University of St. Thomas

When asked what one word best describes the leadership and management major at St. Thomas, a faculty member replied, “applied.”

A real student asks:

 

Do all leadership and management majors have to be bossy?  What sort of work environment does this job entail?

A leadership and management faculty member responds: “Being bossy is not good leadership. While there are times a leader needs to take control, most leaders need to be able to use a variety of styles. The bossy (or autocratic) style works in limited situations. Most situations require collaboration, coaching or facilitating. In today’s team environments, leaders facilitate more than direct, so a good, flexible skill-set with multiple leadership styles is preferred.”

What jobs are possible with a Leadership and Management major?

What are recent graduates doing now?

Julie works for a large consulting organization. After being trained in the consulting process used by her company, she now works as part of a team that travels often to work with company clients. Julie loves both the travel and the satisfaction of seeing her recommendations implemented by the client and its subsequent improved operations.

What opportunities are there to bolster my resume while I'm in the program?

Internships. Because UST is located in the heart of a thriving business community, there are many opportunities for internships. Companies such as Target, Best Buy and 3M regularly employ leadership and management students in a variety of work assignments.

Study abroad. Business students have many options for studying abroad as part of their business program. Many of our business students have done semester-length studies in London, Ireland, Rome, Madrid, Seville and Trier, Germany.

With a global business marketplace, study abroad opportunities give students the chance to experience different cultures. From these experiences, they bring a multicultural aspect to their organizational experiences. Moreover, study abroad helps students grow and learn about themselves, an important process for any leader or manager.

Faculty at work

Members of the Management Department are actively engaged in consulting with local and regional businesses. This keeps them current with the latest business practices, which they integrate into their teaching. They also are conducting research in areas such as human resource strategy, student intercultural development resulting from studying abroad, mid-career development and intercultural team development.