Our graduate certificate program in Organizational Consulting is intended for the professionals who want to serve in a consulting role within their organization or as an external consultant. Through coursework in this program, you will:
- Learn the various roles, functions, skills, and knowledge needed for internal and external consultants to help solve human performance problems.
- Learn an integrated approach to large-scale change in organizations. Case studies will provide opportunities to develop diagnostics skills and intervention plans, while experiential learning and a team project will be used to develop a toolbox of specific intervention technique and skills.
- Gain hands-on consulting experience through a highly structured internship where students will be placed into consulting firms under the mentorship of a seasoned consultant.
The Organizational Consulting graduate certificate is a 4-course, 12-credit program. These credits can also be applied toward obtaining the M.P.S. in I/O Psychology or the M.A. in Learning and Performance Technology.
Required Courses (6 Credits)
PSYC 670 is required in the first semester and is a prerequisite for all other I/O Psychology courses.
PSYC 670: Industrial/Organizational Psychology
This course covers a general survey of industrial psychology, including such topics as personnel selection and evaluation, job satisfaction, environmental factors, and current research on individual behavior in complex organizations. *Note that this course serves as a pre- or co-requisite for all M.P.S.: I/O Psychology courses.
PSYC 690: Practicum
The Practicum for I/O Psychology is a specialty course offering within the UMBC I/O program. The overall goal is to provide students with an opportunity to accrue applied experience in the fields of I/O or HR under the mentorship of an I/O or HR executive or highly accomplished and degreed professional. Representative job titles for the qualifying mentor include Senior Consultant or Principal, CHRO or VP of Human Resources. The Practicum context must be carefully selected a priori in order to provide a meaningful experience that is worthy of the three academic credits in the program. This will include an assignment consisting of 16-20 hours per week on-site (in-person or remote) in an organization where the student is not currently employed. Course registration must be with permission of GPD
Prerequisite: PSYC 670, second year standing, and consent of Graduate Program Director.
Elective Courses (6 Credits)
Choose one of the following two courses:
PSYC 624: Consulting for I/O Psychology
This course examines the roles, functions, and processes used by human capital consultants to solve organizational problems. Students will acquire a broad perspective of internal and external consulting practices and experiences in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology. Active learning techniques will be used to introduce soft skills such as communication and conflict resolution as well as processes in business development and project management.
Prerequisite: PSYC 670, second year standing, and consent of instructor
LAPT/EDUC 648: Consulting for Learning and Performance Technology
Online (Spring only)
Students examine the various roles, functions, skills and knowledge needed of internal and external consultants to help solve human performance problems.
Prerequisite: LAPT/EDUC 602 and consent of department.
Choose one of the following two courses:
PSYC 682: Change Management
This course is an integrated approach to large-scale change in organizations. Change is analyzed from three levels: top management, where leadership and vision are critical, middle management, where implementation is the focus, and lower levels where receptivity and upward influence are the emphases. Cases will provide opportunities to develop diagnostics skills and intervention plans, while experiential learning and a team project is used to develop a tool box of specific intervention technique and skills.
Prerequisite: PSYC 670
PSYC 689: Strategic Planning
This course introduces students to the theories, tools, and processes for strategic planning. The course is highly applied and will provide students the opportunity to plan, conduct, and finalize a strategic plan for an actual organization. This will include preparing interview/focus group protocols, researching industry trends, reviewing historical documents, and conducting interviews/focus groups with an actual client and their leadership team. The final project for this class will be a presentation of the strategic plan to the organization’s leadership.
Prerequisite: PSYC 670
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