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Organization Development & Human Relations (M.S.) Online Master's Degree Program

can be completed in as little as

6 terms*

*2 terms per semester; each term is 8 weeks

Tuition

$595/credit

$1,785 3-credit course

Active Duty Military

truED Preferred Tuition

Credit Hours Required

30

Summer 1 Application Deadline

April 25

Upcoming Start Dates

Summer 1: May 6

Summer 2: July 1

Explore Organization Development & Human Relations (M.S.)

Champlain College Online’s master’s degree in organization development & human relations is designed to prepare students to nimbly address organizational challenges and influence change at individual and group levels in today’s global organizations. Combining the expertise and value of a master’s degree in human resources with a foundation in organizational strategy, this master's in organizational development program empowers professionals to identify and leverage an organization’s unique strengths to form resilient and adaptable organizational cultures that withstand the constant disruption today’s workforces face.

Interdisciplinary by nature, this enriching curriculum will teach you how to successfully lead, inspire, and cultivate diverse talent with the opportunity to differentiate your online master's in organizational development and human relations degree with a graduate certificate in an in-demand concentration of your choice in human resources management, leadership, or positive organization development. With an emphasis on applied learning, and the ability to specialize your master's in organization development and human relations degree through an embedded certificate of your choice, this program will help you bring theory to life in authentic and relevant ways that will give you a competitive advantage in the business world.

 

Differentiate Your Master's Degree

Set yourself apart with a graduate certificate that can be earned along the way in a business concentration of your choice:

Build Your Career Future

Designed for both mid-career professionals and those seeking to join the field, this master’s in organizational development and human relations degree program will help facilitate career growth and opportunities for real-world application of knowledge. You'll gain expertise in managing organizational change, become a self-aware and engaged leader, and develop practical creative problem-solving skills, transforming into a modern leader in organization development and human relations.

Learn More About Champlain College Online

Attend our upcoming online information session on February 28 and learn more about the admission process, programs, and transfer credit opportunities including our Prior Learning Assessment of non-academic experience. 

REGISTER NOW

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Academic Excellence and Recognition

New England Commission of Higher Education Logo

Regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education

US News & World Report Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs

Ranked among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs by U.S. News & World Report

Military Friendly Badge

Designated as a Military Friendly School for our commitment to the military community

Intelligent.com ranks Champlain College Online among best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees

Named the among the best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees by Intelligent.com

Prepare For What's Next

Take the next step in your work life by creating new perspectives and methodologies for identifying and leveraging opportunities masked as challenges, and the cultural context within which they occur. Through gaining the expertise of both a master's in organization development and a human relations degree, as well as the critical soft-skills needed in advanced roles, graduates of Champlain's online master’s in organization development & human relations degree will be prepared to pursue leadership roles in the vast and varied field of business.

Master's degrees are in high demand and employment in master’s-level occupations is projected to grow by 15% from 2019 to 2029. A master's degree also pays off: the median salary for professionals with a master's degree is $78,210.*

*Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2020; job titles: Payscale, 2020

Top Jobs for Master's in Organization Development & Human Relations Graduates

  • Change Management Specialist
  • Compensation and Benefits Manager
  • Director of Human Resources
  • HR Analytics Specialist
  • Training and Development Manager
Online leadership graduate certificate student having a friendly discussion with a colleague

Program Details

Learn more about Champlain's 100% online Master's in organization development & human relations degree program.

Champlain's online organization development and human relations courses encompass the top skills needed by today's human resources professionals.

In addition to the 21 credits of required courses, choose one of the following certificates:  Business Analytics, Human Resources, Leadership or Positive Organization Development.

Required Courses

Also choose one, 3-credit elective. Talk with your advisor about what course would be most appropriate. 

Be introduced to the foundational ideas of organization development (OD) theory, informed by historical roots and current strategies. Attend to the nature of organizational complexity in today's world and recognize the need for an evolved approach to organizational change. The emerging dialogic mindset is contrasted to the diagnostic mindset that historically pervaded OD practice. Learning is both theoretical and applied; students will form the basis for a change in their own context to integrate theory into practice.

The most powerful tool an OD practitioner has when influencing change is themselves. In this course, students explore how to be an effective change agent and develop a self-awareness of how our thoughts, beliefs and experiences affect what we see and how we behave.? Students will also have opportunities to enhance this self-knowledge as leaders of change.

Prerequisites

Complete MGMT-537

A significant part of organizational life is experienced through groups and teams. This course will explore theories of team processes and group dynamics with an emphasis on how to influence team development and effectiveness in decision making and collaboration. Students will have an opportunity to integrate class learning through applied team projects both within the class and beyond.

Prerequisites

Complete MGMT-537

This course explores the concepts and theories related to strategic and large system change. Special attention is given to the importance of engaging diverse stakeholders in change efforts and creating momentum for change at the system level to prevent typical resistance to change. Students will explore a variety of cases as well as their own organizational system as a context for putting course concepts into practice.

Prerequisites

Complete MGMT-537

In a world of continuous change, organizations strive to create cultures that blend and leverage the unique strengths of the organization and its people to meet challenges presented by such an environment.? This course explores the theory and practices that allow organizations to develop resilient cultures and mindsets to successfully meet dynamic environments.? Students will explore a variety of cases as well as their own organizational system as a context for putting course concepts into practice.

Prerequisites

Complete MGMT-537

In this capstone course, students complete an applied project to support the translation and application of core concepts and program competencies, including those in the embedded certificate. Students will learn about and use action research principles, as appropriate for their individual research topic, and reflect on research practices and results.

Prerequisites

Complete certificate requirements prior to begining capstone.

Complete the core courses of the MS in Organization Development & Human Relations and then choose one of the following areas of specialization to  differentiate your degree and earn a graduate certificate along the way in a concentration of your choice: 

  • Business Analytics: Combining the expertise and value of a master’s degree in human resources and the ability to strategically analyze data, deriving meaning to make informed business decisions.
  • Human Resource Management: Gain a deeper understanding of the role of human resources in organizational leadership and learn how to use HR functions to advance the mission and strategic goals of an organization.
  • LeadershipEstablish yourself as an effective leader to successfully promote change in organizations, collaborate with diverse groups of people, and consider new perspectives to work toward a common goal. 
  • Positive Organization Development: Become a more effective champion of positive change within your organization and gain a foundation in the philosophies, theories, applications, and practices of positive organization development. 
  • Culture Builder. Advocates for the health and vitality of an organization to embody its mission, vision, and values.
  • Innovative Change Leader. Using a strengths-based approach, fosters a learning environment which capitalizes on successes and failures. 
  • Inclusive Process Advisor. Orients groups and group work toward the achievement of shared goals by facilitating inclusive group processes that ensure all voices are heard. 
  • Self-Aware Change Leader. Makes well grounded, intentional choices about the use of self as an instrument to effect change. 
  • Strategic Systems Change Leader. Comfortably works within a whole system and advises on inclusive strategies for organizational change, transformation and alignment. 

Champlain College Online's organizational development and human relations faculty, led by department chair Albert Orbinati, are expert practitioners in the field. Their industry expertise ensures that our curriculum is aligned with the needs of employers, and reflects the skills today’s human resources professionals need for success. Classes led by our seasoned experts will give you real-world insight into the field and create a rich community of career-focused learning.

Alumni of the Champlain College Online human relations and organization development program work in corporations, small businesses, government organizations, and non-profits nationwide. These include:

  • Bayada Home Healthcare
  • Burlington Police Department
  • BPSI
  • Comcast Communications 
  • Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
  • Department of Veterans Affairs 
  • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
  • IBM Corporation 
  • Keurig Dr. Pepper
  • Massachusetts State Police
  • PWC
  • U.S. Department of State
  • U.S. Postal Service 
  • VELCO

 

Titles our alumni hold include:

  • Analyst
  • Assistant Director
  • Contracting Officer 
  • Client Services Manager 
  • HR Advisor 
  • HR Specialist
  • Legal Assistant 
  • IT Consultant 
  • Operations Program Specialist
  • Outreach Specialist 
  • Program Integrity Clinical Manager
  • Regional Operations Manager
  • Revenue Agent 
  • Safety Systems Analyst
  • Sr. HR Specialist 
  • Social Insurance Specialist
  • Technical Expert 

Increasing your career mobility is at the center of everything we do. As an online master's degree student, you get free access to the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle for getting noticed and getting hired, taught by Jen Morris, a leading executive career coach that partners with us to support our students in their job search journeys. 

Tuition & Costs

Graduate Tuition Fall '23 - Summer '24

$595 per credit
$1,785* per course
$450** PER CREDIT FOR ALUMNI WHO EARNED A DEGREE FROM CHAMPLAIN, ON-CAMPUS or online
$450 per credit military service members (family members see truED tuition)
$150 One-time graduation fee

*Based on a 3-credit course; cost will vary if course is a different number of credits

** Starting Summer 2024, not retroactive

See the graduate cost of attendance and fees here

 


 

Upcoming Information Session

What To Expect at Champlain Online

Expect Convenience

Go to school wherever and whenever is best for you, on the device of your choice.

Expect A Career Focus

Relevant and immediately applicable coursework gets you ready for your next career move

Expect Support

Your dedicated academic advisor provides the support you need to meet your academic goals

Expect Superior Faculty

Learn from practitioner faculty working in the field, with real-world experience and knowledge.

Why Champlain

Leslie Alexander Nakashima, Bachelor's Degree in Integrated Studies & Master 's Degree in Human Relations & Organization Development

Champlain Community

"I hadn't attended college in 40 years, and I was afraid I couldn't use a computer well enough to do an online degree. But somebody at Champlain was always there to help - I'd just call and say, 'I don't know how to do this,' and they'd teach me."

Leslie Alexander Nakashima Bachelor's Degree in Integrated Studies
Master's Degree in Human Relations and Organization Development

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Learn what you can expect from our online master's in organization development & human relations program.

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