Honors Leadership
Join an honors experience that takes you beyond business.
Participation in the Business Administration Honors Leadership program offers eligible second-year students from any business major the opportunity to:
- Participate in a set of five honors business courses taken as a cohort focused on principled leadership and small group collaboration with your peers to build a broader understanding of leadership in business and community.
- Learn from faculty experts in seminar-based courses that facilitate significant individual interactions.
- Create and complete a "Leadership Challenge," focused on individualized professional and leadership development.
- A semester off in spring of junior year from program requirements
Additional Information
Application Process
Students may apply to the Honors Leadership Program if they have a minimum 3.5 GPA. Applicants must complete prerequisite classes by the end of the spring semester of the sophomore year. Applicants will be chosen based on academic excellence, leadership, extracurricular activities, work experience, and application materials.
Applicants must complete the following prerequisite classes (by the end of the Spring semester) to apply. Honors versions are recommended when offered. If you cannot complete all of these requirements by the end of your sophomore year but are still interested in applying for Honors Leadership, please contact an honors advisor.
- ACCTMIS 2200 or 2200H
- ACCTMIS 2300 or 2300H
- BUSOBA 2320
- BUSMHR 2292 or 2292H
Please note: Eligible second-year students can apply to the Accounting Honors, Finance Honors, Honors Cohort, and Honors Leadership programs each January. Students are welcome to apply to more than one program, but are required to indicate their first and second choice. Notifications will be sent in time for autumn term scheduling.
Required Coursework
Develop as a leader while building collaborative and inclusive relationships with peers through cluster courses.
Students have no required coursework spring of their junior year.
| Courses (required) | Description | Credit Hours | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUSADM 3890H | Honors Leadership Seminar | 1.5 | AU – Junior Year |
| BUSMHR 2210H | Personal Leadership and Team Effectiveness | 3 | AU – Junior Year |
| BUSMHR 3200H | Organizational Behavior | 3 | AU – Junior Year |
| BUSADM 4890H | Honors Leadership Seminar | 1.5 | AU – Senior Year |
| BUSMHR 4235H | Developing Leaders through Practical Exercises | 3 | AU – Senior Year |
| BUSMHR 4490H | Strategic Management | 3 | SP – Senior Year |
Leadership Challenge
Challenge yourself by designing and completing an individual experience that fosters both your professional and leadership development. This is your opportunity to lead a project you're truly passionate about - something that ignites your curiosity and ambition. The Leadership Challenge allows you the flexibility to create a unique project that reflects your interests and goals. Previous projects have included:
- Self-directed initiatives to support the Fisher or external community
- Leading or organizing a major event within Fisher or the broader University community (example: BuckeyeThon, Fisher Impact Day, Taste of OSU)
- Study Abroad Experiences
- An Honors Research Thesis
- Becoming a Buckeye Leadership Fellow
Graduation Requirements
To graduate “with Honors” in Business Administration, Honors Leadership students must complete the following requirements:
- Honors Leadership Curriculum
- A minor/major/concentration outside of business to broaden your knowledge and diversify your skill set
- A “Leadership Challenge" approved by the Honors Leadership faculty director
Travel Opportunities
See video below of Honors Leadership trip to Chicago in Autumn 2025:
View examples of previous Leadership Challenges below:
"For the Contract (now Leadership) Challenge, I learned first-hand about dog adoption and dog treatment in America by volunteering over 70 hours at the Franklin County Dog Shelter. I was able to make a small but invaluable impact on the lives of many dogs and adopters in my community while continuing to cultivate a lifelong passion."
Christy Murgiano, Honors Leadership Class of 2022
"I conducted research under the direction of a tenured faculty member in the intersection of public and private data collection and administration. I analyzed and solved problems, interviewed 30+ academic and industry experts, and completed a 63-page interdisciplinary thesis deliverable."
Josh Badzik, Honors Leadership Class of 2022
"My Legal Awareness project aims to increase international students’ legal knowledge and understanding of their rights while studying in the US. So far we published and translated 10 articles on a social media platform, attracting more than 300 reads per article. To date, we have helped five students understand their specific legal situations and connect them with the appropriate resources."
Hairu Xu, Honors Leadership Class of 2022
Questions?
Maria Landekhovskaya
Faculty Director, Honors Leadership Program
landekhovskaya.1@osu.edu