Date of Award

1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Leadership Studies

Abstract

In the course of the past two decades, the study of leadership has increasingly found its proponents in a variety of contexts. From academic circles to non-profits and corporate industries, leadership studies is rapidly becoming a topic of paramount import. As this evolution occurs, students of leadership studies find themselves highly sought-after for positions in a myriad of fields. Increasing, too, is the need for students of leadership studies to find and develop additional links to industries and corporations traditionally reserved for students of other academic areas. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the leadership curriculum in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, students are often well prepared for careers in for-profit, non-profit, and governmental organizations. While leadership students typically find a welcoming niche within non-profits and governmental agencies, generally speaking they have a more difficult time finding appropriate placements in for-profit organizations. It is within management and leadership consulting firms that many Jepson students find they have a strong fit after graduation. As each class of Jepson students matriculate, more are beginning to find their first jobs in consulting firms and are thereby spreading the word about Jepson in corporate circles. This fact, coupled with the increasing interest of consulting firms in a leadership curriculum make a tie between these two entities very possible.

While the education given to leadership students is comprehensive, it is not designed specifically to teach students the skins necessary for them to succeed in consulting. Additional information and experience in the area would inevitably enhance students' educational experience and give them the competitive edge over students from other highly competitive academic areas. The development of a consulting curriculum within the leadership school will be a significant instrument through which Jepson students will be able to gain the competitive advantage when they begin to seek a job in the area of consulting. The approach laid out in the following proposal highlights only a few of the possibilities for a program such as Jepson. What is important to understand is that it is not the specifics of the proposal, rather it is the idea itself that is most significant. The information provided to us by top management and leadership consulting firms only reaffirms the need for such a program included in the curriculum of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies.

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