Course Schedule for Summer 2018

Analyzing and Addressing Institutional Discrimination

Institutional discrimination is a form of discrimination that occurs in institutions such as public bodies, corporations, and universities. Institutional discrimination is distinguished from the bigotry, bias and cross-cultural insensitivity of individuals by the existence of systematic, structural policies and practices that have the unintended effect of disadvantaging certain groups based on their social identity. Many organizations have done a significant amount of work in addressing issues of diversity and inclusion at the individual and interpersonal level, but have yet to address how policies, practices, and procedures can be institutionalized along race, class, gender and other lines. As a result, institutionally discriminatory behaviors, policies and practices persist. This course will provide an in-depth understanding of the forms of institutional discrimination embedded in many organizations. Participants will focus on ways to dismantle discriminatory behaviors, policies and practices and learn to design and implement systems that create an inclusive, culturally competent, and discrimination-free culture.

MPS HR Capstone

This three-credit course will be the culmination of the student’s academic and professional experience in the MPS program. Over the course of the semester, students will work with an organization to help address a real life problem in the organization. The problems will be based on the concentrations of International Human Resources Management, Diversity and Inclusion or Strategic Human Capital Management. Working with their advisor, students will present the resolution to an issue to the sponsoring organization in a reasoned, systemic way. In an effort to ensure a high quality project, the capstone will also include research methods which will provide a foundation in research methods for students for their capstone. Students will learn how to design a research proposal, how to define with specificity and particularity, objectives of research, how to conduct literature reviews and how to assess and implement appropriate research methods based on the needs of the project. The course covers both qualitative methods such as case studies, questionnaires, surveys and interview techniques and an introduction to quantitative methods and data analysis. The faculty advisor will work closely with the student and the sponsoring organization to ensure that the project comprehensively addresses the issue and demonstrates the depth of competency the student gained through the Master of Professional Studies program. In addition to other requirements, students must earn a grade of "B" or higher in the Capstone course to qualify for graduation.

Note: Course is a core requirement of the MPS degree. A grade of "B" or higher is needed to pass this course. Additional 90 minute learning component required.

Coaching Skills for HR Profs

The Human Resources field is changing with increasing pressure to serve as strategic business partners and help organizations use human capital to gain an advantage over competitors. This includes increased emphasis on employee development and change initiatives, making coaching skills increasingly relevant for HR professionals. Depending on the position (e.g., internal, external) or role, HR professionals may encounter the need to sponsor, coordinate, or even offer coaching services. This course provides students with an understanding of the coaching domain and how HR can use it to enhance organizational performance. Students will practice coaching skills relevant to HR professionals and explore the application of those skills to a variety of HR topics through case studies and role play exercises.

Note: Additional 90 minute learning component required.

Corp Communication

This course is designed to provide communications professionals with a deep understanding of the interplay between the many corporate communications functions and best-practice approaches to their strategic integration. We will examine how successful communicators leverage the skills of influence, persuasion and organizational awareness to establish themselves as true business partners and, ultimately, maximize their contributions to and impact on the business. In addition to completing the assigned readings, students will survey – and challenge – a broad range of best practices as we consider case studies compiled from organizations of all types and size. Every third class will serve as a lab practical to reinforce the concepts discussed during the prior two sessions, and to give students a chance to apply relevant theories, principles and experiences to real-life scenarios. Working in small groups, the students will devise original solutions to address their assigned issues. The solutions will be submitted for comment and analysis, and some work will be discussed and presented during class time. Upon conclusion of the course, students will have a timely, finely-tuned perspective on how to sell themselves and their know-how to senior teams by partnering with a business and its leaders to build strategies that enable and support business goals.

Found of Training & Dev

This class will give students an overview of strategic training and development. Students will examine the issues involved in the design and leadership of a organization-wide training function, as well as a hand’s on understanding of the process of developing training initiatives. Topics include training needs assessment, instructional design, training development and training evaluation. This hands on course will give students the opportunity to develop a training solution for an organizational issue. Students may choose to work on training initiative in a variety of topics including training focused on diversity and inclusion, as well as international/expatriate training.

Foundations of HR

This course focuses on the core competencies that are essential for effectively working in the field of Human Resources (HR) and lays the groundwork for a successful journey through Georgetown’s School of Continuing Studies Master of Professional Studies in Human Resources Management program. The semester begins with a macro view of the field and its role as a critical strategic business partner to the organizations in which it functions. This “helicopter view” of HR will examine the role of HR from a strategic perspective as well as a tactical or operations perspective, and the nature of HR in different types of organizations (private enterprise, government, nonprofit, academia) will be introduced. This initial focus on the macro organization level will help establish the importance of systems thinking as a critical skill from the beginning of the course. In addition to looking outward at the field of human resources, students will be asked to look inward at themselves in order to begin their journey to increased self-awareness and personal development. Self-awareness is a cornerstone of effective interpersonal interaction, and HR professionals who have insight into their own personalities, needs, tendencies and styles can consciously choose behaviors that will allow them to be most effective in their roles as Human Resources professionals interacting with individuals, groups, and organizations. Throughout the semester, the major functions of Human Resources will be examined, along with the Human Resource professional’s role in each of those functions. Human Resource Competencies (or, what makes a Human Resource professional successful in the major functions) will be discussed in relationship to different career stages (Early Level, Mid Level, Senior Level, and Executive Level). In addition, the skills, competencies, and individual characteristics that students will be expected to gain by the time they complete the HRM program will be clearly laid out and explained, so that students can learn to manage their own growth and development throughout the program. Students will be provided with the basic skill-set and framework required for the more specialized and advanced concentration courses in the curriculum. Moreover, through the use of readings, lectures, group presentations and real-world case studies, students will gain a basic understanding and appreciation of concepts and issues relating to core HR areas including: Strategy, Talent Management, Total Rewards, Employment Law, Human Resource Development, Employee and Labor Relations, and Risk Management. Students will be expected to learn these basics while developing an awareness of the challenges facing the HR profession today.

Independent Study

Note: Please contact HRM program for information.

Project Mgmt Fundamental

This course provides an overview of the project management lifecycle and associated processes. Students gain a solid grounding in fundamental project management concepts and learn how to develop a project charter, components of a project management plan, a work breakdown structure (WBS), and a risk management plan. Assignments include the creation of a communications management plan, a realistic schedule, a change management plan, and an on-the-job action plan. Participants learn what is required to monitor and report project statuses, as well as how to successfully close out a project and capture the value of lessons learned. Note: Students who have a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in good standing have the option to waive the Project Management Fundamental course. Approved students will instead complete a three-credit elective course.

Staffing the Org.

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.

Note: Additional 90 minute learning component required.

Strategic Planning & HR Strat.

Significant attention is often placed on the role of the HR practitioner as a “Strategic Partner.” “Strategic Planning and Human Resources Strategy” provides an introduction to the business strategic planning process and the role that the human resources process plays in it. Guided by the company’s purpose and mission, an organization develops a strategic plan to ensure that all its activities are integrated and reflect long-term goals. This course will examine the strategic planning process, with an emphasis on the financial, market, and organizational forces that impact strategic choices. Having laid a general foundation in strategy formulation, the course will explore the role that the human resources function plays in the development of organizational strategy. Finally, the course will turn to the responsibility of human resources to develop HR strategies that are aligned to the organization’s strategy and empower HR to advance the company’s purpose and mission. Throughout the course, practical examples of organizational strategic plans supplement assigned readings and classroom discussions. By the conclusion of the course, students will feel comfortable participating in and contributing to the strategic planning process. Students will also have an understanding of how to position the HR function to contribute strategically to the organization.

Workplace Ethics

This three-credit core course is required for all MPS students. It will emphasize core values endemic to the professional world, cutting across several disciplines but with a particular focus on the connections between applied ethics and human resources and diversity. Professionals in various fields, such as H.R., diversity, business, and government, will guest lecture and present the students with real-world case studies which gives them the opportunity to apply ethical principles to their work. The Ethics course is required of all MPS students and should be taken in the first semester of study. In addition to other requirements, students must earn a grade of "B" or higher in the Ethics course to qualify for graduation.

Note: Core requirement of the MPS degree. A grade of "B" or higher is needed to pass.