Course syllabus for Leadership and communication

Course syllabus adopted 2026-02-12 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameLedarskap och kommunikation
  • CodeBOM030
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPDCM
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyIndustrial Engineering and Management, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • DepartmentTECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 88112
  • Maximum participants60 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0107 Project 7.5 c
Grading: TH		 7.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements

Course specific prerequisites


Aim

A company's success is largely attributed to its leadership, but what is leadership? Like many abstract constructs, leadership has many definitions depending on the point of view adopted, the people involved and the situation. One of the aims of this course is to problematise leadership in a complex and uncertain world. We view leadership as the ability to engage people to achieve outcomes that benefit the individual, the team, the organisation, and even in the long run, society. To engage and support team members requires communication skills. This is the reason why the second focus of this course is communication. Our assumption is that you will one day be in a leadership position. The purpose of this course is to prepare you for such a challenge using both theory and practical examples.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

By the end of this course you will understand and be able to explain theory within the following areas:
  • leadership as a key skill for managers
  • leadership as process and interaction between leader, followers and situation
  • An overall orientation of the most important leadership skills
By the end of this course you will also have improved your practical abilities within the following areas:
  • general communication skills: writing, speaking, listening
  • critical analysis skills: reflecting and assessing interpretation and argumentation skills
  • ability to work effectively in groups and teams
  • ability to train your own leadership skills

Content

The course mixes theory with practice, critical thinking, collective reflection and discussion concerning the following topics. In this course you are expected to actively practice your communication skills by reading, writing, listening and discussing. The following themes will be addressed:
  • Leadership for managers
  • Leadership and self-assessment
  • Leadership and groups
  • Leadership and the individual
  • Leadership and competencies
  • Leadership and coaching
  • Transformational leadership
  • Leadership and futures thinking

Organisation

This course is organized as six full-day sessions. Each session consists of a blend of: short lectures, practice-oriented exercises, collective reflection and discussions in smaller groups. All sessions will be held physically on campus.

Literature

The course literature consists of journal articles which will be posted digitally in the learning platform throughout the course and discussed in groups.

Examination including compulsory elements

The learning process and examination in the course consists of a a collective assessment of the following:
  • Attendance at the sessions
  • Weekly group discussions (consisting of both individual and group hand-ins)
  • A multiple-choice exam
  • A written assignment

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers about disability study support.