A group of visitors viewing posters at the annual Rall Symposium.

Pathway: Academics and Research

For more than 25 years, the Leadership, Ethics and Values program has provided North Central students with an integrated, interdisciplinary curricular experience. Enroll in courses, concentrations, minors or majors that will give you the academic foundation upon which to build a life of social impact.

Degree Offerings: Majors and Minors

  • Social Entrepreneurship Major: Develop the mindset and skill set to create innovative, scalable and measurable solutions to complex societal challenges. With this major, you'll be well-equipped to launch a for-profit, non-profit, or hybrid venture of your own, or to solve social challenges through the process of innovation within an existing organization.
  • Ethical Leadership Major: Help fill the gap in ethical leadership today through this comprehensive overview and systematic approach to the study of leadership and its ethical obligations and implications. Pair the ethical leadership major with your choice of preset minors to integrate and apply the theory of leadership to another area of academic interest.
  • Social Innovation Minor: Discover the process of developing creative solutions to complex social or environmental challenges that are more effective, efficient, sustainable or just than current solutions. Using the design thinking methodology, a social innovation minor will equip you with the skillset to create meaningful, lasting social impact.
  • Ethical Leadership Minor: Current political, social, and corporate climates prove the need for ethical leaders. Pursue a minor in ethical leadership and engage with leadership theory and its ethical foundations while continually examining the relevance, application, and impact of leadership in today’s society.
  • Conflict Resolution Minor: Conflict happens. We disagree. Debates ensue. Learn how to navigate conflict productively to meet desired agreements and produce social change at the interpersonal, community, and global levels. Engage in a variety of conflict resolution models including negotiation, mediation and facilitation. This minor complements academic majors in a variety of disciplines in which you may seek graduate education, including law, political science, psychology and human resources.
  • Ethical Leadership Concentration: Don't have time for a full LEV major or minor? Declare a concentration in Ethical Leadership which offers a meaningful package of leadership content to supplement your existing coursework.
Students and alumni meeting with faculty at the Center for Social Impact headquarters.

Student Opportunities

Seek academic excellence outside the classroom with these unique opportunities to complement your coursework.

  • The Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl offers you an opportunity to enter an academic competition that combines excitement and fun with an educationally valuable experience in the areas of practical and professional ethics. Teams argue and defend their moral assessment of some of the most troubling and complex ethical issues facing society today.
  • Blue Key Honor Society recognizes junior and senior leaders from across campus who display academic excellence and practice leadership through service. Blue Key members exemplify the motto, "Serving, I live."
  • NCC Preceptor: As a preceptor, you will work alongside a faculty member in the delivery of a course that you have successfully completed. Preceptors lead by hosting discussion sessions, holding office hours, workshops and study sessions.
Students in the Blue Key Honor Society meeting with North Central mascot Chippy.

Funding Opportunities

LEV Fellows Scholarship: Invest in your leadership development and see the returns. If you are interested in maximizing your leadership skills, you can receive up to $4,500 in scholarship funds. If accepted into the program, you will declare and complete an LEV concentration and/or LEV academic minor and also participate in several cocurricular leadership experiences, including leadership workshops and yearly service projects.

Students tourning OWP Pharmaceuticals.

Courses to Consider

Take one of our gateway courses in the Leadership, Ethics and Values program to find out which major or minor is right for you.

LEAD 100 — Design Thinking for Social Impact

LEAD 120 — Leaders Without Borders

Professor Brent King teaching a leadership course.