Enhancing psychology students' experiences: The development of an undergraduate leadership programme

Abstract

Leadership is a practical skill, highly valued by employers but not formally taught in Australian psychology curricula. The Edith Cowan University School of Psychology and Social Science developed a programme aimed at addressing the lack of leadership training in undergraduate psychology students. This 12-month extracurricular programme provided theoretical and practical experience in leadership, and incorporated a formal series of workshops and seminars with three curricular components: leadership knowledge, leadership skills, and leadership in action. Students were then provided with the opportunity to develop and practise their leadership skills by participating in a series of expert-driven seminars, through role-playing, perspective taking, and management of groups. Finally, students worked with local industry leaders to provide strategic leadership in developing and implementing a community project. This paper outlines the components of the programme and a qualitative evaluation of the students' experiences, the development of their leadership capacity, and their participation in respective community projects.