Leadership Certificate Program

The Leadership Certificate Program (LCP) is a leadership development program open to Illinois undergraduate students.
This program provides a customized experience for developing leadership competencies through leadership education and training, co-curricular involvement, and self-reflection. The program culminates with the creation of an ePortfolio documenting your growth as a leader.

Participant Resources

If you are a current participant, access resources here!

Resources include:

  • PDP Template
  • Team Experience Resources
  • ePortfolio Checklist
  • and More
Certificate completer group photo

Program Requirements

To earn your Leadership Certificate, complete the following requirements:

  • Attend 2 Illinois Leadership Center i-Programs
  • Attend 4 Illinois Leadership Center workshops (1 hour each)
  • Participate in one co-curricular team experience
  • Take one academic course related to leadership

The requirements listed above can be completed in any order. Students will also create an ePortfolio website, which is the final step to earning the Certificate.

i-Programs

Participants are required to attend two (2) Illinois Leadership Center i-Programs to complete the Leadership Certificate. i-Programs are multi-hour seminars designed to focus on a particular aspect of leadership practice and development. The schedule and descriptions for the i-Programs can be found here. Students must register for the i-Programs they wish to attend ahead of time. 

Participants may count one (1) i-Program toward the Leadership Certificate if it was completed prior to enrolling in the program. Participants will write a summary of their experience and provide evidence of completion (photo, video, sample of work, etc.) for each i-Program.

Leadership Workshops

Participants are required to attend a total of four leadership workshops hosted by the Illinois Leadership Center to earn the Leadership Certificate. ILC Workshops are held twice per week in the evenings during the fall and spring semesters. All workshops are held in-person. The schedule and descriptions for the ILC workshops can be found here. Students must register for the workshops they plan to attend ahead of time. 

Participants should attend the required workshops while enrolled in the Leadership Certificate Program.  Participants will submit a reflection synthesizing key takeaways and future applications on the ePortfolio. 

If you are unable to attend four ILC workshops due to your schedule, please check with the Leadership Certificate Team by sending an email to leadershipcertificate@illinois.edu regarding an alternative option to fulfill this requirement. 

Team Experience

Skill application is an important aspect of the Leadership Certificate experience. Participants are required to participate in one (1) co-curricular team experience while enrolled in the Certificate Program to apply the skills they have learned in courses, trainings, and workshops to a team experience outside of the classroom environment.

Team experiences may include:

  • Research groups
  • Registered student organizations
  • Part-time or full-time work
  • Athletic teams
  • Study abroad
  • Service-learning
  • And more

Team experiences should last for at least one semester. Students are NOT required to have a formal leadership position within their chosen teams, but the experience should provide regular opportunities for participation.

Participants will write a reflection on the experience as part of the ePortfolio.

Leadership Course

All participants are required to complete one (1) course at the University of Illinois that can be connected to the leadership competencies participants choose to develop further. Many applicable courses are available through the Leadership Studies Minor, though other courses may qualify.  Participants will provide basic course information, as well as a sample of their coursework as part of their ePortfolio.

The course may be completed prior to enrolling in the Leadership Certificate Program. We also encourage you to consider taking additional courses to further your study of leadership theories and practice. 

ePortfolio

The ePortfolio serves as the capstone of the Leadership Certificate Program and must be submitted and approved by ILC staff for participants to complete the Program. Certificate completers will share their ePortfolios at the Certificate Completion Ceremony at the end of the fall or spring semester.  

Body

flyer displaying steps needed to get a certificate, included in text below

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can enroll in the Leadership Certificate Program?

Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students currently registered at Illinois are eligible to enroll in the program.

What is the recommended timeline to complete the Leadership Certificate Program?

The Leadership Certificate is structured so students can reasonably completed it in two semesters. Participants cannot complete the Certificate within the same semester as they enroll.  

How do I enroll in the program?

To enroll in the program, you must complete and submit a Personal Development Plan to the ILC website by the deadline for the semester you wish to enroll. 

  • Fall semester submission deadline: December 1st
  • Spring semester submission deadline: April 30th 

Once the PDP is submitted, ILC staff will review it and follow up with you via email once your PDP is approved, or if revisions are needed before final approval. 

What is the Personal Development Plan (PDP)?

The Personal Development Plan (PDP) outlines your plan for leadership development through the Leadership Certificate Program is the foundation of the program. Your PDP must be submitted for you to be considered an active participant. The PDP takes about 90 minutes to complete from start to finish.

The PDP has three main components:

  • Your personal definition of leadership
  • Completion of the Personal/Self & Interpersonal/Team self-assessments in the Illinois Leadership Inventory
  • The selection of four leadership competencies you will work on developing

PDPs should be uploaded by logging into the Illinois Leadership Center website. This is also where you will upload your Illinois Leadership Inventory results. If you have trouble logging into the website, please email your files to leadershipcertificate@illinois.edu

What are the requirements to earn the Certificate?

Students will need to complete the following requirements in order to earn the Certificate:

  • Attend two (2) Illinois Leadership Center i-Programs
  • Attend four (4) Illinois Leadership Center workshops (1 hour each)
  • Participate in one co-curricular team experience
  • Take one academic course related to leadership

The requirements listed above can be completed in any order. Students will also create an ePortfolio website, which is the final step to earning the Certificate.

Can I count experiences I had prior to enrolling in the program toward the program requirements?

You may only count the following experiences you had prior to enrolling in the program toward the program requirements:

  • Up to one (1) i-Program
  • Leadership Course

All other experiences must be completed after your PDP has been approved and while you are enrolled in the Leadership Certificate Program.

Does the Leadership Certificate appear on my academic transcript?

No, but it can be included on your resume, CV, or LinkedIn profile. 

When do I complete an ePortfolio?

The ePortfolio is the last step in earning the Leadership Certificate. ePortfolios are submitted during the final semester students plan to be enrolled in the Certificate program, though students can start working on it before then if they choose.

When is the ePortfolio submission deadline?

Students who plan to finish the program in the fall semester need to submit the ePortfolio by November 1st

Students who plan to finish the program in the spring semester need to submit the ePortfolio by April 1st.

What are the required components of the ePortfolio?

The ePortfolio consists of five main components:

  1. A personal introduction
  2. Your PDP
  3. Completion evidence for all requirements
  4. A cumulative reflection
  5. An updated resume that includes the Leadership Certificate

Participants should use the ePortfolio checklist to ensure all required components and word counts are included.

What can I do to prepare to put together my ePortfolio?

Participants are strongly encouraged to self-report their experiences on their Certificate Dashboard. The Certificate Dashboard can be accessed by logging in to the ILC website (the same place where the PDP is uploaded). Self-reporting your experiences also helps both you and our staff track your progress toward getting the Leadership Certificate and advise on what requirements you still have left during check-in meetings.

In addition to reporting experiences, there is space for you to write brief notes about which competencies you engaged with and what you took away from the experience. We encourage you to take notes so that when you write the reflections for your ePortfolio, you have something to reference. 

Is there a specific length or word count for the ePortfolio?

Some of the reflections on the ePortfolio have specific word counts and requirements for supporting documentation. We encourage students to go beyond the minimum requirements and include additional supplemental materials (videos, photos, etc.) to personalize the ePortfolio and showcase their hard work!

Be sure to use the ePortfolio checklist to ensure your ePortfolio meets all of the requirements before submitting. ePortfolios that are missing components will be returned for revisions before they are approved. 

How do I submit my ePortfolio?

ePortfolios are submitted through the Certificate Dashboard on the ILC website. Once the ePortfolio is submitted, ILC staff will review. Please keep an eye on your @illinois.edu email account - we will follow up with you via email once your ePortfolio is approved, or if revisions are needed before final approval. 

How can I use my ePortfolio?

Many students have used their ePortfolios in the job application or interview process to show prospective employers how they have learned, practiced, and reflected on their leadership development. It is also helpful for personal reflection and networking. 

Who can contact if I have additional questions about the Leadership Certificate Program?

Please email leadershipcertificate@illinois.edu if you have any additional questions. 

Participant Resources

If you are a current participant, access resources here!

Resources include:

  • PDP Template
  • Team Experience Resources
  • ePortfolio Checklist
  • and More
Certificate completer group photo