Overview

Mr. Edward J. Ciaschi, Program Director

Mission

The mission of the Master of Science in Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development (OL/HRD) program is to develop the professional capacity of our graduates so they can:

• Anticipate and manage change.
• Facilitate and improve workplace effectiveness.
• Develop the leadership skills needed to become strategic partners.
• Increase individual, team, and organizational effectiveness.
• Implement the strategies and practical solutions to meet the challenges affecting the workplace.

Admission Requirements

Students who present satisfactory evidence of the ability to perform at the graduate level are fully admitted to the graduate program in Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development at St. John Fisher College. The Admissions Committee and the OL/HRD program director judge applicant qualifications. In addition to the general admission materials and credentials, the following applies:

• Completion of a minimum of two years of work experience, as evidenced in the workplace, military, community, or extracurricular activities.
• Applicants may be required to participate in additional assessments, proficiency examinations, and interviews during the application process.

For more information regarding application and admission to the Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development program, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (585) 385-8161 or by e-mail at grad@sjfc.edu.

For more specific information on the Master of Science in Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development program, please contact Mr. Edward Ciaschi, program director, at eciaschi@sjfc.edu.

About the Program

The M.S. in Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development

Developing Individuals, Teams, and Organizations Through Learning

The Master of Science in Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development program has been designed to address one of the College’s key strengths—meeting market demand to educate the future workforce. Fisher has always considered the organizational needs of the industrial, corporate, and not-for-profit communities in designing programs that will give students the competencies most desired by employers.

The market is demanding qualified and competent organizational leaders within and outside of human resources. OL/HRD is a key business need and is essential for maximizing human potential and improving human performance while still recognizing the needs of the employees within the organization. Organizations are increasingly emphasizing the competence of practitioners who are able to design, develop, and implement systems and programs that focus on employee growth and effectiveness and that strategically link to the specific goals and needs of the organization.

Various industries—profit, not-for-profit, and public—employ OL/HRD professionals. Historically, the function of the OL/HRD professional has been in the design and delivery of employee job training programs and organization development systems. Today, OL/HRD professionals are involved in a full range of job roles and interventions based on the dynamic environment of today’s workplace. Employment roles include OL/HRD manager, training director, needs analyst, internal/external consultant, change agent, organization development manager, career planning/succession planning consultant, instructional/program designer, materials developer, and instructor/facilitator.

In today’s market, OL/HRD professionals also fulfill Human Resource Management (HRM) and Human Resource Administration (HRA) roles. The American Society of Training and Development (2000) notes the forces that have influenced the growth of OL/HRD practices:

• Increased need to measure workforce productivity, performance, and cost effectiveness.
• Increased demands for demonstration of impact, quality, and practicality.
• Accelerated rate of change and uncertainty in the business environment.
• Increased emphasis on customer service and expectations of quality services.
• Increased sophistication of business processes.
• Increased organizational change efforts that focus on accountability, performance, quality, creativity, and teamwork.
• Increased demographic changes in the workforce.

The 2007 Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook predicts that employment demand for HR professionals will be strong, growing faster than the average for other occupations through 2014. In response to the complexity of new jobs and increasing efforts to recruit and retain a quality workforce, employers are expected to devote greater resources to the development of their human capital functions. Opportunities for job placement are favorable.

Program Design

The program is designed for mid-level managers in need of OL/HRD skills because their involvement in a rapidly changing workplace is increasing; people currently employed in OL/HRD functions who wish to develop themselves professionally; and people working in allied fields who wish to make a career transition to OL/HRD.

Courses meet in a weekend format. Classes meet every other weekend on Fridays from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m.

Benefits of this flexible format include:

• Students can attend college and maintain a full-time job.
• Program completion is possible in five semesters, or 21 months.
• Some independent study and online course options allow students to complete a requirement and an elective outside of the classroom.
• Students may begin the program in either the Fall or Spring semester.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Objectives

The curriculum of the OL/HRD program emphasizes the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of change processes in the workplace. The focus of these processes is at the individual, group, and organization levels rather than at the operations or management functions. As such, the curriculum focuses on the developmental needs of the employee and the relationship of those needs to the other functions of the organization.

Upon completion of the program, students will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of training, education, employee development, organization development, and career development.
• Understand the philosophy, role, and functions of OL/HRD departments in an organization.
• Conduct field assessment and analysis.
• Demonstrate competence in the roles associated with an OL/HRD professional.
• Synthesize knowledge of OL/HRD to deliver professional and ethical services to internal and external clients.
• Use and promote the research process and selected research findings and apply them to professional practice.

The three components that comprise OL/HRD—training and development, organization development, and career development—require the professional to fulfill specific roles based on competencies defined within the field. The distinct differences between each role in philosophy and practice result in the need for discrete educational preparation to facilitate the understanding of skill building in the functions of human resource development.

Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Requirements for completion of the Master of Science in Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development include:

• Completion of the required 33 credits.
• Successful completion of an applied capstone project that integrates program concepts.
• Completion of a personal, professional portfolio of applied projects.
• Attendance at four graduate seminars and workshops with local and internationally recognized professionals held on Thursday evenings or Saturday mornings. These workshops and seminars augment both practical and theoretical knowledge and skills by introducing students to cutting-edge concepts, workplace theories, and experts in the field. Topics may include empowerment; effective leadership; succession planning; talent development; consulting skills; and other pertinent topics.

M.S. in Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development Required Courses

Additional Information

The Field of OL/HRD

Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development combines the use of all developmental and learning practices in order to accomplish higher levels of human performance than would otherwise be possible. Specifically, OL/HRD is the integrated use of training and development, organization development, and career development to improve individual performance, team functioning, and organizational effectiveness. OL/HRD competencies are intended to prepare organizational leaders to work in rapidly changing environments in for-profit, not-for-profit, and educational settings.

OL/HRD functions should not be confused with other areas of Human Resources (HR), such as Human Resource Administration (HRA) or Human Resource Management (HRM). HRA focuses on the administrative functions in HR, such as HR information systems, union/labor relations, employee assistance, and compensation and benefits. HRM functions typically are limited to working within HR and include organization/job design, human resource planning, performance management systems, and selection and staffing. OL/HRD functions, on the other hand, are used by effective leaders within all organizations regardless of whether they work in HR.