Course Overview
The program is a 12-week intensive course covering the main functional areas of Human Resource Management, addressing subjects relating to People, Organization, Workplace and Strategy. Rather than using only one instructor for the course, we have slated multiple instructors so that an expert in the field will lead each of the weekly topics. In short, we have opted for professional expertise for each class over instructor continuity throughout the course. We believe the program will be of value to a wide range of individuals, from the HR professional preparing for the SPHR/PHR or SHRM certification exams, line managers, small business owners, to a prospective HR professional seeking to establish a career in the HR field. No prior experience or education is required for admission to this program. This program has been designated as a Preferred Provider and is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM.
You can expect each instructor to supplement and go beyond the information presented in your textbook. Careful study of assigned readings prior to class will result in your optimal benefit from the class. We have been offering our Certificate for over 19 years and have over 1200 graduates from this program. A few details about the program are listed below for your reference.
Content of the HR Certificate Program
We have designed our program around the Human Resources Body of Knowledge as specified by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and the HR Knowledge Domains of the SHRM Body of Competency & Knowledge (SHRM BoCK). The content of the program has been designed to provide information, as well as concrete resources and tools in the main functional areas of Human Resource Management. This course will provide some theory and concepts of HR Management, but focus on practical application. The instructors have been tasked with ensuring students get tangible skills out of each and every class meeting. We want you to be able to apply the learning at your workplace the very next day. As you may know, HR is a vast field and this course is designed to provide overview of the main functional areas. But due to the limited time of 12 sessions, we are not able to dive deeply into each functional area. So additional independent study (through utilization of the textbook, affiliated website, and course reading) will be needed to become proficient in all areas if there is no prior expertise in HR.
Please note that this is a professional development course, and upon meeting the course requirements, you will earn a completion certificate in Human Resource Management from SSU’s School of Business and Economics and the School of International and Extended Education (joint program). This course does not earn credits towards an undergraduate or graduate degree, but is recognized as continuing education by current and future employers.
Logistics
Our class will be held live via Zoom this term. Instructions will be emailed upon registration.
Attendance
Attendance for the whole class session is mandatory. One absence during the semester is permitted without makeup. If an additional absence occurs, we permit the participant to make up this absence in the semester immediately following the course without any added expense. The certificate will be conferred after the make-up class has been completed, and this must be completed the following semester (no extensions permitted). Excessive absenteeism will directly affect your ability to receive a certificate.
Textbook/Materials
Required Textbook: Lussier and Hendon (2018) Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, and Skill Development, Third Edition. SAGE Publications, Inc.
ISBN 9781506360348 (paperback) or 9781506360331 (looseleaf) https://edge.sagepub.com/lussierhrm3e
Our textbook has been selected because of its focus on practical application and its alignment with HR competencies as defined by the Society of Human Resource Management. This text also comes with a companion website that offers self-study resources to ensure your understanding of the HR concepts. This textbook may be purchased or rented online (Amazon or the publisher directly: https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/collegepublishing), or purchased at the SSU Bookstore. Please note that the textbook information forms the foundation of the course content, but the instructors each evening will be supplementing this text by providing timely and California-specific information.
Testing and Assessment
While we do not require students to complete any exams or quizzes in order to successfully complete the program, online quizzes are available through our textbook website that students can use each week to assess their knowledge. This is highly recommended to ensure understanding of key concepts.
Online Participation
Upon registration, all students will be given a Sonoma State email account and login for our online course platform, Canvas. All students must check this email address at least weekly and access the online platform to access reading assignments and presentations prior to each class. Assignments, presentations, and all other course communication will be through Canvas. Computers are available in the Schultz Information Center (Library) for student use. For instructions on how to add the Sonoma State email address to your email client or phone, please see the instructions at https://www.sonoma.edu/it/email/exchange.html.
Assessment of Instructors
You will be asked to assess your experience with each instructor and the overall course through surveys. This is a regular part of our program and has helped us continually improve our instruction.
Content of the HR Certificate Program
We have designed our program around the Human Resources Body of Knowledge as specified by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and the HR Knowledge Domains of the SHRM Body of Competency & Knowledge (SHRM BoCK). The content of the program has been designed to provide information, as well as concrete resources and tools in the main functional areas of Human Resource Management. This course will provide some theory and concepts of HR Management, but focus on practical application. The instructors have been tasked with ensuring students get tangible information each session, as we want you to be able to apply the learning at your workplace the very next day. As you may know, HR is a vast field and this course is designed to provide overview of the main functional areas. But due to the limited time of 12 sessions, we are not able to dive deeply into each functional area. Additional independent study (through utilization of the textbook, affiliated website, and course reading) will be needed to become proficient in all areas if there is no prior expertise in HR.
Professional Certification through SHRM or HRCI
As you may know, there are several professional certifications that HR professionals may seek at some point in their careers, such as the aPHR, PHR, SPHR through the Human Resource Certification Institute (https://www.hrci.org/) or the SHRM- CP or SHRM-SCP through the Society of Human Resource Management (https://www.shrm.org/).
Please note that this SSU course is not specifically designed for preparation for these various professional certification exams, and the course does not include the certification exams, as registration is required for through SHRM or HRCI directly. However, we do align our course content with certain aspects of the SHRM Body of Competency and Knowledge (BoCK) as well as the HRCI HR Body of Knowledge.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has articulated a Body of Competency and Knowledge (BoCK) which contains the knowledge and behaviors on which the SHRM certifications are based. SHRM’s competencies cover people, organization, workplace and strategy, and also incorporate the knowledge required to perform specific HR activities. This HR Certificate Program focuses on the HR Functional Areas required for HR expertise in various HR knowledge domains. For more information, please see below:
SHRM BoCK Source: https://www.shrm.org/certification/about/BodyofCompetencyKnowledge/Pages/default.aspx
The HR Certification Institute (HRCI) is a global leader in developing rigorous exams to demonstrate mastery and real-world application of forward-thinking HR practices, policies and principles. The HRCI body of knowledge is the description of the complete set of concepts, tasks and the knowledge required to successfully understand and perform HR-related duties associated with each specific credential that the HR Certification Institute offers. This SSU course focuses on the knowledge related to the Professional Human Resource (PHR) and Senior Professional Human Resource Professional (SPHR) credentials. Additional details can be found here: https://www.hrci.org/.
Please reference these professional organizations directly for further information about certification resources, requirements and resources.
Additional Questions?
Feel free to contact Dr. Craig Nathanson, Program Coordinator, at nathancr@sonoma.edu if you have additional questions or concerns about the HR Certificate Program.
Cost
The course fee is $825.
Register online early. This course has limited enrollment and fills quickly.