The Academic Certificate in Leadership Studies
The Corps of Cadets may be best known for preparing students for commissions in the military, but more than 50 percent of cadets choose to pursue an Academic Certificate in Leadership Studies and do not join the military.
Cadets who want to pursue non-military careers, whether in the private sector or in public service, can declare themselves Academic Certificate in Leadership candidates after their second year in the Corps of Cadets.
A complete personal and professional development experience
Cadets in the Academic Certificate in Leadership Studies program stay with their units through their entire time in the Corps, share the personal growth and fellowship that only the Corps of Cadets can offer, and enroll in a curriculum of leadership study and practice available exclusively to members of the Corps of Cadets.
The Corps of Cadets guides students through four stages of leadership: From followership, to direct leadership of self and others, to indirect leadership of other leaders, to executive leadership of entire organizations. Combined with the immersion experience of the Corps of Cadets, the Academic Certificate in Leadership Studies program gives every cadet the most complete personal and professional development experience available.
Past recipients are employed by Fortune 500 companies, various non-profit organizations and in all military branches.
Certificate Overview
The Academic Certificate in Leadership Studies program includes the following:
- Full participation in the Corps of Cadets
- 12 credit hours of university recognized leadership coursework, including four one-hour School of Military Sciences courses and eight credit hours from other Texas A&M departments. Cadets must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average in this coursework to receive credit.
- A focus on three components - academics, application and experience. Cadets receive targeted learning experiences and the opportunity to put their skills into practice within the Corps, campus organizations and internships both on and off campus.
Curriculum
The coursework component of the Academic Certificate in Leadership Studies is provided through the School of Military Science, known as SOMS. The SOMS courses are designed to foster a personal leadership development through a six-course curriculum.
These courses are required of all freshman and sophomore cadets.
Freshman Spring Semester - SOMS 180: Fundamentals of Direct Leadership
- Modeling behavior
- Supporting academic performance
- Training of subordinates
- Corps Procedures
Sophomore Spring Semester- SOMS 280: From Direct to Indirect Leadership
- Purpose, values and vision
- Roles and responsibilities of indirect leaders
- Skills to be a successful indirect leader
- Accountability and standards
The workshops and seminars are required of all junior and senior Drill and Ceremony cadets.
Junior Fall Semester- SOMS 380: Elements of Leadership
- Identifying personality types and understanding the strengths of each
- Assessing communication styles
- Developing problem solving as a core skill
- Designing a personal leadership development plan
Junior Spring Semester- SOMS 381: Organizational Leadership Development
- Work ethic and ethical behavior
- Leading teams and developing organizational members
- Executive leadership: roles and responsibilities
- Implementation of personal leadership development plans
Senior Fall Semester- SOMS 481: Executive Leadership
- Leading and managing organizations
- Identifying, establishing and communicating an organization's values, purpose and vision
- Decision-making in complex environments
- Leading teams and improving the performance of others
Senior Spring Semester- SOMS 482: Leadership Ethics
- Moral development
- Evaluating individual values
- Ethical decision-making in complex environments
- Applying leadership skills in new situations
Support the Leadership Program
The Academic Certificate in Leadership Studies program is maintained through generous donations made through the Texas A&M University Foundation. Contributions are used to provide leadership development skills for students within the Corps of Cadets.
For more information on supporting the Academic Certificate in Leadership Studies program, contact:
Brian Bishop '91
Director of Development
(979) 862-4085
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Cathy C. McWhorter
Development Relations Coordinator
(979) 862-2862
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Nichols' Rising Leaders Conference
The Nichols' Rising Leaders Conference is an annual event held in the spring for sophomores in the Corps of Cadets. The mission of the conference is to provide cadets with the tools they need to successfully transition into key leadership roles within the Corps of Cadets.