A Course on Engineering Leadership

Abstract

Because of the increased recognition of the need for leadership training within all subcultures of the engineering profession, an overview of a one-credit-hour course on leadership skills is provided. The intent of the course is to broaden the students' perspective on engineering practice, to develop an awareness that engineering is more than just the completion of technical assignments, and to introduce skills and characteristics that are necessary for them to assume positions of leadership as they advance along their career paths. Rather than a concentrated effort on one aspect of leadership, the philosophy that underlies the course is one of exposure to a broad spectrum of leadership skills. As such, the course includes discussions of the following topics: leadership theories, motivation, public policy, ethics, creativity, communication, research methods, and personality type. Recommendations on course readings and paper topics are provided.