Student Leadership and Success (SLSS)

Prerequisite(s): Appropriate reading skills
Introduces and integrates new students to the UVU community, both academically and socially. Teaches strategies for academic success, such as critical thinking skills, time and financial management, and effective collaboration techniques. Develops student awareness of campus resources and assists in exploring and establishing personal, academic, and career goals. Includes lectures, group interaction, online interaction with faculty and students, in class exercises, and projects which apply learning to real life situations.

Prerequisite(s): Appropriate reading skills
Variable credit course that surveys essential skills for success in college. Topics covered include, but are not limited to: memory, note taking, test taking, textbook reading and study strategies, time management, writing processes, communication, and thinking skills. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits toward graduation. May be graded credit/no credit.

Provides an overview of leadership styles, personalities, and organizational dynamics for student leaders. Explores the structure and culture of Student Leadership, Utah Valley University, the governing boards of higher education, and the State of Utah relating to shared governance and student involvement in campus leadership. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits toward graduation.

Prerequisite(s): Departmental Approval
Focuses on the nature of leadership, citizenship, and advocacy in a democracy. Provides an overview of leadership and civics as crucial to the success of any leader, including a student leader. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits toward graduation.

Introduces students to concepts of information literacy and academic research. Demystifies the information landscape and emphasizes critical evaluation and ethical use of a variety of information sources. Prepares students for college-level research.

Presents strategies to develop new attitudes for coping with stressful circumstances. Increases a broader perspective and deeper understanding of acute and chronic stress. Develops conflict resolution techniques through improved communication skills. Studies physiological signs of stress and strain. Emphasizes relaxation techniques to increase performance and reduce the effects of stressful situations. Presents how diet affects personal performance and stress reduction. Explores physical fitness and the effects a sound body can have on coping with stress.
May be delivered online.

Identifies how student leaders can impact the UVU community and the community which they live. Explores student leadership models in relation to change and discover community needs in a service-learning environment. Applies student leadership practices and understanding of civic engagement to inform the UVU community of a local, national or world-wide community need(s). Reflects on student leadership, civic engagement, and community. Practices life-long learning and advocacy for community change.

Introduces what successful college students do and invites students to begin implementing these research-based techniques and methods in their other courses. Focuses on developing a conceptual and strategic framework for effective learning at the college level. Includes attention to creating the conditions for effective learning, comprehension of academic texts, identifying and remembering key information, test preparation and test taking.

For students with good reading skills who want to increase reading speed and flexibility while maintaining or increasing their level of comprehension. Also teaches methods of speed studying.

Provides the foundation for personal leadership by teaching fundamental principles of character and life-changing paradigms. Examines the personal and organizational components of effectiveness. Focuses on high leverage changes such as time management, communication skills, win/win negotiation, and principle-centered life choices. Prepares students for life-long success. Includes highly interactive class discussions, application exercises, videos, and group work.
May be delivered hybrid and/or online.
Course fee of $40 applies.

Provides the foundation for personal leadership by teaching fundamental principles of character and life-changing paradigms. Examines the personal and organizational components of effectiveness. Focuses on high leverage changes such as time management, communication skills, win/win negotiation, and principle-centered life choices. Prepares students for life-long success. Includes highly interactive class discussions, application exercises, videos, and group work. Engages in more complex personal leadership material and applies the concepts with a more comprehensive approach to meet honors requirements.
Course fee of $40 applies.

Provides prospective Elementary Education Majors an opportunity to acquire the study strategies and test taking skills necessary to pass examinations that allow them to be admitted into the education program and to receive state licensure. May be repeated for a maximum of 3 credits toward graduation.

Explores design thinking as an iterative approach to solving problems that focuses on five principles: empathy, define, ideate, prototype and test. Introduces the design thinking approach and mindset through interactive design challenges. Focuses on student creation of innovative ideas for products and services to serve the wider UVU community.

Introduces students to theories and best practices related to engaged learning in higher education. Provides opportuities for students to collaborate, share ideas, and participate in common experiences.

Encourages student participation in the academic and intellectual life of UVU through attendance and critical reflection on select academic and scholarly events. Integrates students' classroom learning with topical events through exposure to scholars and practitioners on a wide range of issues and from a variety of perspectives. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits toward graduation. Graded credit/no credit.

Examines an iterative theoretical and practical exploration of the self and its intercultural intersections with the community. Invites students to simultaneously explore and identify real-world problems within their community through relevant research strategies, to become familiar with available resources to effectively develop and communicate solutions, to receive and act on feedback, and establish foundational skills for personal, academic and professional success. Addresses all the primary risk factors that prevent persistence to graduation among UVU students.

For students who are undecided about their major or career goals. Provides students with the opportunity to interact with career professionals; understand how to access internship, career preparation, and placement resources at UVU; and integrates understanding of self with knowledge of majors, careers, and the world of work. Utilizes an appropriate decision making model to identify possible major and career choices.
Course fee of $25 for materials applies.

Provides the ongoing and further development of the theoretical base and hands-on training in leadership and mentoring techniques for peer mentors, and also assists them in further exploring and developing their own learning skills and strategies, and methods for mentoring these skills in others. Explores higher cognitive application and analysis of teaching/facilitating learning as a form of leadership.

Provides the theoretical base and hands-on training in leadership and mentoring techniques as well as an understanding of and ability to apply the UVU Student Core Leadership Competencies. Assists student leaders in further developing their own self-awareness, learning skills and strategies, and explores methods for facilitating these in others. Provides an avenue for student leadership program administrators to facilitate goal development, fulfillment and performance among student leaders and the individuals they serve. Emphasizes building relationships with students, teaching life skills and learning strategies, and guiding students through the college experience. Repeatable for a maximum of 8 credits towards graduation.

Advances the study and practice of personal leadership by focusing on research-based character strengths. Uses strengths-based inquiry and assessment, identifies and examines character strengths as they relate to optimal functioning, well-being, and personal leadership (leadership of self and others). Draws upon the theories of positive leadership, positive paradigms and practices to develop a strengths-based core that they can transfer to diverse situations and a wide array of roles.
Course fee of $10 applies.

Prerequisite(s): Department Approval
Corequisite(s): SLSS 2100 recommended
Provides supervised, practical, and professional experience for students exploring a variety of career areas. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credit hours towards graduation. May be graded credit/no credit.

Provides concurrent theoretical and engaged learning experiences that invite students to explore the notion of leader as an effective facilitator of learning and as a coach for self and others. Engages a broad range of current academic literature exploring relevant intra- and interpersonal leadership principles and their interactions within micro and macro level settings. Develops adaptable philosophical and practical toolkit to more effectively navigate within and across multiple settings as a mentor, teacher, and coach to self and others.

Focuses on opportunities to flexibly apply leadership principles and enhance skills. Provides experiences to develop both soft and hard skills within industry-relevant applications. Provides opportunities to mentor and lead others. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits toward graduation.

Focuses on the nature of leadership, citizenship, service and advocacy in leadership and governance. Assists students in further developing their own self-awareness, interpersonal effectiveness, ability to identify and execute appropriate organizational strategies, leadership of small teams, and explore methods for facilitating these same outcomes in their peers. Provides an avenue for student leadership program administrators to facilitate goal development, fulfillment and performance among student leaders and the individuals they serve. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits toward graduation.

Prerequisite(s): University Advanced Standing
Underscores UVU's commitment to valuing global and intercultural opinions, backgrounds, traditions, perspectives, and experiences. Fosters an intercultural learning curriculum and an understanding of and an appreciation for a variety of cultural perspectives and experiences. Invites learners to move away from the view of "difference as deficiencies" which continues to be prevalent in society. Invites learners to become increasingly aware of the value and strength of diversity and to be more reflective of each person's role within education and society in general. Examines a deeper understanding of cultural awareness that enhances learners' professional preparation working in global and intercultural settings.

Prerequisite(s): Placement into ENGL 1010 or ENGH 1005 or higher
Examines what the world will look like in 25 years due to the influence of seven global dimensions or the 7 Revolutions (population, resource management, technology, information/knowledge, economic integration conflict, and governance). Explores various global, political, economic, social, and behavioral systems; and examines underlying causes of those issues within students' lives. Introduces academic skills in research, communication, critical thinking, and personal leadership.

Prerequisite(s): SLSS 2500 or SLSS 3200
Integrates three central components: experiential learning, service, and leadership. Provides the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, application, and proficiency of the core Leadership Certificate content areas. Allows students to propose projects in areas related to their academic and/or professional interests or goals. Projects are subject to approval by department faculty.

Prerequisite(s): Department approval and University Advanced Standing
Provides mentorship during professional internships in a variety of career areas. Internships will be focused on the student’s major and future career and will require development of industry specific skills and abilities. Provides networking opportunities within the industry. May be Graded Credit/No Credit. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits towards graduation.