THE Human and Organizational Development major is designed for students interested in careers that involve finding solutions to human problems in organizations and communities. Graduates are prepared to assume positions in corporations and businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Many students in the program enter graduate programs or professional programs in business, counseling, divinity, education, health promotion, human resource development, law, or medicine. The curriculum is planned to ensure that students obtain a strong foundation in science and liberal arts, with emphasis on developing writing, oral presentation, and quantitative skills. Courses in the program's core curriculum concentrate on building basic skills in interpersonal communication, group leadership, organizational development, administration, and training.
Students acquire an understanding of human behavior in groups, organizations, and larger systems.
The program makes use of the active learning approach. Students learn new ideas and methods through seminars, simulation, role playing, case studies, field experiences, and interaction with professionals in the field. Students can test their understanding of what they have learned in a full-time internship in the senior year. Internships are conducted in Nashville, Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Cambridge, England. Curriculum Students take a minimum of 120 hours, distributed as follows.