Leadership and Personalized Studies Major (BA)
College: College of Arts & Humanities
Leadership and Personalized Studies is the program for students who have many interests, and for whom, selecting one singular academic discipline isn't the right fit. Some students gravitate to LPST after trying and leaving other majors, and/or transferring from other schools. Rather than losing the credits already attained, our dedicated advisors work with each student to make a customized degree completion pathway, identifying personalized learning goals obtainable through courses across disciplines. In the Leadership and Personalized Studies program, our team believes each of our students are unique and deserve to be active participants in the design of their studies.
While many students find LPST after exploring other majors, some of our students start their academic careers with us as freshman or sophomores, using our Individually Designed Concentration as a way to create their own "major within a major". Using this option and working with the LPST advisors, a student can customize over 85% of their major coursework to gain the specific academic skill set they seek.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Communication: Effective communication skills include listening, speaking, reading, writing, and information literacy.
- Ethical Reasoning and Action: Individual, social, and environmental responsibility includes civic knowledge and engagement (both global and local).
- History: Recognizing patterns in past events and seeing their relevance to present-day life; demonstrating how contemporary social issues are rooted in past events and political choices; understanding the impacts of the social and physical environments on individual experience; and speculating in informed ways about how present-day trends might affect the future.
- Critical and Creative Thinking: The capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas and information; comprehensively explore issues, ideas, objects, and events before reaching a conclusion.
- Intercultural Knowledge: Understanding and empathizing with people from diverse cultures; understanding societies and cultures on their own terms; interacting and working with people from diverse backgrounds; and leading or contributing support to those who lead.
- Interdisciplinary Perspective: The ability to make deliberate connections among various academic disciplines, to comprehend and participate in more than one discipline; the ability to reflect on the nature and value of an interdisciplinary perspective.
Requirements for the Leadership and Personalized Studies Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| LBST 103 | Understanding Social Justice | 3 |
| LBST 300 | Identity and Influence: The American Experience | 3 |
| Required Senior Seminar Capstone | ||
| Capstone is to be completed final semester in the major/concentration. | ||
| LBST 498 | Senior Seminar Project | 3 |
| Concentration Courses | ||
| Choose one concentration | 32-33 | |
| Total Credits | 41-42 | |
Note: In order to reach the 120 credits, including the 36 upper division credits, minimally required to earn a Bachelor’s degree at UW-Parkside, Leadership and Personalized Studies majors may need to complete additional coursework in the form of “electives”. Alternatively, students may wish to augment their major with a minor or a certificate from any department on campus as a way to fulfill the remainder of their university requirements.
Concentration Options
Students choose one of five concentrations within the Leadership and Personalized Studies major: humanities; leadership and organizational studies; social sciences studies; women’s, gender, and sexuality studies; and individually designed.
Humanities Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements 1 | ||
| Introductory Courses 2 | ||
| Courses must be from at least two departments | ||
| Select three from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Communication and the Human Condition | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Studies | ||
| The Life Expressive: Introduction to the Arts and Humanities | ||
| Beauty, Bewilderment, and Love: The Humanities through 1500 | ||
| Independence and Mystery: The Humanities from 1500 to the Present | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Introduction to Psychological Science | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Introduction to Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Skills, Methods, and/or Literacy Courses 3 | ||
| Select two from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 6 | |
| Advanced Composition | ||
| Literature Into Film | ||
| Literary Analysis | ||
| Introduction to the Communication Discipline (Part I) | ||
| Special Topics in Leadership and Personalized Studies | ||
| Concentration Courses 4, 5 | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
- 1
Each course may only count toward one requirement.
- 2
These courses may be General Education courses and are often 100-level courses. Courses identified as prerequisites for desired, advanced coursework should be prioritized.
- 3
These courses provide foundational skills needed to begin research and exploration required in a concentration.
- 4
18 credit concentration where at least 9 credits occur at the 300/400-level. No more than 6-credits may be earned through Independent Study courses. Selection must include courses from at least two different departments or disciplines.
- 5
In consultation with a Leadership and Personalized Studies Advisor, design a concentration with specialized focus, where the majority of coursework occurs in recognized Humanities disciplines such as English, Modern Languages, Communication, Music, Theatre, Art and Design, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Philosophy, Ethnic Studies, or related.
Leadership and Organizational Studies Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements 1 | ||
| Introductory Courses 2 | ||
| Courses must be from at least 2 departments | ||
| Select three from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Business | ||
| Communication and the Human Condition | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| The United States: Origins to Reconstruction | ||
| The United States: Reconstruction to Recent Times | ||
| Beauty, Bewilderment, and Love: The Humanities through 1500 | ||
| Independence and Mystery: The Humanities from 1500 to the Present | ||
| Introduction to Psychological Science | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Skills, Methods, and/or Literacy Courses 3 | ||
| Select two from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 6 | |
| Technical Writing | ||
| Writing for Business and Industry | ||
| Introduction to Leadership | ||
| Special Topics in Leadership and Personalized Studies | ||
| Business Statistics I | ||
| Concentration Courses 4, 5 | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
- 1
Each course may only count toward one requirement.
- 2
These courses may be General Education courses and are often 100-level courses. Courses identified as prerequisites for desired, advanced coursework should be prioritized.
- 3
These courses provide foundational skills needed to begin research and exploration required in a concentration.
- 4
18 credit concentration where at least 9 credits occur at the 300/400-level. No more than 6-credits may be earned through Independent Study courses. Selection must include courses from at least two different departments or disciplines.
- 5
In consultation with a Leadership and Personalized Studies Advisor, design a concentration with specialized focus, where the majority of coursework occurs in recognized Leadership and Organizational Studies areas such as Accounting, Business, Communication, Criminal Justice, Ethnic Studies, History, Marketing, Management, Political Science, Professional Studies, Statistics, or related.
Social Science Studies Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements 1 | ||
| Introductory Courses 2 | ||
| Courses must be from at least 2 departments | ||
| Select three from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Communication and the Human Condition | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| The United States: Origins to Reconstruction | ||
| The United States: Reconstruction to Recent Times | ||
| Beauty, Bewilderment, and Love: The Humanities through 1500 | ||
| Independence and Mystery: The Humanities from 1500 to the Present | ||
| Introduction to Psychological Science | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Skills, Methods, and/or Literacy Courses 3 | ||
| Select two from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 5-6 | |
| Sources and Methods in History | ||
| Introduction to Leadership | ||
| Report Writing for the Social Sciences | ||
| Statistics for the Social Sciences | ||
| Social Science Research Methods | ||
| Concentration Courses 4, 5 | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 32-33 | |
- 1
Each course may only count toward one requirement.
- 2
These courses may be General Education courses and are often 100-level courses. Courses identified as prerequisites for desired, advanced coursework should be prioritized.
- 3
These courses provide foundational skills needed to begin research and exploration required in a concentration.
- 4
18 credit concentration where at least 9 credits occur at the 300/400-level. No more than 6-credits may be earned through Independent Study courses. Selection must include courses from at least two different departments or disciplines.
- 5
In consultation with a Leadership and Personalized Studies Advisor, design a concentration with specialized focus, where the majority of coursework occurs in recognized Social Science disciplines such as Communication, Criminal Justice, Geography, History, Political Science, International Studies, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Economics, Ethnic Studies, or related.
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements 1 | ||
| Introductory Courses 2 | ||
| Courses must be from at least 2 departments | ||
| Required Course | ||
| WGSS 110 | Introduction to Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| Select two from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 6 | |
| Human Biology | ||
| Media and Society | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Women In Literature | ||
| Skills, Methods, and/or Literacy Courses 3 | ||
| Select two from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 5-7 | |
| Literary Analysis | ||
| Research Methods and Sources | ||
| Psychological Statistics | ||
| Social Science Research Methods | ||
| Queer Representation on Stage and Screen | ||
| Gender and Society | ||
| Concentration Courses 4 | ||
| Select six from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 18 | |
| Communication and Gender | ||
| Communication and Social Movements | ||
| Gender, Race, Class and Sexualities in the Media | ||
| Women, Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Literature of Diversity | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| Studies in Literature or Culture | ||
| Women's Health Issues | ||
| Politics, Law, and Society | ||
| Women, Power and Politics | ||
| Cross Cultural Psychology | ||
| LGBTQ Studies | ||
| Women and Work | ||
| Topics in Latin American Literature and Culture: | ||
| Queer Representation on Stage and Screen | ||
| Internship in Women's, Gender Studies and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Total Credits | 32-34 | |
- 1
Each course may only count toward one requirement.
- 2
These courses may be General Education courses and are often 100-level courses. Courses identified as prerequisites for desired, advanced coursework should be prioritized.
- 3
These courses provide foundational skills needed to begin research and exploration required in the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies concentration. Choose two courses from two different departments.
- 4
18 credit concentration where at least 9 credits occur at the 300/400-level. No more than 6-credits may be earned through Independent Study courses.
Individually Designed Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements 1 | ||
| Introductory Courses 2 | ||
| Courses must be from at least 2 departments | ||
| Select three from examples below or consult with program advisor: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Business | ||
| Communication and the Human Condition | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Studies | ||
| The United States: Origins to Reconstruction | ||
| The Life Expressive: Introduction to the Arts and Humanities | ||
| Beauty, Bewilderment, and Love: The Humanities through 1500 | ||
| Independence and Mystery: The Humanities from 1500 to the Present | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Introduction to Psychological Science | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Introduction to Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Skills, Methods, and/or Literacy Courses | ||
| Select two from examples below or consult with program advisor: 3 | 5-6 | |
| Introduction to the Communication Discipline (Part I) | ||
| Writing for Business and Industry | ||
| Literary Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Leadership | ||
| Special Topics in Leadership and Personalized Studies | ||
| Report Writing for the Social Sciences | ||
| Statistics for the Social Sciences | ||
| Social Science Research Methods | ||
| Business Statistics I | ||
| Concentration Courses 4, 5 | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 32-33 | |
- 1
Each course may only count toward one requirement.
- 2
These courses may be General Education courses and are often 100-level courses. Courses identified as prerequisites for desired, advanced coursework should be prioritized.
- 3
These courses provide foundational skills needed to begin research and exploration required in a concentration.
- 4
18 credit concentration where at least 9 credits occur at the 300/400-level. No more than 6-credits may be earned through Independent Study courses. Selection must include courses from at least two different departments or disciplines.
- 5
In consultation with a Leadership and Personalized Studies Advisor, design a concentration with specialized focus, where the coursework uniquely targets an interdisciplinary concept or project.
General University Degree Requirements (Bachelor's Degree)
In addition to individual program requirements, students must also fulfill the following requirements:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Skills | 7-8 |
| General Education | 36 |
| Foreign Language** | 6-8 |
| Ethnic Diversity | 3 |
| Total | 52-55 |
** Transfer students in sustainable management, and health information management and technology collaborative, online degree-completion programs, the business management online degree-completion program, and the flexible option degree-completion program will be exempt from the university’s foreign language requirement. See appropriate academic section for further information.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 |
| Computational Skills | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| College Mathematics with Applications | ||
| College Algebra I | ||
| Total Credits | 7-8 | |
Degree Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Minimum Total Credits | 120 |
| Upper Level Credits (300 level or above) | 36 |
| Residency | 30 |
Cumulative Degree GPA: 2.0 minimum
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| MATH 102 | Quantitative Reasoning | 4 |
| ENGL 100 | Fundamentals of English | 3 |
| Introductory Language | 4 | |
| COMM 107 | Communication and the Human Condition | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 |
| COMM 105 or COMM 205 |
Public Speaking for the 21st Century or Oral Interpretation |
3 |
| COMM 108 | Media and Society | 3 |
| Introductory Language | 4 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |