Global Engineering Leadership Minor

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Walking among ruins

The Global Engineering Leadership Minor (GELM) is designed to create engineer-leaders who have the technical expertise, global awareness, and leadership skills to address the grand challenges of the 21st century.

This minor is an excellent complement to a degree in civil or environmental engineering. GELM students learn communication and leadership skills, gain a deeper understanding of civil and environmental engineering in a global context, and travel abroad for transformative global leadership experiences. 

Each student in the GELM must complete a work, research, study or service-learning experience abroad. This experience gives students an opportunity to exercise leadership of self and others in a foreign engineering or technology environment on a real-world problem. Students also develop and apply cross-cultural skills to successfully complete their work.

The minor in Global Engineering Leadership is one of three tracks within the Institute’s Leadership Studies Program. The Global Engineering Leadership Minor is offered through the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering but is open to all students in the College of Engineering.

The minor will help students develop the following skills:

  • Knowledge and Application of Leadership Principles
  • Engineering Problem-Solving
  • Interpersonal Skills:  communication, collaboration, ethical decision making, and management
  • Conceptual Skills: systems-level thinking and analysis involving the global grand challenges
  • Cross-Cultural Awareness

Course Requirements

You must have completed 30 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or greater to enroll in the minor. In addition to the Global Practicum, students will take two leadership courses and select 9 hours from a list of approved courses. Students must also attend the Hyatt Distinguished Leadership Speaker Series two times per year.

Funding for Travel

Global Engineering Leadership Minor students in CEE may apply for funding to partially support travel, facilitating engagement in one of the grand challenge courses, and a global practicum experience. Please note international travel funding is not exclusive to the Global Engineering Leadership Minor. Learn more about CEE's international travel funding options.

Grand Challenges Scholar Program

By completing the Global Engineering Leadership Minor, you will automatically fulfill the requirements for the College of Engineering's Grand Challenges Scholar Program. Upon graduation, you will receive a letter from the National Academy of Engineering recognizing you as a Grand Challenge Scholar.