Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Bulletin

Leadership Experience Certificate


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Available Majors, Minors, and Certificates

The Leadership Experience Certificate provides students with a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience that focuses on leadership theory, practice, and development. Participants will have opportunities to learn about leadership foundational theories and their day-to-day application, explore social responsibility and citizenship, and develop a personal leadership philosophy and vision for continued development as a leader. The Leadership Experience is a great opportunity for you to enhance your existing leadership skills. You will gain critical leadership and personal development skills that will help you excel personally and professionally, inside and outside the classroom. At the end of the program, you’ll have a professional portfolio documenting your experiences that you can share with potential employers or graduate schools as well as an official notation on your Southern Miss transcript. The Leadership Experience is open to all USM students with a desire to further develop and hone their leadership skills. Special scholarships or memberships are not required. 

Academic Policies and Requirements for Certificates:

Hours to Certificate: 15 hours

Certificate Curriculum


Required Courses (5-6 hours)


Select one course:

Electives (9-10 hours)


Select courses as needed to complete 15 total hours for the certificate. (limit to 8 hours per prefix):

Co-Curricular Requirements


Complete Two Independent Leadership Reflections: In addition to coursework, the certificate also requires two independent leadership reflections. Students have a variety of options available to do their leadership reflections, including but not limited to:

  • A reflection on a book on a leadership topic and how it relates to leadership style and goals
  • A reflection on a significant leadership development experience such as a leadership conference or series of workshops
  • A reflection on a service immersion experience (work in a community outside of Hattiesburg or home community)
  • A reflection on a significant nonprofit service project or volunteer hours
  • A reflection on a practicum, internship or other experience with a leadership component (may be with a for-profit, non-profit, or governmental organization)
  • A reflection on lessons learned from coursework taken and overall impact of the leadership certificate

Students should discuss this requirement with the program advisor for options, guidelines, and approval.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Available Majors, Minors, and Certificates