Human Resource and Organization Development, Graduate Certificate - Post Bacc - CPS, CPSO

The graduate certificate in Human Resource and Organization Development is designed to provide professionals with specialized knowledge in HR leadership, strategy, and organizational effectiveness. This certificate program equips students with the skills to develop, implement, and align HR strategies with organizational goals, ultimately driving business success and workforce engagement. Graduates of this certificate program will be prepared for leadership roles in various industries, including business, nonprofit organizations, and the public sector. Whether professionals are looking to advance in their current HR careers or transition into human resource management, this certificate provides the essential skills and knowledge needed to drive strategic HR initiatives and contribute to organizational success.

Minimum Credit Requirement: 12 Credits

Minimum GPA Requirement: 3.0

Graduate credit is only granted for courses completed with a grade of B-­ or higher.

Accelerated Graduate Certificate Overview

Accelerated graduate programs offer qualified University of New Hampshire undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate coursework in select graduate programs while completing a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated graduate certificate programs are designed to provide students with an efficient and cost-effective pathway to earn both a bachelor's and graduate certificate, enhancing career opportunities and long-term earning potential.

Accelerated Graduate Certificate Highlights

• Begin studying advanced topics while an undergraduate student with the opportunity to complete a graduate certificate or master’s degree early.
• Graduate certificate program students: Earn up to 8* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate.
• Students complete the bachelor’s degree, and then officially matriculate into the graduate certificate program to complete the remaining required graduate-level coursework.

*Some exceptions apply. 

Accelerated Program Admission Requirements

• A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.*
• A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed prior to enrolling in graduate (800-level) courses.
• Streamlined Graduate School Application (two letters of recommendation; most standardized tests and application fee are waived).*

*Some exceptions apply.

Accelerated Program Requirements

• Students must attend a mandatory orientation session.
• Students must submit a special registration form each semester for dual-credit courses and note any DegreeWorks exceptions.
• Students may defer graduate matriculation for up to one year after earning their bachelor’s degree in most programs.
• See the Accelerated Master’s Catalog Policy and Accelerated Master’s Website for additional information and a list of programs. Note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher-grade expectations) compared to the general policy.

Human Resource and Organization Development (Graduate Certificate) Accelerated Option

This graduate program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis with the following undergraduate program(s):

Program Learning Outcomes

• Develop human resource strategies that align with organizational goals, enhance workforce performance, and support business success.
• Utilize evidence-based human resource and leadership practices to lead organizational change, foster innovation, and drive continuous improvement.
• Assess human resource data, metrics, and analytics to inform decision making, improve workforce planning, and measure the impact of human resource initiatives.

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Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: Rolling Admissions. Final Deadline October 24
• Spring: Rolling Admissions. Final Deadline March 20
• Summer: Rolling Admissions. Final Deadline May 23
• Special: N/A

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Certificate: Yes (for more details see the accelerated certificate (masters) information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of Recommendation: 2 Required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
2. Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.