation (INT D 306)
- Innovation, Science and Leadership (INT D 406)
- Workshops in Leadership (INT D 407)
* Foundations of Leadership (INT D 301) is a pre-requisite for the following classes.
INT D 135: Popular Representations of Leadership - Faculty of Arts
Instructor: Cristina Stasia, PhD | Director of Instruction, Peter Lougheed Leadership College
This course uses various media genres to explore both dominant understandings of leadership as well as shifts in those understandings. Exploring film, stage, television, and video games, we will analyze the way that popular culture is both informed by, and informs, popular theories and public understanding of leadership. Situating content within its historical and sociopolitical context, we will analyze how various texts inform public understandings of what a leader looks like, how they should act, and what is at stake in following them.
Next Section: Tuesdays/Thursdays from 12:30-1:50 pm in Fall 2021
Foundations of Leadership (INT D 301) - Faculty of Arts
* pre-requisite for other PLLC courses
Instructor: Cristina Stasia, PhD | Director of Instruction, Peter Lougheed Leadership College
What does it take to lead? Foundations of Leadership covers the theory and practice of leadership through case studies, innovative assignments and experiential activities. Develop your leadership skills, analyze your personal leadership challenges and explore pressing issues while working with interdisciplinary students from across campus.
Next Sections: Wednesdays from 5:30-8:30 pm in Fall 2021 and Tuesdays from 5:30-8:30 pm in Winter 2022
View on the Calendar | Enrol on Beartracks
What did INT D 301 look like online? See Dr. Stasia's feature in the University of Alberta's Getting Ready for Fall 2020 series.
Engage in Experiential Learning in INT D 301
- Past Foundations of Leadership students assembled an alternate leadership map of Alberta and the Winter 2021 section curated a non-prototypical leadership map of Treaty Six Terrority as part of a project to research and recognize lesser-known leaders and their impact (Treaty Six Territory map shown right).
- The 2018-19 Foundations of Leadership class worked with a professional production team and connected with stakeholders across the U of A campuses to create #UAlbertaCares, a video series highlighting mental health challenges and strategies for various U of A audiences.
- See an example of a Foundations of Leadership lesson plan on Teaching Fellow Dan Engelhardt's portfolio.
Leadership for Social Innovation (INT D 306) - Faculty of ALES
* co-requisite with INT D 301, allowing students to take both courses in the same semester
Instructor: Gordon Gow, PhD | Professor and Academic Director, Communications and Technology Graduate Program (MACT), Faculty of Arts
Have you ever wondered what a wicked problem is? Are you interested in finding creative, ecological approaches to making a difference? Wondering where to start? In this course, you will explore the concept of wicked problems, and research socially innovative ideas to solve them using an approach called ecological leadership. You will hear from those who have been effective in turning a seed of an idea into an innovative solution. You will learn these skills: how to research an innovative idea, develop an effective proposal, and pitch that idea.
Next Section: Mondays from 5:30-8:30 pm in Winter 2022
View on the Calendar | Enrol on Beartracks
Outstanding INT D 306 Projects
In the Winter 2020 section of Leadership for Social Innovation class, students created socially innovative proposals as part of their final projects. See some of the projects below and get a feel for what you could learn in INT D 306.
Innovation, Science and Leadership (INT D 406) - Faculty of Science
Instructor: Torah Kachur, PhD | Science Instructor, Faculty of Science
The challenges the world faces⏤from pandemics to climate change⏤are fundamentally scientific problems with scientific solutions. Simply fixing these issues with science is not possible as there are political, economic and ethical factors to consider as well. If diving deep into global issues and figuring out evidence-based solutions sounds like the type of leader you want to be, this is the course for you. This group-work course is focused on discovery learning and improving communication skills while looking at global problems from diverse angles.
Next Section: Wednesdays from 5:30-8:30 pm in Winter 2022
View on the Calendar | Enrol on Beartracks
Learn Evidence-Based Practice in INT D 406
The Winter 2020 section of Innovation, Science and Leadership culminated in an iTEAM Challenge, where students learned to design and carry out a systematic review of evidence before making recommendations related to a pressing environmental and/or social issue. See three exceptional examples on our YouTube channel:
Housing Heroes
Mohamed, Emily, Anna and Arjun investigate the lack of proper infrastructure and policy to support adults who experience homelessness and substance abuse.
Women in Black
Christy, Julie, Kayla, Nicole and Xiaoyu propose theatre-based interventions to improve the mental health of Indigenous male youth populations in Canada.
Preventanyl
Campion, Martin, Mason and Robert investigate the emergence of Fentanyl and the adultering of the illicit drug market, and they pitch possible solutions.
Scholars select topics that matter to them, like gender equality in Edmonton's City Council. Click to view the complete presentation.
In the Winter 2021 section of INT D 406, scholars focussed their reviews and recommendations on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Allie, John, Nicholas and Nitya selected goal #5, gender equality, specifically in relation to Edmonton's City Council. After research, including interviews with female City Councillors, they determined that imposter syndrome was a top reason preventing young women from pursuing political participation. The group then proposed a number of initatives to reduce imposter syndrome and help women see themselves in those roles, eventually increasing gender equality in government.
Workshops in Leadership (INT D 407) - Alberta School of Business
Instructor: Heather Caltagirone, PhD | Sessional Instructor | Assistant Deputy Minister, Alberta Education
The purpose of this course is to increase understanding of leadership and skill in exercising leadership roles. We will examine critical leadership aspects from a workshop point of view. You will be asked to contemplate the ideas presented, reflect on who you are as an individual and a leader, and how you might hone your repertoire of leadership skills considering the ideas presented. Integrated will be information on skills such as team building, mentoring, managing conflict, delegating, managing decision-making, creative problem solving, and stress management. This is accomplished by classroom learnings, workshops on topic areas, deliverables and supplementary readings and research to assist you in developing a comprehensive understanding.
Next Section: Mondays from 5:30-8:30 pm in Fall 2021 (offered via remote course delivery)
View on the Calendar | Enrol on Beartracks
Learning With and From One Another in INT D 407
Scholars learn with and from one another, like in this class presentation on leadership and authority. Click to view the complete presentation.
In the Fall 2021 section of INT D 407, Aiman, Kaitlyn, Maite, Nicholas, and Salma presented "The Art of Influence without Authority." They led their classmates through an investigation of social media influencers, discussing the use of expertise, likeability and relatability to connect with their audience. By deeply engaging with course concepts in relation to a topic of their choosing, scholars gain meaningful lessons that they can apply outside the classroom.