Certificate in Human Resources Management

Human resource management in the global marketplace of the twenty-first century has evolved far beyond the traditional personnel functions of the past. The strategic role of HR in planning and operating organizations is the critical factor in the attainment of organizational goals. An organization’s unique advantage over its competitors has become increasingly dependent upon a firm’s ability to manage its most valuable asset, its employees.

Those who pursue the Certificate in Human Resources Management may come from varied backgrounds in terms of work experience and/or academic history; however, what they will have in common is the need and desire for knowledge in the field of human resource management in order to function more effectively in the workplace whether they aspire to a career in human resource management or not.

Anyone who wishes to earn a Certificate in Human Resources Management at Concordia University Chicago must be officially admitted to the program. The requirements are:

  • Complete an application online or request one from the Institute of Professional Studies)
  • A minimum 2.0 GPA (on a 4-point scale) from previous college credit (submission of official transcripts are required)
  • Three years’ full-time work experience outside the home
  • Three semester hours of college-level writing
  • Three-hour oral communication course

Certificate Requirements

To obtain a Certificate in Human Resources Management, admitted students must successfully complete the following fifteen hours of coursework:

  • OMP-4000: Group and Organizational Dynamics (3 hours)
  • OMP-4440: Human Resource Management (3 hours)
  • CMGT-4030: Human Resource Development (3 hours)
  • CBUS-4040: Employment Law (3 hours)
  • CMGT-4035: Recruitment and Retention (3 hours)

Course Descriptions

OMP-4000: Group and Organizational Dynamics (3 hours)

Small group communication, dealing with positive feedback, principles of small discussions. Project planning, managing people, small group participation, re-engineering organizations. Understanding interpersonal communications, brainstorming process, decision-making and conflict resolution and diagnosing group effectiveness.

OMP-4440: Human Resource Management (3 hours)

Personnel function, development, and organizational structure. Developing job descriptions, personnel planning and forecasting, internal and external recruitment, personnel selection and orientation, legal aspects of personnel. Employee benefits and costs, performance appraisal and discipline, labor relations, unions, and negotiation.

CMGT-4030: Human Resource Development (3 hours)

An overview of human resource training and development, alignment of organizational goals and employees’ goals, maintaining a learning-oriented workforce, individual career planning and development activities, performance appraisal, and motivation. Prerequisite: OMP-4440.

CBUS-4040: Employment Law (3 hours)

Focuses on American law pertaining to private sector labor problems. Case studies in sexual harassment, unfair labor practices, Title VII, and the legal ramifications of decisions in the business community. Prerequisite: OMP-4440.

CMGT-4035: Recruitment and Retention (3 hours)

In-depth examination of multiple techniques and strategies for effective recruitment and retention of qualified employees; utilization of technology in recruitment; discussion of ethical and diversity issues related to recruitment and retention. Prerequisite: OMP-4440.