Fundamentals of Human Resources Certificate Program | Northwestern SPS - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

Organizations are a part of our everyday lives. Whether at work, school, church etc., similar interpersonal and group behaviors and dynamics apply. The focus of this course is to examine several aspects of organizations from an integrated perspective, including how the formal organization, culture, people and work can all connect to transform inputs to outputs. Emphasis will be placed on understanding individual differences as the foundation of our interpersonal and managerial effectiveness. Case studies, classroom and online discussions, team assignments and presentations will all be part of the learning. At the end of the class, it is anticipated that students will have a better understanding of today's complex organizations and more equipped to navigate the workplace.

This course combines in-person sessions with online components - BLP in-person Saturday dates are: 1/8, 1/22, 2/5, 2/19 and 3/5 on the Chicago campus. For the lecture and discussion components, this course is paired with ORG BEH 311-CN. This course is part of the Business Leadership year one curriculum.

Our contemporary lives are shaped by participation in commercial, social, and government organizations. This course uses social science research to explicate the dimensions of formal organizations and show how they influence our public and private behavior. The course will investigate sources of organizational success (positive function) and failure. Students will learn how to address organizational dysfunction through applying research-based solutions. Exercises include case study scenarios, role-play videos, simulations, and path-dependent decision making. By the end of the course, students will be able to diagnose organizational problems and devise targeted remedies. This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.

This section has been cancelled as of November 30, 2021.

The course will explore how HR has evolved from its inception to the present day HR function - and the direction organizations need it to continue to move toward. The majority of the course will focus on ensuring the students learn that to be an effective leader within any organization, they must consider themselves as human resources managers. To accomplish this, each student will learn the key responsibilities and competencies of a cutting-edge human resources leader.

Conflict takes place daily in all organizations, regardless of size. Research indicates ways to deal with misunderstood and mismanaged conflict. In this course, we will focus on two types of conflict: conflict that is positive and has the ability to increase productivity, effectiveness, and satisfaction; conflict that will result in negative outcomes. Recognizing both the positive and negative impact of conflict is essential. With that knowledge, you can develop positive strategies to maintain excellent working relationships and address issues as they occur. Our goals, then, are to identify conflict, determine whether it is positive or negative, and resolve it to the benefit of all.

Conflict takes place daily in all organizations, regardless of size. Research indicates ways to deal with misunderstood and mismanaged conflict. In this course, we will focus on two types of conflict: conflict that is positive and has the ability to increase productivity, effectiveness, and satisfaction; conflict that will result in negative outcomes. Recognizing both the positive and negative impact of conflict is essential. With that knowledge, you can develop positive strategies to maintain excellent working relationships and address issues as they occur. Our goals, then, are to identify conflict, determine whether it is positive or negative, and resolve it to the benefit of all. This course is part of the Business Leadership year one curriculum.

This course reviews policy, procedural guidelines, and supervisory practices relating to hiring, promotion, compensation, discharge, employment-at-will, and affirmative-action issues. The course is designed to equip current and future managers with the ability to anticipate and prevent discrimination complaints related to protected characteristics such as race, sex, national origin, age, religion, and disability. The class is structured in a blended format, with alternating weeks of in-class meetings and online participation. The in-class meetings will include lecture/discussion, case analysis, group activities, short video clips and interactive multimedia exercises. In-person meeting days are: 1/11, 1/25, 2/8, 2/22, and 3/7. Carries business credit. 

This course reviews policy, procedural guidelines, and supervisory practices relating to hiring, promotion, compensation, discharge, employment-at-will, and affirmative-action issues. The course is designed to equip current and future managers with the ability to anticipate and prevent discrimination complaints related to protected characteristics such as race, sex, national origin, age, religion, and disability. Carries business credit. This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.

This course equips HR professionals—or those who aim for HR careers or who seek to collaborate effectively with HR--to design high-impact professional development courses for employees across a broad spectrum of experience levels and business sectors. The course is organized into three parts: fundamental learning theories; course development through a practicum; and presentations of the final curriculum. 

This course combines classroom lecture and discussion with an online component. In-class remote sessions will meet 9/25, 10/9, 10/23, 11/6, and 11/20.