Business Leader Development Program (BLDP)
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
BLDP is a well-established program designed to identify, develop, and reward Rutgers–Camden students who demonstrate leadership qualities during their undergraduate program. The program encourages students to become better, more active leaders, both on campus and in community activities. Additionally, BDLP teaches students how to be more effective in their professional lives after graduation.
BDLP helps to develop the student’s leadership potential, encouraging their involvement in school and civic activities.
- Through the BLDP seminar, students will gain numerous networking opportunities with local business leaders, executives, and previous program participants.
- The BDLP seminar is a 3-credit, graded course that could possibly go towards your major, minor, or an elective.
- Completion of the BDLP seminar is a great résumé-building item, giving you an edge in life after graduation.
- Students completing the BLDP will receive a special designation, “Business Leader Development Program,” on their transcript upon graduation. They will also receive a leather portfolio with the BLDP logo embossed on its cover.
About Seminars
Honor’s Certification
BLDP seminars are taught on a rotating basis by faculty on various topics relevant to business today. You can view details on our BLDP Seminar page.
BLDP seminars are open to any Rutgers–Camden student, even if they do not intend to enroll in the BLDP program. This includes students of the Rutgers Camden College of Arts & Sciences, School of Nursing, and School of Business.
The Program is currently being phased out.
The seminars meet on Friday mornings. Occasionally an on-site visit may be planned that requires significant travel time to or from the seminar location, which would cause meeting times to extend beyond the usual times. Seminar faculty do their best to alert students at the beginning of the semester of any seminar dates requiring extensions.
Yes. Students who have not enrolled in any previous seminars are given admission priority. If there are any remaining spaces, however, past seminar participants are permitted to fill them (currently the maximum seminar enrollment is 20). Repeat seminar participants will be required to submit a brief essay explaining their desire to take the additional seminar; but they are not required to submit a new application. Students would not be permitted to repeat a seminar on the same topic.
All seminars are graded using a traditional letter-graded process. Seminar credits are considered a business elective; they cannot count as discipline- or area-specific credits.
The application process begins each October and March. Applications are evaluated and accepted until the seminar is full.
No. The seminar is only one component of the BLDP. A student cannot complete the BLDP without having taken a seminar in the semester immediately following their admission to the program. In order to complete the BLDP with Honors, students must accumulate 14 "leadership units.” The seminar counts for three (3) of the required 14 leadership units.
The remaining 11 leadership units will be earned by serving in a leadership or coordinator capacity in a school, community, or volunteer organization or event—not merely as a participant. See the BLDP Honors Certification page for detailed examples.
No, that is not necessary. Accumulating the remaining 11 leadership units typically involves a longer time frame, and students should not hesitate to pursue leadership opportunities right away.