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Key Undergraduate Leadership Program

Starting the Journey to Extraordinary Leadership

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Vision

The Key Undergraduate Leadership Certificate Program focuses on developing the foundational skills, knowledge, and values needed for future public and non-profit leaders.

Pillars

Our classes and activities will focus in the following four key pillars: Strategy, Agility, Connection, Reflection. Learn more through our PDF handout or watch a recording of our Info Session.

At A Glance

  • 12 credit hour certificate works with any major at AU
  • 3-Year Program
  • Dedicated faculty for the program
  • Flexible regarding other AU certificate programs
  • Application opens in spring

Course Requirements

Required (Nine credit hours)

  • SPA-352 Leadership for Key Undergraduates (one credit)
  • SPA-353 The Emotionally Intelligent Leader (three credits)
  • SPA-354 Contemporary Approaches to Leadership (one credit)
  • SPA-355 Problem Solving for Leaders (one credit)
  • SPA-491 Key Organizational Behavior (three credits)

Capstone (Three credits)

  • SPA-457 Key Leadership Capstone (three credits)

Curriculum

Download our Curriculum Requirements PDF.

SPA-352 Leadership for Key Undergraduates (1 credit)
This initial course, modeled on Leadership for Key Executives (PUAD-622), provides students with team-building opportunities and establishes cohort norms designed to create an inclusive culture of trust. These early sessions also build a year-one foundation for what will become a career-long support group.

Credit Hour(s): one | Semester: Fall

SPA-353 The Emotionally Intelligent Leader (3 credits)
This course will help students understand the impact of a leader’s emotional intelligence on agency/organizational culture, performance, wellness, diversity & inclusion, and other outcomes. Students will learn about the drivers of emotional intelligence and how those drivers align to individual and organizational wellness. Additionally, students will take an emotional intelligence assessment (EQ-i2.0) and receive executive coaching. Students will learn skills to improve their resilience as they navigate life and work challenges.

Credit Hour(s): three | Semester: Spring

SPA-354 Contemporary Approaches to Leadership (1 credit)
Students will examine changing conceptions around leadership in recent years and align the role of leadership to complex public administration challenges. Students will build on their year one work in emotional and social intelligence to influence, inspire, and create psychological safety.

Credit Hour(s): one | Semester: Fall

SPA-355 Problem Solving for Leaders (1 credit)
Students will study the methods for gathering and analyzing information that better inform effective and accurate decisions; learn to differentiate among different types of problems (i.e., simple, complicated, complex, and chaotic); and understand the correct leadership tools utilized in developing solutions.

Credit Hour(s): one | Semester: Spring

SPA-491 Key Undergraduate Organizational Behavior (3-6 credits)
Students will learn the drivers of culture, managing the dyadic relationship between supervisors and employees, building productive relationships with peers, and understanding the different types of power influences. These sessions will include guest lectures from prominent Key and SPA alumni and public administration thought leaders.

Credit Hour(s): three | Semester: Spring

During the third year, students will start work on an internship assignment or research project focusing on an aspect of public administration leadership.

SPA-457 Leadership Reflections (3 credits)
This final course in the certificate program is designed to help students apply what they have learned since year one. The course is based on a particular premise: effective leadership, which is shared, relational, and part of a complex social dynamic involving inquiry and dialogue, is also an ongoing personal journey, requiring expanded cognitive and emotional intelligence.

Credit Hour(s): three | Semester: Fall

Meet the Program Director

Russell RobinsonDr. Russell Robinson is the Director of the newly created Key Undergraduate Leadership Program (Key). He is an alum of and Associate Professor within SPA, specifically the Key Executive Leadership Program. His expertise is on public sector leadership with an emphasis on employee voice/silence and employee engagement. He is a frequent guest lecturer and keynote speaker on the topics of the Future of Work, employee engagement, voice culture, resilience and wellness. Prior to working at AU, Robinson spent 22 years as a civil servant within the U.S. Federal Government, where he developed and taught leadership and culture to all levels of employees.

Contact Dr. Robinson at [email protected].

Hear from the Students

Questions?

School of Public Affairs Student Services
202-885-6200
[email protected]