Personal and Professional Leadership

This capstone course is designed to deepen understanding and application of evidence-based practice. Students will have the opportunity to explore personal and professional leadership opportunities and challenges available in education and human service practice contexts.

Course Content

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

• Self-awareness regarding one’s personal style, values, effect on others, skills, and learning from  experiences, are essential prerequisites for skilled leadership and participation in groups.
• Technical skill is necessary but insufficient in itself for competent practice.  Technical proficiency must be balanced with a caring attitude, acceptance of a wide range of behaviour and cultures, and respect for the rights of others including their right to self-determination
• Effective group leaders know how, when and why a given skill is used, and they have the assertiveness to use it when appropriate.
• Leadership involves recognition of personal strengths, gifts and talents as well as deficits. Personal and professional development is essential for growth and advancement.
• Leaders follow trends and developments in their fields including reading scholarly research.

Methods of Instruction

• Lecture
• Group work
• Student presentations
• Guest speakers
• Audio-visual presentations

Means of Assessment

This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations.

• Portfolio
• Research paper
• Group presentations
• Self and peer assessment
• Other

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Evaluate one’s leadership qualities and develop goals for future educational, work and community experiences
   • Using a variety of tools, examines personal, school and work experiences to identify   style, strengths and needs and effect on others and how they relate to personal leadership style and aspiration
   • Demonstrate strategies for managing personal and professional boundary challenges
   • Create a portfolio that emphasizes personal, education and work achievements to-date
   • Investigate a variety of employment settings and education programs
   • Evaluate the fit between self and future potential work and educational opportunities
   • Create a personal and professional development plan
2. Examine leadership types, styles and abilities across a variety of contexts
   • Investigate several leadership models
   • Describe leadership styles and skills in informal groups, entrepreneur/fee-for-service situations, multi-disciplinary teams and not-for-profit business contexts, community organizations, and international contexts
   • Consider catalysts and challenges to leadership initiatives
   • Participate in a variety of leadership activities and reflect on process and outcomes
3. Analyze leadership opportunities and challenges in CCS fields of practice through thoughtful inquiry
   • Define evidence-based practice
   • Analyze historical influences on current and future practice
   • Investigate cultures of inquiry and major research traditions
   • Describe basic tenets of qualitative and quantative research methodologies
   • Critically evaluate field related issues, readings and research and consider their influence on practice

Below shows how this course and its credits transfer within the BC transfer system. 

A course is considered university-transferable (UT) if it transfers to at least one of the five research universities in British Columbia: University of British Columbia; University of British Columbia-Okanagan; Simon Fraser University; University of Victoria; and the University of Northern British Columbia.

For more information on transfer visit the BC Transfer Guide and BCCAT websites.

If your course prerequisites indicate that you need an assessment, please see our Assessment page for more information.