Northeastern Illinois University’s Human Resource Development (HRD) undergraduate program prepares students to be professionals who will be responsible for the training, education, and development of adults in settings such as business, industry, health care, social service, and government.
Students in the program will be provided opportunities to develop the knowledge and competencies necessary to meet the increasing needs that organizations have for HRD professionals. Competencies that have been identified by professional organizations have been carefully considered in the development of specific objectives for the course work in the program.
What can you do with a degree in HRD? Described below are several of the major HRD roles and their primary focus. Roles are functional groupings of products, services, or activities that an HRD practitioner delivers to others, especially to colleagues, internal customers, or clients. A job title may be the same as a role title, but an HRD job typically encompasses more than one role. For example, an individual with the job title Training Administrator may perform multiple roles such as administrator, contractor, and instructor facilitator.
ROLE | PRIMARY FUNCTION |
Administrator | Provides coordination, logistics, and support services for the delivery of HRD programs and services. |
HRD Process Coach | Gives guidance and vision to management and employees regarding the application of HRD concepts and initiatives in organizational settings. |
HRD Contractor/Outsourcing Specialist | Identifies and partners with external providers of training and development services that supplement or substitute for internal HRD resources. |
Evaluator | Identifies the measurable impact of an HRD intervention at various levels (individual, group, organization) to identify its effectiveness. |
HRD Leader | Plans, supports, leads, manages and coordinates the work of an HRD department and links that work with the total organization. |
Career Development Advisor | Assesses individual personal competencies, values, and goals and then identifies, plans, and implements career and personal developmental actions. |
Instructor / Facilitator | Presents instructional information, directs structured learning experiences, and manages group learning discussions and processes. |
HRD Marketer | Markets and promotes the HRD perspectives and values within an organization. Promotes HRD services and programs to staff and management. |
Instructional Materials Developer | Produces and publishes written, visual, and or electronically mediated instructional materials. |
Organizational Change Agent / OD | Influences and supports and manages the change process within an organizational setting. |
Needs Analyst / Performance Consultant | Identifies the gaps between ideal and actual performance conditions and determines the root causes of performance discrepancies |
Instructional Designer | Prepares learning objectives, defines training content, and selects and sequences activities for a targeted learning intervention. |
HRD Researcher | Identifies, develops, or tests new information (theories, concepts, research…) and translates the information into realistic applications for improving individual, group, and organizational performance. |
So, as you can see, a degree in HRD is very versatile and marketable! Below you will find more information about the program and my contact information. I look forward to hearing from you!
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
This program prepares students to be professionals responsible for the training, education, and development of adults in settings such as business, industry, health care, social services, and government.
Students in the program will be provided opportunities to develop the knowledge and competencies necessary to meet the increasing need that organizations have of HRD professionals. Competencies identified by professional organizations have resulted in the development of specific objectives for the course work in the program.
COMPETENCIES THAT STUDENTS WILL GAIN:
• Knowledge of different organizational settings and their most common
change/performance issue
• Knowledge of the training, educational, and development needs of organizations
• Skills in task analysis, program planning, and program design for meeting
organizational needs
• Ability to use instructional methods and technology, appropriate for the learning needs
of organizations
• Knowledge of the variety of interventions available to accomplish change in
organizations
• Sensitivity to the psychological and cultural needs of diverse populations in
accomplishing organizational change
TARGET AUDIENCE
Students with a minimum of 60 semester hours OR an AA or and are interested in careers in Learning Technologies, Workforce Development, Human Performance Improvement, and/or Instructional Design.
DELIVERY MODE
The delivery modes for the Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Development Program are blended and include synchronous remote learning (students are online with an instructor at the same time), hybrid (various percentages of in-person instruction at the University Center and online instruction), and online (asynchronous, fully online in which all requirements are completed without coming to campus).
REQUIRED COURSES FOR THE HRD MAJOR (36 credit-hours)
HRD-300 Principles and Practices in Human Resource Development—3 credits
HRD-301 Adult Teaching/Learning Process—3 credits
HRD-310 Instructional Techniques and Technology—3 credits
HRD-315 Computer Utilization in Human Resource Development—3 credits
HRD-320 Dynamics of Working with Groups and Individuals—3 credits
HRD-321 Designing Instruction in Human Resource Development—3 credits
HRD-325 Communication and Human Resource Development—3 credits
HRD-328 Organizational Project Management--3 credits.
HRD-329 Internship and Seminar in Human Resource Development—6 credits
HRD Electives*—6 credits
*Each student, after consultation with the program coordinator and/or advisor, will select
6 additional credit hours. The selection of courses will be guided by the student’s career
objectives and will focus on competencies relevant to them. Electives may include HRD
courses or relevant courses from other departments. Electives can sometimes be found
in a student’s transfer credits. Students with weaknesses in any area (such as
communication skills) may be required to select electives with the goal of developing
these skills.
APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Fall Semester: August 1
Spring Semester: November 1
Full and First Half Summer: April 1
Second Half Summer: May 1
APPLY
Click here to apply/view admission requirements
CONTACT
Dr. Shirley J. Caruso, Ed.D.
HRD Undergraduate Advisor
E-mail: s-caruso@neiu.edu
Phone: (773) 938-NEIU (6348)