Organization Development and Human Resource Development (OD&HRD)

The modern knowledge economy has changed the nature of organizations, careers, and jobs. These changes necessitate the continuous development of individuals’ knowledge and skills as well as developing the organizations where they work. Organization-development and human-resource-development professionals help to create the work settings that are attentive to both organization and human needs as well as prepare individuals for their current and future careers.

This concentration prepares students to:

  • Design, develop, and evaluate the learning initiatives in organizations
  • Provide both training and non-training solutions to organization problems
  • Create environments that are attentive to both individual and organizational needs

Graduates typically work at Human Resource Development, Talent Development, Organization Development, Training, or Learning and Development departments in a broad range of public and private, for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

The Master's degree in Organization, Information and Learning Sciences is offered under two options.

Plan III: Coursework (30 credit hours)

Plan I: Thesis (36 credit hours)

Required Core Courses (15 credit hours) Plan III

Course NumberCourse TitleCredit Hours

(OILS 535

and

OILS 536)

or

OILS 545

Culture and Global eLearning I1
Culture and Global eLearning II2
Cross-Cultural Issues in Adult Learning3
OILS 541The Adult Learner3
OILS 544Program Evaluation3

OILS 543

or 

(OILS 546 

and

OILS 547)

Instructional Design

 

Framing Designs for Learning

 

Prototyping Designs for Learning

3

 

2

 

1

OILS 597Capstone3
Concentration (15 credit hours)
Choose from: Adult Education and Professional Development; eLearning; Instructional Design and Technology; Learning Officer; Organization Development and Human Resource Development.

 

15

Plan III Total30

**Students must register for OILS 597 Capstone. The Capstone is offered as a 1 credit hour segment 5 times an academic year (Fall 1st Half, Fall 2nd Half, Spring 1st Half, Spring 2nd Half, and Summer). Students should repeat the course three times to fulfill the requirement for 3 credit hours. Students may take the 1 credit hour segments consecutively, but it is not required. For students who plan to graduate in one year, students should take the first Capstone during their second semester. For Students who plan to graduate in two+ years, students may take the first Capstone towards the second to last semester.**

Required Courses for the Organization Development and Human Resource Development (OD&HRD) Concentration (9 credit hours)

Course NumberCourse TitleCredit Hours
OILS 540Foundations of Human Resource Development3
OILS 542Theory and Practice of Organizational Learning3
OILS 551Training and Development3

Elective Courses for the (OD&HRD) Concentration (9 credit hours)

Students may select 6 additional hours of electives from the following list selected in consultation with their advisors. Other OILS classes may be substituted as well.

Course NumberCourse TitleCredit Hours
OILS 554Consulting and Project Management3
OILS 557Human Performance Improvement3
OILS 558Leading Change3

 

Required Core Courses (12 credit hours) Plan I

Course NumberCourse TitleCredit Hours

(OILS 535

and

OILS 536)

or

OILS 545

Culture and Global eLearning I

and 

Culture and Global eLearning II

or

Cross-Cultural Issues in Adult Learning

1

 

2

 

3

OILS 541The Adult Learner3
OILS 544Program Evaluation3
OILS 546Framing Designs for Learning2
OILS 547Prototyping Designs for Learning1
Area of Focus (12 credit hours)
Students will work with their advisors to select relevant courses to strengthen their preparation in specific areas of their choosing.12
Research Methods (6 credit hours)
Research methods courses, such as OILS 570 and/or OILS 604, with advisor permission.6
Master's Thesis (6 credit hours)
OILS 599Master's Thesis6
Plan I Total36