Diversity and Inclusion as Strategy Graduate Credit Certificate Progarm

The Graduate Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion as Strategy is offered by the Smeal College of Business.The graduate certificate positions students to approach Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as a strategic leadership capability. Through this certificate program students will develop the core skills and competencies needed to manage diversity effectively as well as to lead or implement diversity related change initiatives successfully.

Effective Semester: Spring 2023
Expiration Semester: Spring 2028

Admission Requirements

For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution.  Other admissions requirements include:

Grade Point Average (GPA) – Applicants are expected to have maintained a junior-senior (3^rd and 4^th years) GPA of at least a 3.00 based on a grading scale of A (4.00) to D (1.00).

Application – Completion of the Graduate School certificate application.

Statement of Purpose – Submit a statement describing how professional experience and goals align with the certificate.

Vita or Resume – a one-to-two-page listing of professional experience

Certificate Requirements

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in Graduate Council policy GCAC-212 Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Programs.

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

• Apply evidence-based approaches to resolving diversity dilemmas at work
• Analyze organizational culture to ensure that it is conducive to managing diversity effectively
• Apply the framework for leading the change process
• Discuss the concept of values (personal, organizational, cultural), and how values relate to ethical decision making, ethical leadership, and ethical culture.
• Discuss the concepts of corporate social responsibility, sustainability, stakeholder analysis, and crisis management, and apply those to specific cases.

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