Organization & Management - Connections Newsletter

O&M Connections Newsletter - Antioch University New England

Cheryl Lower, Donna Mellen, and Stephanie Tickner, Editors	Summer 2007

New Organization Development Certificate Program

Begins Fall 2007

Peter Smith, MBA
Core Faculty
OD Cert Program Director

Over the years, we have attracted a number of students to our master’s programs who have been interested in gaining expertise as Organization Development (OD) consultants. Some were practicing consultants who wanted to develop a stronger theoretical foundation for their work; others used their master’s program to make a transition to a new career in consulting. While our master’s program has served these students well, we decided that we wanted to do more to serve this population. Beginning in the fall of 2007, working professionals will begin their journey in our new Organization Development Certificate Program.

The initial drafts of the OD Certificate Program design were reviewed by several national OD experts in the spring of 2005, and further input was solicited from prospective program candidates in June of 2005. Donna Mellen, EdD, core faculty member, also provided valuable input and feedback on the initial program design, for which I am very thankful. The program was approved by the New Programs Committee of Antioch University New England in the fall of 2005.

The vision for the Antioch University New England OD Certificate Program is to provide a professional development experience that is second to none and is nationally and internationally known for its excellence in educating OD practitioners. The program is intended for experienced professionals who are either new to the OD profession and wish to become consultants or are practicing consultants who want to acquire greater knowledge of OD theory and practice. This will include early-to-mid-career internal and external consultants, managers, and human resources staff from both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Completion of the OD Certificate Program provides students:

The theoretical knowledge, technical skills, and self-awareness essential to effective OD practice;
The skills to help organizations create and achieve their mission and goals, solve problems creatively and collaboratively, and engage in major organization change efforts;
The experience and confidence to begin or expand their OD consulting practice.

I am pleased to announce that Pat Bidol-Padva, PhD, will join me as lead faculty for this program. Pat is a highly experienced OD practitioner who has served as faculty in other OD Certificate programs. Pat and I will work with learners from the initial workshop through the completion of their Supervised Consulting Project, thus providing continuity throughout the program. The learning experience will be enhanced by additional faculty and by guest speakers who are noted in the field, including Edith Whitfield Seashore, a well-known master practitioner.

Key Elements of the OD Certificate Program

Designed for Working Professionals
The program is designed to be completed in one year and includes a mix of workshops and online communication that enables learners to continue to work full-time while enrolled in the program. The program includes 24 days of class meeting time over a 12-month period.

Cohort Model
The program uses a cohort model. Students work in a learning community that stays together throughout the program. Enrollment will be limited to a number optimum for such a learning community.

Integrated Course Sequence
Key competencies are interwoven throughout the course sequence, and learning is integrated among courses by core faculty who work with students throughout the program.

Supervised Consulting Project
The Supervised Consulting Project provides learners with the opportunity to work with actual clients on real issues. Client consultations will be pre-screened to insure the consultations are appropriate for OD consulting. Learners will work with organizational clients over a period of approximately five months and will have both faculty and colleague support during this work. We believe we are one of the few programs in the country that provides the opportunity to work with actual clients over an extended period of time.

Mentoring Program
Upon completion of the Certificate in OD, learners will receive up to five hours of coaching/ mentoring with a faculty member within 12 months of completion of the program.

For More Information

Visit our OD Certificate Program website or contact Peter Smith, MBA, OD Certificate Program Director, or Jennifer Fritz in Admissions.

Last Updated: 11/10/08