Course Schedule for Fall 2019

MPS HR Capstone

The HRM Capstone is the culminating experience of the Georgetown Master’s in HRM program. It represents a crowning achievement as a capstone does in architecture, and provides students with an opportunity to apply the knowledge, skills and competencies gained from all their coursework to complex real-world organizational challenges. Through the culminating experience, students complete unique and original projects that make a creative contribution that advances an organization or the HR profession. This contribution may take the form of a consulting engagement with partnering organizations or an applied research project, and requires students to demonstrate mastery of the seven program learning outcomes: creative & critical thinking; global competence; ethical reasoning and values; applied problem solving; information literacy; technological competence; and communication. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor, and can choose to work on a broad-based HR project, or in a specialized area, including: talent and organization development; global HR; diversity and inclusion; and HR analytics and technology. Note: This course is a core requirement for the MPS degree. A grade of “B” or higher is needed to pass this course.

MPS HR Capstone

The HRM Capstone is the culminating experience of the Georgetown Master’s in HRM program. It represents a crowning achievement as a capstone does in architecture, and provides students with an opportunity to apply the knowledge, skills and competencies gained from all their coursework to complex real-world organizational challenges. Through the culminating experience, students complete unique and original projects that make a creative contribution that advances an organization or the HR profession. This contribution may take the form of a consulting engagement with partnering organizations or an applied research project, and requires students to demonstrate mastery of the seven program learning outcomes: creative & critical thinking; global competence; ethical reasoning and values; applied problem solving; information literacy; technological competence; and communication. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor, and can choose to work on a broad-based HR project, or in a specialized area, including: talent and organization development; global HR; diversity and inclusion; and HR analytics and technology. Note: This course is a core requirement for the MPS degree. A grade of “B” or higher is needed to pass this course.

Note: Core requirement for MPS degree. Minimum grade of "B" needed to pass.

Creating and Maintaining High-Performance Organizations

The Creating and Maintaining High-Performance Organizations course helps students develop the methods and skills needed to drive performance while maintaining a highly effective work culture. It will help students develop tools to increase performance across the organization and support the achievement of business objectives, while building the leadership capabilities to meet future business needs. This course provides a systemic view of the organization, best practices for creating a productive climate, and the tools and leadership practices to implement these ideas. This course combines theory and case studies. The main resource for the theory part is two assigned textbooks. The cases and supplementary readings are available as a course reader at the bookstore. The focus of this course will be applied and practice-oriented.

Employment Relations and the Law

This course focuses on one of the core competency areas that are essential for effectively working in Human Resources (HR). The critical role of HR practitioners in employee and labor relations is the primary topic. They must apply legal and practical approaches to building positive employee/labor relations and solving related problems. HR practitioners should be involved early and often, continually scanning the workplace and championing pro-active problem-solving before and when symptoms of problems appear. Students will be provided with the basic skill-set and framework, and through the use of readings, research, lectures, group presentations and real-world case studies, students will build their knowledge of concepts and issues relating to employee/labor relations and law. These issues include advising managers, building collaboration and engaging employees, protecting employee, management and union rights, dispute resolution, dealing with misconduct, discrimination and harassment, disciplinary action, managing and acting on performance, labor issues, workplace violence, judicial proceedings and other matters.

Foundations of HR

The increasing professionalization of HR in recent decades has brought to the fore the importance of acquiring a body of competency and knowledge for practitioners in the field. Furthermore, organizations operating in dynamic and complex business environments expect their HR partners to have advanced technical knowledge in emerging fields of specialization, e.g. HR analytics and technology, talent and organization development, diversity and inclusion, and global HR. This course will provide you with foundational HR knowledge and skills, and prepare you to succeed on the advanced and specialized courses you will be taking on the Georgetown HRM program. The course begins with a macro view of the field of HR, examining the role of HR from a strategic, as well as a tactical or operational perspective. Through real-world case studies, application exercises and group projects, you will explore the key functional areas of HR, from Talent Acquisition and Management, to Learning and Development, Total Rewards Management, Employment Law, and Employee and Labor Relations.

Foundations of HR

The increasing professionalization of HR in recent decades has brought to the fore the importance of acquiring a body of competency and knowledge for practitioners in the field. Furthermore, organizations operating in dynamic and complex business environments expect their HR partners to have advanced technical knowledge in emerging fields of specialization, e.g. HR analytics and technology, talent and organization development, diversity and inclusion, and global HR. This course will provide you with foundational HR knowledge and skills, and prepare you to succeed on the advanced and specialized courses you will be taking on the Georgetown HRM program. The course begins with a macro view of the field of HR, examining the role of HR from a strategic, as well as a tactical or operational perspective. Through real-world case studies, application exercises and group projects, you will explore the key functional areas of HR, from Talent Acquisition and Management, to Learning and Development, Total Rewards Management, Employment Law, and Employee and Labor Relations.

Note: This course meets online.

Foundations of HR

The increasing professionalization of HR in recent decades has brought to the fore the importance of acquiring a body of competency and knowledge for practitioners in the field. Furthermore, organizations operating in dynamic and complex business environments expect their HR partners to have advanced technical knowledge in emerging fields of specialization, e.g. HR analytics and technology, talent and organization development, diversity and inclusion, and global HR. This course will provide you with foundational HR knowledge and skills, and prepare you to succeed on the advanced and specialized courses you will be taking on the Georgetown HRM program. The course begins with a macro view of the field of HR, examining the role of HR from a strategic, as well as a tactical or operational perspective. Through real-world case studies, application exercises and group projects, you will explore the key functional areas of HR, from Talent Acquisition and Management, to Learning and Development, Total Rewards Management, Employment Law, and Employee and Labor Relations.

Note: This course meets online.

Global Human Resources Management

This course explores the continuing evolution of International HR management in an increasingly global business environment. It focuses on a number of specific areas faced by multinational organizations, including business structures, international ethics, international training and performance management, global CSR, and security issues. The course also investigates how HR is influenced by culture, and how different regions approach HR management.

Note: This course meets online.

Global Human Resources Management

This course explores the continuing evolution of International HR management in an increasingly global business environment. It focuses on a number of specific areas faced by multinational organizations, including business structures, international ethics, international training and performance management, global CSR, and security issues. The course also investigates how HR is influenced by culture, and how different regions approach HR management.

Note: This course meets online.

Strategic Thinking & Financial Acumen for HR

The most concise definition of “strategy” is also the most elegant: a strategy is an integrated set of choices. Creating an integrated set of choices and then implementing them can be a powerful prescription for change, but doing so is also fraught with challenge. Among other things, the capable strategist must: See past the presenting problem(s). Unearth the underlying problem(s). Employ systems thinking, which includes understanding that in organizations, nothing operates in a vacuum. Rather, any one element affects every other element. “If you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other.” Complete a comprehensive analysis—often quantitative and qualitative—of factors contributing to the underlying problem(s). Draw thoughtful conclusions from the analysis, and use those conclusions to create a strategic solution to the underlying problem(s), often one that considers the impact of the solution now and over the long-term. Articulate specific and detailed tactics and action steps that directly support the strategic framework. Communicate, socialize, and sell the strategic solution to key stakeholders, establishing commitment over compliance. Implement each tactic of the strategic solution with focus and discipline, often over a long time horizon. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the strategic solution, course-correcting when necessary. This approach is essential to the modern, 21st century HR practitioner, who is increasingly central to most organizations’ effectiveness. Today, organizations compete on three criteria: (1) ideas, (2) speed, and (3) talent, with talent being the lynchpin of the three. Talent gives rise to innovative ideas, and talent executes those ideas rapidly, enabling an organization to reach the market faster than its competitors. The principles also hold in the public and non-profit sectors. Hence, a strategic approach to Human Resources can enable a business and its employees to thrive and grow.

Human Capital Analytics

The twenty-first century has ushered in a new era of data and analytics. This presents a unique opportunity for HR professionals to establish themselves as credible business partners, helping organizations to leverage analytics to make smarter talent and strategic decisions. This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to unlock the power of people data. From basic data reporting, statistical analysis, and benchmarking (descriptive analytics) to advanced quantitative analysis and modeling (predictive analytics), you will learn tools and techniques for data analysis. The course provides practical tips to help you translate your analytical findings into impactful HR solutions, and communicate your findings through persuasive visualization and storytelling. Ethical and legal issues that may arise from using analytics to make HR decisions will also be explored. Using real-world case studies, application exercises and group projects, you will learn how to develop a data-driven decision-making mindset, to improve the way organizations recruit, deploy, develop, assess, reward and retain talent.

Organization Development & Change

In today’s increasingly dynamic, volatile and complex world, change is inevitable. From private enterprises to public sector and nonprofit organizations, change initiatives have become more frequent and widespread, as organizations strive to cope with rapidly shifting environmental conditions, new technologies, demanding customers and stakeholders, and dynamic markets. But despite the necessity and frequency of change, several studies continue to cite a high failure rate of change initiatives. This presents serious challenges—and opportunities—for HR professionals, as they are uniquely positioned to promote employee buy-in and drive change forward. This course will prepare you to be a successful change agent. We will examine how Organization Development and Change concepts and methods can be used to effectively design and implement change initiatives. Through insightful readings, peer learning and dialogue, and a semester-long real-world application project, you will explore the OD process in depth: from the entry and contracting phase, to data gathering, diagnosis and feedback, conducting interventions, and evaluating and ending an engagement.

Research Process and Methodology

As scientific research output on human resources management continues to grow rapidly, there is wide acceptance of the need for HR professionals to embrace evidence-based practice. This requires using the best available scientific evidence, as well as systematically gathering organizational facts, data, indicators, and metrics. The Research Process and Methodology course is designed to help you become a more sophisticated consumer and producer of research. As a consumer, the course will equip you with the skills to make informed, critical, and cautious use of published research. A central focus of the course is preparing you to produce high-quality research. You will learn how to formulate research questions, conduct a literature review, design research projects, and collect, analyze and interpret data using qualitative and quantitative methods. Employing a learning-by-doing approach, you will refine your research skills, develop a research proposal, and gain the foundational knowledge and skills to leverage HR research and analytics for effective problem-solving and decision-making.

Strategic Human Capital Development

This interactive, theoretically anchored, and applied course is aimed at understanding the process and practice of developing human capital. It focuses on the strategic development of talent framed within the context of talent leadership. It is anchored in business strategy and views the arena of talent management as a critical means to achieve competitive advantage. As human resource competencies have become a significant competitive advantage both in North America and globally, the pace and intensity of organizational training has increased dramatically. Organization Development/Effectiveness groups must demonstrate not only that their programs provide enhanced employee competencies, but that those competencies are of strategic value to the organization. Some organizations now include continuous learning, often called the "learning organization", as part of their strategy. As a company's strategies change, and the types of management competencies and profiles need to change as well, Human Resource Development is responsible for this alignment. We will address these and related issues based on the belief that effective development practices are determined by the organizational context in which they occur.

Talent Acquisition & Mgmt.

The class will focus on the role that systematic staffing practices play in a firms talent management process. Topics include human resource planning, recruitment, assessment and testing, selection, placement and on-boarding. The course will draw on the behavioral science literature dealing with assessment and selection, as well as the legal and strategic issues involved in systematic staffing efforts. The role of staffing in facilitating diversity and inclusion will be a particular focus of the course.

Workplace Ethics

There seems to be a never-ending cycle of corporate scandals — employee mistreatment, accounting fraud, insider trading, bribery and corruption, among other types of misconduct — prompting debates about the role and effectiveness of HR in creating an ethical workplace culture. Unquestionably, HR professionals are uniquely positioned to identify, prevent and correct ethics scandals due to their outsize role in hiring, training and evaluating employees. This course will prepare you to act as an ethical agent. Combining theory with practice, you will learn how individual and collective values, belief systems, and moral philosophies impact individual and organizational actions. You will also explore critical factors that shape ethical decision-making and workplace ethics, from leadership styles, to gender and generational differences, and how to embed social responsibility, corporate governance, and sustainability into workplace practices. Through experiential exercises, case studies, and group projects, you will learn evidence-based tools and strategies to navigate common ethical landmines. Note: Core requirement for MPS-HRM degree. Minimum grade required is “B” to continue eligibility toward graduation.

Note: Core requirement for MPS-HRM degree. Minimum grade required is “B” to continue eligibility toward graduation. This course meets online.

Workplace Ethics

There seems to be a never-ending cycle of corporate scandals — employee mistreatment, accounting fraud, insider trading, bribery and corruption, among other types of misconduct — prompting debates about the role and effectiveness of HR in creating an ethical workplace culture. Unquestionably, HR professionals are uniquely positioned to identify, prevent and correct ethics scandals due to their outsize role in hiring, training and evaluating employees. This course will prepare you to act as an ethical agent. Combining theory with practice, you will learn how individual and collective values, belief systems, and moral philosophies impact individual and organizational actions. You will also explore critical factors that shape ethical decision-making and workplace ethics, from leadership styles, to gender and generational differences, and how to embed social responsibility, corporate governance, and sustainability into workplace practices. Through experiential exercises, case studies, and group projects, you will learn evidence-based tools and strategies to navigate common ethical landmines. Note: Core requirement for MPS-HRM degree. Minimum grade required is “B” to continue eligibility toward graduation.

Note: Core requirement for MPS-HRM degree. Minimum grade required is “B” to continue eligibility toward graduation. This course meets online.