Diversity and Inclusion Management Courses
As the Diversity profession has emerged, so too has the need for research and practice that will ensure that an organization has professionals that will help them effectively execute a successful diversity effort. It is also necessary for an organization’s plans to focus on creating measurable ways diversity can support the strategic direction, goals and objectives of the organization. Given the centrality of diversity to business and organizational life, there is a need to develop and educate a cadre of professionals who will have the academic and practical skills needed to help organizations integrate and leverage diversity. All of our courses use an interdisciplinary approach which includes: law, H.R., policy, humanities, quantitative analysis, measurement, organizational development and others to help students address issues of diversity and inclusion in the context of organizational dynamics and with a view to capitalizing on diversity and inclusion as core organizational imperatives. Central to all of our courses is the development and articulation of a sound, viable, valid value proposition for diversity. Students will spend a week at Queen Mary College, University of London in a unique immersion program where they will be instructed by Queen Mary Faculty on Diversity and Inclusion in the global context.
Theories of Diversity and Inclusion (3 credits)
The study and practice of diversity and inclusion is based on the social and normative construction of differences. This course provides a solid analysis of current diversity theory and practice including the social construction of differences, the theoretical underpinnings of diversity and oppression theory/practice in a U.S. and world historical context, systems theory and change, conflict, participatory action research, values, ethics and practitioner competencies. This in-depth course provides a solid theoretical grounding for diversity professionals and others with responsibility for diversity in organizations.
Employment Law (3 credits)
Given the link between diversity and employment law, a competent diversity practitioner must be well grounded in employment law. In this course, traditional common law doctrines such as the "Employment At Will" doctrine are first reviewed. The course also sketches the background and development during the 1930s and 1940s of the laws relating to collective bargaining as an alternative to the traditional common law system. Civil Service systems are reviewed as well as constitutional protection for public employees. The "status discrimination" laws enacted in the 1960s and 1970s are surveyed including the laws prohibiting sexual harassment as well as discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, national origin, sex, religion, disability etc. as well as requiring reasonable accommodations under particular fact patterns. The course provides students with an in-depth understanding of both the theory and practice of Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity. Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding both the arguments for and against EEO and Affirmative Action. The course then takes up "new generation" common law claims such as wrongful discharge, tort, and breach of contract claims that evolved in the 1970s through 1990s as well as issues of gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination. The course will also examine the legal and practical effect of employment law on diversity related decisions. The course then concludes with an analysis at the newest trend to regulate aspects of the workplace relationship by statute.
Diversity and Inclusion in Historical Context (3 credits)
Diversity and Inclusion are a staple in many American organizations. However, little is done to explore its historical context. This course is based on an investigation into the historical roots and current expressions of diversity and inclusion. The Course focuses on how diversity and inclusion are manifested through individual, social, political, economic and religious institutions and proposes methods of devising strategies that uses the historical context to address diversity and inclusion in organizations. Special emphasis will be placed on understanding what the work of diversity and inclusion will look like in the future using historical indicators as a guide.
Strategic Diagnosis and Planning in Diversity and Inclusion (3 credits)
Diversity interventions have historically been limited to the individual level. That is, organizations would often train individuals to address diversity issues. For more durable change, organizations must address the organizational dimensions of diversity and inclusion. This course examines the diversity field from an organization perspective. Participants explore organization development theory and change models and interview, survey, feedback, data collection and analysis methods. This course includes an organization action-research practicum involving entry, contracting, data collection and diagnosis, action planning, intervention and evaluation. Using S.W.O.T., F.A.S. and S.M.A.R.T. students will learn and apply the fundamentals of Strategic Diagnosis and Planning in Diversity and Inclusion. Significant time will be spent helping students develop and articulate a solid value proposition that is linked to organizational performance and effectiveness. Students will be required to present a diversity plan at course end.
Analyzing and Addressing Institutional Discrimination (3 credits)
Institutional discrimination is a form of discrimination that occurs in institutions such as public bodies, corporations, and universities. Institutional discrimination is distinguished from the bigotry or racial bias of individuals by the existence of systematic, structural policies and practices that have the unintended effect of disadvantaging certain racial or ethnic groups. Many organizations have done a significant amount of work in addressing issues of diversity at the individual and interpersonal level but have yet to address how policies, practices, and procedures have been institutionalized along race, class, gender, and other lines, thereby resulting in institutionally discriminatory behaviors, policies, practices and decisions. This intensive course will provide an in-depth understanding of the forms of institutional racism and discrimination embedded in many organizations. Participants will focus on ways to dismantle discriminatory behaviors, policies, practices, procedures and on how to design and implement systems that create an inclusive, open, and transparent discrimination-free culture.
Fundamentals of Developing Diversity Education and Training (3 credits)
The cornerstone of effective diversity education and training is ensuring that management and employees have an experience that raises awareness, changes behaviors, and does not reinforce stereotypes and biases. Increasingly, when diversity training is developed improperly, it is fraught with legal risk and may cause backlash. This interactive course enhances your skill in developing and delivering training sessions related to diversity programs and initiatives by exploring, methods for identifying and planning diversity training needs, training techniques, models, and ideas that get diversity messages across and deliver skills critical for successful diversity training and information dissemination. This course addresses training design theory and its application to diversity training events and programs. Students will be required to present a training design at course end.
Measuring Return on Investment in Diversity and Inclusion (3 credits)
This course will provide an overview of return on investment calculation and how the techniques can be related to the diversity management profession. Among the topics covered will be: return on investment basics, decision making under uncertainty and risk measuring diversity risk with probability distributions, analyzing the hard benefits of diversity, cost avoidance, the soft benefits increasing the Knowledge Base. In addition, the course will explore and examine measurement and assessment methodologies. Students will be exposed to and be given tools to help with the design and practice of organizational diversity and change strategies/programs that address diversity, inclusion and oppression. Significant emphasis will be placed on qualitative as well as quantitative metrics and the limitations of each.
Creating and Sustaining a Climate of Inclusion (3 credits)
Many organizations with existing diversity initiatives have been unable to effectively use them to change the way that the organization behaves. In an effort to do so, organizations must develop a plan to move its efforts from tactical to strategic. This course examines the diversity field from an organizational perspective. Participants explore organization development theory and change models and interview, survey, feedback, data collection and analysis methods. This course includes an organization action-research practicum designed to identify and implement the cornerstones of an inclusive organization, to determine whether an organization has significant political and other barriers to becoming inclusive and to design and implement an inclusion template for organizations. Using a case study methodology, students will critique existing paradigms of inclusion and determine how to create new ones. Students will use powerful tools that are designed to address diversity as organizational change thus leading to inclusive policies, practices and procedures in all dimensions of organization life. Students will be required to present an inclusion strategy at course end.
Please note that course offerings are subject to change at the discretion of the university.
