The Leadership in the Public Interest minor is an interdisciplinary minor designed to provide opportunities to study leaders and leadership concepts that are applicable to leadership, citizenship, and ethical decision making in a variety of contexts. This study will help students gain an understanding of the leadership process required to meet personal, professional, and civic challenges today. The Leadership in the Public Interest minor complements any academic major and provides formal learning experiences that can be supplemented by additional campus and community leadership experiences as part of the leadership development process.
The requirements for the minor are eighteen hours including (a) INDS 101, GVFA 101, INDS 395, and INDS 440; (b) one course chosen from BIOL 130, PHIL 215, 314, or RELI 225; and (c) one course chosen from BUSI 222, 223, ECON 202, 217, 402, GVFA 333, 442, HIST 180, 220, 260, 277, 301, 327, 328, 330, 333, INDS 320, 375, MUSI 335, 391, PHIL 316, PSYC 208, 310, RHET 210, or THEA 321. Students electing to pursue this minor develop their course of study in consultation with their major advisor and the Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest.
Courses not on this list may count towards the minor, subject to approval of the Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest.
Core curriculum courses may be used to satisfy the requirements for this minor.
"The Leadership in the Public Interest minor not only helped me to better understand myself—my strengths, weaknesses, and leadership capabilities—but gave me the opportunity to examine complex real-world problems and develop real-world solutions. Without a doubt, the program gave me a better understanding of my role as a citizen leader and prepared me for a career in public service."
~Jacob Mitchell '19, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Office of the Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
updated 7/25/2025