Since master's degree candidates in organizational learning and HRD (OLHRD) seek degrees primarily to enter the professional fields of training and development, performance consulting, performance analysis, organizational change, or other non-academic areas of organizational learning and HRD, we will now offer a M. Ed. practitioner option (internship and capstone experience).
The rationale for the M.Ed. practitioner option in organizational learning and HRD is threefold:
- To more fully respond to the needs of the OLHRD profession for graduates who possess a comprehensive knowledge base related to the theory and practice of organizational learning and HRD administration and who are able to use this knowledge base in their practice (professional core, electives and research courses).
- To provide OLHRD students the opportunity to formally integrate theory and practice (OLHRD 547, Internship).
- To provide student the opportunity to focus on current issues, which will enable students to integrate theory, research, and experience in a meaningful way and provide them with opportunities to apply their learning (OLHRD 598, Capstone Seminar, new course).
Coursework (36 cr.)
Program participants will acquire new skills and knowledge through a combination of required and elective course work, research methodologies, and structured field experience. The M. Ed. practitioners degrees with a specialization in organizational learning and HRD (OLHRD) requires students to complete a minimum of 36 hours and is comprised of four (5) components:
- All master's degree students (OLHRD) will be required to take a common professional core consisting of twenty one (21) credit hours.*
- Students will engage in a three (3) credit hour supervised internship (OLHRD 547) to insure that theory-to-practice connections are being made.**
- A minimum of six (6) credit hours of elective course work will be required of all students. Elective courses will be chosen in consultation with the student's advisor to provide in depth knowledge or expertise in a particular area of interest, provide a broader knowledge base for the student, or provide additional knowledge in the area of professional practice for the student. These elective courses may be taken within the department, college, or university.
- Each student will be required to take three (3) credit hours of research methods designed to provide them with the competencies and skills to understand, evaluate, and review research projects and activities.
- Students will enroll in a three (3) credit hour capstone seminar (OLHRD 548 Capstone Seminar, new course) that will focus on the application of theory and research in students' professional settings.***
Students will prepare a comprehensive written report discussing the practical experiences in which they have been involved during their masters program and detailing how their study of theory and research has informed their thinking and their activities in these settings. This report will be submitted to their final examination committee.
The final oral examination will involve a review of the student's comprehensive final paper as well as an examination of the student's ability to make meaningful theory- to-practice connections with regard to current issues in the field of organizational learning and HRD. The student's major professor, another member of the Organizational Learning and HRD faculty, and a faculty member from outside the College of Education will compose the examination committee.
The proposed curriculum content has been further refined by comparing it with other academic programs in OLHRD (Western Michigan University, University of Nebraska, University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, Penn State University, Purdue University, George Washington University, University of Georgia-Athens, Oklahoma State University, Virginia Tech University, Texas A&M University), interviewing organizational learning and HRD leaders, and through discussions with members of the Academy for Human Resources Development (AHRD).
M. Ed in Organizational Leaning and HRD (Practitioner Degree)
Professional Core (21 Credits)*
| Foundation of Organizational Learning and HRD |
OLHRD 540 |
3 cr. |
| Adult and Organizational Learning |
OLHRD 541 |
3 cr. |
| Program Development and Evaluation in HRD |
OLHRD 542 |
3 cr. |
| Strategically Integrated HRD |
OLHRD 543 |
3 cr. |
| Performance Improvement and Change through Learning Interventions |
OLHRD 544 |
3 cr. |
| Learning Acquisition and Transfer |
OLHRD 545 |
3 cr. |
| HRD Consulting |
OLHRD 546 |
3 cr. |
Practicum/Internship (3 Credits) **
| Practicum/Internship |
OLHRD 547 |
3 cr. |
Electives (6 Credits)............................................................................................6 cr.
Research Methodologies (3 Credits)
| Educational Research |
ResEv 550 |
3 cr. |
Culmination Experience (3 Credits)***
| Capstone Seminar |
OLHRD 598 |
3 cr. |
Total Credits Required: ....................................................................................36 Credits
