Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Land Acknowledgement Statement
Long before the University of Oklahoma was established, the land on which the University now resides was the traditional home of the “Hasinais” Caddo Nation and “Kirikirʔi:s” Wichita & Affiliated Tribes. We acknowledge this territory once also served as a hunting ground, trade exchange point, and migration route for the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and Osage nations.
Today, 39 tribal nations dwell in the state of Oklahoma as a result of settler and colonial policies that were designed to assimilate Native people. The University of Oklahoma recognizes the historical connection our university has with its Indigenous community. We acknowledge, honor, and respect the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this land. We fully recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereign rights of all of Oklahoma’s 39 tribal nations.
This acknowledgement is aligned with our university’s core value of creating a diverse and inclusive community. It is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture, and history that make up our entire OU Community.
About the Instructor
Kathy Volz holds an MBA and BS in Industrial and Enterprise Engineering from the University of Illinois. She has more than 35 years of industry experience, including serving as National Marketing Director for Greely and Hansen (a 350-person, ENR Top 500 environmental engineering firm) and as Marketing and Communications Manager for Harza Engineering Company (a 1,000-person, ENR Top 100 consulting engineering firm specializing in water and power).
Her contract and negotiation experience includes serving as the Technical Program Administrator for the Leonard Wood Institute (a 501(c)(3)), Negotiator for the Penn State Office of Sponsored Programs, and Contract Administrator for the Power, Industrial & Institutional Division of Kenny Construction Company (a Chicago Top 10 General Contractor). Ms. Volz has also provided support to attorneys for litigation and claims related to construction, personal injury, and complex civil litigation.
Ms. Volz currently assists faculty across the University in pursuing funding for their research and creative activities, and she teaches ENGR 4223G Introduction to Project Management, and ENGR 4013G Leadership and Management for Engineers.
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page. Additionally, you can download the full Syllabus: ENGR 4013G-991 Spring 2024.
Course Materials
Required Course Materials
- Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice (5th Edition) 2021. by Peter G. Northouse. Sage Publications. Print ISBN: 978154435159 eText ISBN: 9781544351629
- The OU Bookstore has the paperback book for purchase.
- Sage Publications has the book for purchase or rent.
- The paperback book and e-Textbook book are available at online book sellers such as Amazon, Chegg, etc.
- Hypothes.is app
- We will read and annotate two texts using the free Hypothes.is app. The Hypothes.is app is on the Assignment page in which you will select "Authenticate" to open the app on Canvas. There are help links on the Hypothes.is page.
Grades
Itemization
| Activity | Description | Points/Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation of Questionnaire Results | Short written responses to the self-assessment questionnaires from the textbook. | 5% |
| Observational Exercises | Short written responses examining the leadership in others. | 30% |
| Introspection Questions | Short written responses reflecting on your leadership ideas and style. | 15% |
| Annotations & Discussion Board | Annotate and prepare discuss questions of articles. | 25% |
| Final Paper | Personal Leadership Development Plan | 25% |
| Total | 100% |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Reading: Textbook Chapters & Articles
You will typically be required to complete reading two chapters from the textbook assignments for each module. Every other week, you will be expected to read assigned articles prior to participating in the Live Sessions.
Interpretation of Self-Assessment Questionnaires
The weekly questionnaires are located in the textbook. These self-assessments help to identify how you view leadership and explore your perceptions of different aspects of leadership. You will complete short-answer questions about your questionnaire results.
Introspection Questions
Introspection questions have you consider/ think about the leadership concepts. You will communicate self-reflective observations and commentary about various leadership concepts. The introspection questions will help you to prepare your Personal Leadership Development Plan.
Observational Exercises
Examine the behaviors of leaders from history, real-life situations, and your life experiences. In-depth analysis of others, considering many aspects of leadership, will guide you in developing your own leadership style.
Annotations & Discussion Boards
Throughout the course, you will be required to annotate articles and generate questions that will be the basis of the Live Session meetings and activities. Your participation in annotation and discussion board assignments must be meaningful, respectful, and value-adding. Annotations and discussions will be used to encourage dialogue amongst you, your classmates, and the instructor.
Live Sessions
Live sessions are active meetings to discuss the leadership concepts and issue. We will meet on Zoom every other week with whole class discussions, small group work, and guest speakers with question and answer time.
Final Paper: Personal Leadership Development Plan
The course builds to/leads to development of your personal leadership plan. Your plan incorporates your leadership style, vision, philosophy, strengths and strategies that you can apply in future professional leadership situations.
Course Policies
Communication
Students are welcome to communicate with me. If you have any general questions (assignments, class logistics, due dates, etc.) or you have a personal question (grades, feedback, requests for special accommodation, etc.), please send me an email that includes your course number and section number in the subject. I try to respond to all emails within 24 hours. The tail end of each live session is also a good time to chat.
Students are expected to communicate that they will need extensions to assignment deadlines before the assignment closes. Additional information Late Policies below,
Feedback and Grades
Interpretation of Questionnaire Results and Introspection Questions are graded surveys; you will receive full credit upon completion. There are no right or wrong answers, but your submissions will be reviewed to confirm actual answers were submitted and deductions will apply if the responses do not conform to the assignment directions.
Observational Exercises, Annotations, and Discussion Boards will typically be graded within one week of the close of the assignment close.
Late Policy
Late work will be accepted up to 48 hours after the due date -- with a late penalty of 25% of the total point value -- for:
- Observational Assignments
- Annotations
- Discussion Boards
No late submissions are accepted for:
- Interpretations of Questionnaire Results
- Introspection Questions
- Personal Leadership Development Plans
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
Use of AI in this course is expected to supplement your critical thinking, not replace it. If you use AI to complete any portion of any assignment, your assignment submission is expected to include screenshots or a copy of the full transcript of your AI queries and responses. Why does this matter? It's important that you demonstrate critical thinking in your assignments, and the transcript will be used to assess the extent to which you demonstrated critical thinking.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
In addition to following the link above, more information on the following is in the full Syllabus: ENGR 4013G-991 Spring 2024.
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues
Title IX Resources
Religious Holidays
Registration and Withdrawal
Copyright Policy
Course Catalog
On-Line Library
Academic Misconduct
Plagiarism
Student Grievances
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|