UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State is offering three new online graduate certificates in organization development and change that will provide professionals the knowledge and skills needed to manage and lead change in their workplaces.
The 12-credit certificates offer specializations in organization development and change essentials; consulting skills; and operational excellence. The certificates are being offered online through Penn State World Campus and the Penn State College of Education.
Applications are being accepted for admission in Penn State’s spring 2016 semester.
“Organization development and change is about helping organizations of all kind deal with change,” said William Rothwell, a professor of education and lead faculty member of the organization development and change program in the College of Education. “It would be a rare organization that does not face change, and many organizational change efforts fail to be implemented successfully. This certificate helps managers, HR professionals, trainers and others provide guidance to their organizations to increase the success rates of change efforts and to leverage the creativity of the workforce in the midst of change.”
Faculty from the highly regarded Penn State workforce education program will teach the courses online.
The certificate in organization development and change essentials offers a foundation in theory and practice. The certificate in consulting skills will help develop the student’s assessment, diagnostic and consulting abilities, while the operational excellence certificate will focus on improving change processes and applying that knowledge to project management.
Upon completion, graduates will have the skills and knowledge to work in private industry, government agencies and non-profit organizations. The credits can also be applied to Penn State’s online master of professional studies in organization development and change.
“We are pleased to have these new certificate programs available online,” said David Sylvia, director of graduate programs at World Campus. “Individuals can now gain expertise in focused areas of organization development without leaving their jobs and moving to the resident campus, and credits earned in the certificate will count toward the master’s degree if they choose to pursue an advanced degree.”
For more information about the new certificates, visit the program’s website.