B.S. in Public Leadership and Innovation

The B.S. in Public Leadership and Innovation is an interdisciplinary program that will prepare you to engage diverse constituencies to develop solutions to current and anticipated complex issues within local, regional, national, and global communities. Students gain an understanding of systemic issues and have ample opportunity for skill development and practical application through a required internship, capstone courses, and more. This major is unique in the region, making graduates highly sought by nonprofits, planning agencies, civic and public agencies, tribal government entities and many more.

This program is available in both on-campus and distance learning formats. A minor is required.

Did you know?

This is one of UW-Superior’s newest majors, designed in 2019-2020 in close consultation with regional leaders.

The major requires five core classes, including a seminar on Contemporary First Nations Issues, two capstone project-based classes, and an internship.

Students are welcome to participate in this program from any location. Some courses will be face-to-face but distance-learning students can join those classes via technology, like Zoom. Some courses will be traditionally online.

Upon completion of this program, you will be able to:

1. Articulate factors that may impact how systems and institutions function
2. Identify and apply a range of methods to facilitate change
3. Describe and compare how organizations engage in civic interventions
4. Recognize and analyze current complex issues and their historical roots
5. Describe characteristics of civic and social responsibility
6. Use a variety of communication tools to affect change
7. Perform technical tasks like budgeting, grant, scenario planning, and report writing
8. Gather, evaluate and analyze information to understand an issue and inform a response
9. Work collaboratively with diverse partners to lead inclusive processes
10. Design and implement a concrete civic intervention

Graduates of this major will be ‘change makers’ and prepared for a wide range of career fields, including:

• Community Health
• Sustainable Management
• Urban and Regional Planning
• Social and Community Service
• Community Advocacy
• Public Relations and Community Engagement