Why Study Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Graduate Certificate is a professionally oriented program that allows students to build timely skills that will enhance their ability to understand the perceptual, institutional, and social processes that impact the ways people interact and make decisions in organizations. The interdisciplinary curriculum promotes a scientific approach to optimizing organizational outcomes by equipping leaders with the skills to cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive climate. These skills serve students who strive to make organizations more supportive and engaging places to work. The fully online nature of the program appeals to students in many professions and locations.
Professionals most frequently served by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace program include, but are not limited to, individuals working in or aspiring to work in corporations, small businesses, human resources, talent management, information technology, mass media, government, non-profit organizations, social services, health care, and education.
In this interdisciplinary program, students take courses offered by the Department of Leadership and the Department of Sociology and Community Development. The curriculum equips the individual with the skills to make organizations more supportive and engaging places to work. In order to best serve the needs of our students, APSU offers the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Graduate Certificate in a fully online format. Students enjoy small class sizes and opportunities to apply all coursework from this graduate certificate toward the Master of Science in Leadership degree if desired.
Students with an undergraduate degree from any discipline are invited to apply for admission. Nationally, employers continue to report that college graduates are prepared for work with technical skills in their field, but often lack in soft skills, such as promoting and capitalizing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. This program serves students who wish to bridge that gap and improve those skills. Students who are responsible for (or are preparing for a role in which they will be responsible for) building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive climate in the workplace will be able to highlight these skills on their transcripts and resumes to show potential employers that they are well-versed in these topics.
Leadership faculty have decades of real-world experience to draw on as they create and deliver course content. All full-time and part-time faculty members have completed terminal degrees in related fields.
Admissions Requirements
For information related to admission requirements or to view the courses within each program, please visit the graduate bulletin.
What Will I Learn
- Evaluate diverse perspectives for decision-making
- Identify the relationship between in-group processes and power in organizations
- Recognize and critically evaluate macro and micro level biases
- Articulate how social position influences privileges and oppression faced by individuals
