• Total Courses
    5 required courses
  • CEUs | Contact Hours
    5.4 CEUs | 54 contact hours
  • Cost
    $3,975
  • Format
    Fully online
  • Time to Complete
    As little as 4–5 months
  • Funding Resources

What Is Organizational Development?

Organization development (OD) is a process to improve the health of a company. It involves planning changes meant to enhance organizational effectiveness, employee well-being, and productivity. It also entails implementing and then evaluating the efficacy of these changes. Our Organization Development Certificate program will give you the skills to launch OD interventions. These are activities that are intended to change a systemic process or structure.

“An organization's ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.”
—Jack Welch, Longtime CEO of General Electric

Participants will learn OD theories, tools, and techniques, and how to apply these in real-world situations. The U’s Organization Development Certificate program will spotlight your role as a leader and change agent and help you:

  • lead individual change and team intervention strategies.
  • become skilled at advanced coaching techniques.
  • manage enterprise-wide change.
  • learn how to apply processes and tools in your organization.

Recommended Course Order

  1. Fundamentals of Organization Development
  2. In-Depth Coaching: Lead Individual Change Interventions
  3. Lead Successful Team Intervention Strategies
  4. Successfully Lead Enterprise-Wide Change Management
  5. ExperienceChange™ Simulation

Career Outlook

Funding and Discounts

The U's professional development programs are affordable because they can be completed in relatively short order—sometimes within a few months—which can save you both time and money. What's more, there are other opportunities you can explore to potentially bring the cost down even further.

Funding

  • CCAPS offers scholarships of $500 to $2,500 to Minnesota residents who meet eligibility requirements.
  • If you're not employed, you may be able to take advantage of federal or state funding. Contact your CareerForce center to inquire.
  • Your organization may have funds set aside for employee education. Read about the benefits of employer investment in career development.

 Discounts

  • When you register and pay for all courses in the certificate at once, you'll receive up to a 10% discount.
  • University of Minnesota Alumni Association members receive a 10% discount.
  • U of M staff get 50% off most professional development programs.

See Discounts, Scholarships, and Other Funding for more information and possible exclusions to discounts.

Enroll

The cost of the Organization Development Certificate is $3,975. But if you register and pay for all the courses in the certificate at once, we'll give you a 10% discount, a savings of $397.50!

If you have questions about the registration process or payment options, or you need to transfer or cancel your registration, contact the registration team:

612-625-2900 | ccapsreg@umn.edu

Option 1

Enroll, Register, and Pay for All Courses Now

  • Earn a 10% discount
  • Enroll for free
  • Register and pay now, make needed changes later
  • Get program updates

Enroll and Register for All Courses Now

Option 2

Enroll in Certificate Now, Register and Pay for Courses Individually

  • Enroll for free
  • Register and pay for courses at your convenience
  • Get program updates
  • U of M employees: choose this option to receive your discount

Enroll in Certificate Now

Enrollment Advisor

Shanta Bhoelai, enrollment advisor

 

Shanta Bhoelai

I can help you choose which professional development programs are the best fit to meet your career goals. I am here to answer your questions regarding specific programs, courses, or other career topics you have on your mind. 

Don’t hesitate to send me an email or schedule an online appointment. I'm here for YOU!

Organization Development Testimonials

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Organization Development?

Organization development is an approach to improving organizational performance by aligning areas such as management, strategy, and people. This approach is rooted in science and draws from diverse disciplines like psychology, culture, innovation, social sciences, adult education, human resource management, change management, and organizational behavior.

What Can You Do With an Organization Development Certificate?

Professionals in this field are leaders and change agents. An Organization Development Certificate can prepare you to take on many organizational challenges. Examples of these would be leading organizational change initiatives, collaborating with stakeholders, and coaching your team through difficult transitions and conversations that may arise as a result. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, training and development managers earn a median annual salary of $120,130. That makes organization development a lucrative field to pursue!

Why Is Professional Development an Important Part of Organization Development?

Professional development is an important tool for continuing training and education. The goal for this is to optimize workforce performance. Successful professional development programs can affect wider organization development goals in areas such as organizational productivity, planning, and strategy.

What Is Professional Development in the Workplace?

Organizations can use professional development strategies such as education and training. They would do this to develop workforce capabilities and motivate, engage, and retain employees. Professional development can target specific needs gaps. It may even encompass broader and ongoing workforce education or training initiatives.

What's the Difference Between HR and OD?

Organizational development and human resource management have overlapping characteristics. They are both concerned with people and how they function within an organization, for starters. Historically, HR focused on things like employee training, policy, and compensation. OD seeks to improve systems and practices at the operational level. Lately, responsive organizations have blended the roles, involving HR in more strategic functions. We see this in defining and cultivating workplace values and culture.

What Are Important Skills for an OD Practitioner?

An OD practitioner’s skill set covers many areas. They support communication across units, problem-solving, critical thinking, and organizational and interpersonal skills. University of Minnesota CCAPS offers an Organization Development Certificate that can prepare you, in as little as four months, to help your organization optimize its overall performance.

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