Main Content
Syllabus
PSYCH 485: Leadership in Work Settings
Review of research and application of behavior principles in the areas of management and supervision.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
This course will explore the science and practice of leadership, with an emphasis on leadership in organizational settings. In order to evaluate various approaches to the study of leadership, we will study leadership as it is played out in modern organizations, fiction, drama, and in each student’s life. At the end of the course, students are expected to: understand the scientific study of leadership and be able to identify different leadership perspectives; synthesize ideas into meaningful concepts that can be applied in organizational settings; and critically evaluate and develop their own leadership potential and philosophy.
Course Objectives
- Define leadership in a work context from a psychological perspective;
- Understand how leader characteristics, follower characteristics, and organizational characteristics are interrelated in the leadership process;
- Learn how research is conducted in this area by reading and evaluating journal articles;
- Think critically and evaluate different theories and approaches to leadership from the perspectives of a scientist (How much research support does the theory have?) as well as a practicing manager (How can/has the theory been utilized in organizations?);
- Apply the leadership theories and approaches to work settings to understand strengths and weaknesses of the approaches;
- Compare and contrast approaches to leadership to understand the unique perspective each contributes to an overall understanding of leadership.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
Tech Support
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Overall Expectations
Students are expected to have read the articles and lesson readings (sometimes referred to as commentaries) before completing assessments described below. Some lesson readings are closely related to assigned articles, while other lessons they cover different material. Students can read either the readings or the lesson first. It is expected that everyone will participate in discussion by utilizing discussion boards and responding to other students' posts. It is also expected that all members of a group will contribute to group work. Make sure not to fall behind on assessments. Assignments and quizzes will only be posted for a short period of time and once they are closed, you cannot make up the assignment or take the quiz (unless there are legitimate circumstances such as a death in the family, serious illness, etc.).
Quizzes
Almost each lesson, a quiz will be posted. The questions are usually multiple-choice but there are some true/false questions. Quizzes will cover information that was in the lesson commentary AND the assigned reading.
The quizzes will be timed, and you must complete the entire quiz in one sitting (i.e., the timer will continue even if you leave the quiz). So, be sure you have uninterrupted time and a reliable Internet connection to do so. The quiz will automatically submit when time runs out.
It is recommended that you take notes while reading the commentary and assigned article and review these before starting the quiz. You should NOT leave the quiz application and open other Internet pages, screens, applications, etc. while taking the quiz as this may cause technical interruptions. You will NOT have enough time to look up answers to the quiz questions in the readings as you take the quiz, and use of applications or programs like ChatGPT are not permitted. So, you should prepare for quizzes as you might a monitored exam you would take in-person even though you will be taking these one your own.
There will be 13 quizzes available. If you fail to complete any quizzes, your score for the skipped quiz will be a zero. There will be a total of 12 quizzes that count towards your final grade. It is recommended that you complete all 13 quizzes and allow the lowest score to drop rather than a zero. But, you may use the flexibility offered by dropping a low score as you choose.
Quizzes are worth 10 points apiece. The quizzes together are worth 120 points, or approximately 12% of the course grade
Leadership-Discovery Assignments (LDAs)
Almost each lesson, there will be a leadership-discovery assignment (LDA) available for you to apply the lesson and reading material to yourself more personally. Often, these will involve you completing surveys related to the theories covered in the lesson commentaries or article. At times, you may be asked to watch a video or listen to a podcast and answer follow-up questions to demonstrate that you engaged with that media carefully and thoughtfully. The nature of these activities will vary, and many may include multiple parts. So, be sure to leave ample time to fully complete these assessments.
You may complete the LDAs in parts (i.e., your work should be saved if you leave the assessment and return later). Do NOT click to submit the work until you are completely finished. Your work should automatically submit at the day/time it is due if you have not already manually submitted it.
There will be 14 LDAs available. If you fail to complete any LDAs, your score for the skipped LDA will be a zero. There will be a total of 12 LDAs that count towards your final grade. It is recommended that you complete all 14 LDAs and allow the lowest two scores to drop rather than dropping zeros from skipped LDAs. But, you may use the flexibility offered by dropping a low score as you choose. Be aware that the last LDA is required (i.e., this one cannot be dropped and is worth slightly more points than the others).
There will be 14 options to complete these throughout the semester. Each is worth approximately 10 points. Your top 12 scores will count toward your final grade for a total of 120 points or approximately 12% of your grade.
Leadership Deep Dive (LDD)/ Group Project
As a team, you will choose a leader on which to do a “deep dive” (DD). While the AAs offer an opportunity to apply the current lesson material, the LDD will ask students to apply multiple theories and integrate and synthesize ideas across the course.
There are a number of steps in the project, starting in Lesson 2 with all students completing an introductory activity (LDD Step 1).
Some steps of the LDD will require that you rate your teammate’s participation and contributions to the team (LDD Steps 2, 3, and 4), and the individual scores students earn on these portions of the project may vary depending on the feedback provided.
The results of your project will be presented to the class as a recorded PowerPoint presentation (due the end of Lesson 14). Some teams will choose to record this synchronously (i.e., meet at one time via Zoom), but this is NOT a requirement. If portions of the presentation are recorded at different times, your team can use video editing software of their choosing to edit the final presentation together. Note: Penn State offers students access to Adobe Creative Suite, which includes Premier, but the tools you choose to use are up to the team.
During the last lesson of class (Lesson 15), students will view the projects of all teams in the course and provide peer reviews.
For more information about the various steps of this project, see Lesson 14 for a full set of instructions. In total, the various parts of this project will be worth 280 points or approximately 28% of your course grade.
Applied Assignments (AAs)
Almost every lesson, you will be asked to apply what you have learned from the lesson commentary and assigned reading to an event in your work history, a situation or story about work you heard from someone else, or an example from history or media (including TV shows, movies, etc.). You can think of these as case studies. The goal in each applied assignment (AA) is to demonstrate what you read and learned from the lesson commentary and assigned reading. So, you will be expected to cite these in your work.
Most AAs will take the form of a discussion. All discussions have 2 parts: (A) and original post and (B) replies to fellow classmates:
- The original post (worth 25 points) will likely have at least three parts: (1) Describe the situation or case briefly. (2) Apply the lesson material to the case by comparing and contrasting elements of the lesson and article with the details in the situation. And, (3) provide a set of recommendations based on what you have learned. You should keep this in mind as you read the lesson material and assigned readings and think about different situations you might use for the AA. Since you are asked for recommendations (part 3 above), it tends to work best to think of the case analyzes as presenting problems related to leadership that might be addressed by the theory(ies) covered in that lesson.
Your response should be thoughtful, reflecting on your personal experience and/or examples from history or contemporary society. You should answer all parts of the discussion question unless any part is specifically labeled optional. But, most importantly, your response must reflect that you read, understood, and can apply concepts from the current lesson and assigned article. Therefore, you should cite these. Since others will be reading and responding to your work and may wish to look up something you wrote about, you should provide page number citations whether you are using direct quotes or not.
- You will also be asked to reply to a minimum of 3 other students' original discussion posts (for up to 15 additional points). Discussion activities allow you to learn from and about your fellow students. While this activity occurs asynchronously online, it should reflect a verbal discussion. In other words, there needs to be some give and take. Therefore, you are required to reply to others' ideas, ask follow-up questions, and answer questions other students pose to you. These 'replies' will not be new messages.
Grading of AAs
Your replies will be graded based on quantity and quality:
5 Points - Quantity of Participation
- You must reply to others' ideas and/or answer their questions to you on at least three separate days throughout the lesson period (1 week during a typical semester). That is, you must have a minimum of three replies in addition to your original post. Of course, you can participate more often and are encouraged to do so.
- Postings should be evenly distributed during the discussion period (not concentrated all on one day or at the beginning and/or end of the period) as much as possible.
- Be proactive, not just reactive. Answering questions made by other students' replies to your post will count as long as they are thoughtful and extend the discussion. However, not all three of your replies can be within the same discussion thread. That is, I need to see evidence that you are reading the original work of other students, not just responding to their remarks on your contributions.
- Postings should be a minimum of one short paragraph (i.e., more than three sentences). Superficial replies (i.e., statements limited to “I agree” or “great idea” with little elaboration or replies less than 3 sentences in length) will not count.
10 Points - Quality of Participation
- Pay careful attention to your instructions. You will likely have a set of questions to answer in your replies to other students and be asked to use these to guide the discussion.
- Build on others’ responses. As mentioned above, you should avoid postings that are limited to 'I agree' or 'great idea', etc. Bring in a related example or describe personal experiences.
- If you agree (or disagree) with a posting, then say why you agree by supporting your statement with concepts from the lesson or readings. Cite your lesson and readings as you discuss them.
- Ask questions relevant to other students’ posts.
- It is expected that you use proper netiquette. I encourage you to disagree with one another as this creates a more lively discussion, but you need to do so in a respectful way. If you disagree with something another student wrote, frame your critique of that post as a question and provide evidence of why you do not agree such as follows: “I notice you state that… Could you explain why you feel this way, because I read on page # of the commentary that… which seems to contradict what you wrote?"
WARNING: After submitting your work each week, it is recommended that you close then re-enter the discussion to ensure your submission was up-loaded successfully. If you are up-loading or attaching a document, please also be sure you up-load the correct document (i.e,. final version of the current assignment for THIS course) and in an acceptable file format (i.e., your file name on the attachment should end in .doc, .docx, or .pdf). If you up-load the wrong file (e.g., an assignment for a different class) or your instructor cannot open your file, because you are not using an acceptable file format, you may receive a zero on that assessment.
Also, be aware that by submitting any assignment in this course, you are implying that the work performed is your own and that you have abided by all academic integrity policies. See your syllabus and Lesson 1 for more information on academic integrity, including tips on avoiding plagiarism.
There are 13 AAs in total available. Your 12 highest scores will count towards your final grade, and your lowest score will be dropped. However, the 1st AA is required of everyone and cannot be dropped. If you skip or fail to complete an AA, you will earn a zero for that assessment. Again, it is recommended that you complete all AAs and allow your lowest score (between the 2nd and 13th AA) to drop. But, as stated above, you may use this flexibility as you choose.
Each of 12 AAs that goes toward your final grade is worth 40 points total for a total of 480 points. This is approximately 48% of the course grade. This is the largest portion of your grade overall, so complete these assignments with a lot of care.
Due Dates
Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are due by 11:59pm Eastern Time the last day of the lesson. So for instance, an assignment that addresses the topic in Lesson 3 would be due at 11:59pm the day before Lesson 4 starts.
Late Work Policy
This is a semester-based course with deadlines. Students are expected to complete work by posted deadlines. Please check the course schedule for the times and dates that assignments are due in this course (times are listed in North American Eastern Time).
We understand that students have busy lives. Some flexibility has been factored into the course by allowing a couple low LDAs and one quiz and one AA to drop out of your final score. If you are failing to manage time so you need to skip one of these assessments, you will receive a zero. You do not need to contact your instructor in that event.
In the case of legitimate and unavoidable situations that may cause lateness (such as illness, injury or family emergency), you should contact your instructor as soon as possible and before the due date passes when possible. If you know that you are going to miss a deadline, please contact your instructor in advance of that deadline to discuss an extension (or if you are not able to contact the instructor before the deadline, as soon as possible and within 48 hours of the deadline if you are able).
Decisions regarding extensions will be made at the discretion of the instructor on a case-by-case basis. Late work may be penalized up to 10% of the total assignment points for each day of lateness. Unless there is a legitimate and unavoidable situation that causes prolonged lateness, work more than 1 week late will not be accepted.
Grading
The final grade will be determined as follows:
| Assignment Type | Points | Percent of Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Quizzes | 120 | 12% |
| Leadership Discovery Assignments
(LDAs) |
120 | 12% |
| Leadership Deep Dive
(LDDs) |
280 | 28% |
| Applied Assignments
(AAs) |
480 | 48% |
| Total | 1000 | 100% |
The final grading scale will be as follows:
| Points | Percentage | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 930-1000 | 93.0-100 | A |
| 900-929 | 90.0-92.9 | A- |
| 880-899 | 88.0-89.9 | B+ |
| 830-879 | 83.0-87.9 | B |
| 800-829 | 80.0-82.9 | B- |
| 750-799 | 75.0-79.9 | C+ |
| 700-749 | 70.0-74.9 | C |
| 600-699 | 60.0-69.9 | D |
| 000-599 | 0-59.9 | F |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
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| Lesson 10: Authentic Leadership | |
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| Lesson 14: Leadership Deep Dive Work Week | |
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| Lesson 15: Putting it All Together: Work Motivation and Job Attitudes | |
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
Course Communication Tools
The purpose of course communication tools is to provide students with a quick method for contacting faculty, teaching assistants, and other students of the class, in regards to course related questions, comments, and concerns. Please note that, according to University policy AD95/AD96, course communication tools may not be used as a method for emailing unauthorized content including but not limited to: solicitation for businesses, advertisements, selling or distributing personal or class materials, transmitting offensive, obscene, or harassing materials, chain letters, news posts, or other forms of “spam” email. Doing so will be considered a violation of course and/or University policies, and might also violate the student code of conduct and the expectations expressed in the Penn State Principles. Resulting penalties might include the suspension or termination of system access, as well as disciplinary or academic sanctions. When appropriate, information about violators will be passed on to University Police Services. If you have any questions in regards to whether or not a particular email you wish to send would violate University policies, please check with your instructor before sending messages to others through the University system.World Campus Student Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Privacy
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.Reporting Bias
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Mental Health Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and Military
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Student Responsibilities and Conduct
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Values.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.