CLEVELAND – Cleveland State University’s Division of Continuing and Extended Education and the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and University Engagement has developed a certificate offering in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). This is a non-credit program for adult learners developed by CSU to promote specific skills in the subjects.
Before this new program, DEI certificates are usually promoted to employers by human resource departments and professional development programs. The program’s focus highlights individuals who want to seek more into the DEI subjects, concerning the inequities and social injustices phenomenon in society—and finding solutions.
“We wanted to create a certificate for individuals who may want to redirect their career to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. We also think the DEI certificate helps individuals add a new skill that will advance their career or help job seekers to be more appealing to future employers,” said Nancy M. Pratt, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Division of Continuing and Extended Education at CSU.
This program will be a six-week Zoom virtual course during this summer and fall semesters. This DEI certification program is ideal for mid-career professionals who aspire to enhance their expertise. The course will help them meet the developing organizational and societal demands for DEI and their need for greater cultural awareness.
There are ten primary purposes of the certification program:
- Understanding the multiple complexities related to diversity dynamics in the workplace
- Creating structures to gain adaptation and transformative organizational cultural changes
- Creating a workplace culture that can effectively leverage its diverse talent
- Supporting leaders in becoming a more sensitive and skilled person to respond to the needs of its multicultural workforce and consumer population
- Reviewing current and historical complexities of diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging
- Understanding the role of “self” and how “self” operates consciously and unconsciously to use oneself to influence others in the service of diversity, equity, and inclusion changes.
- Exploring prevalent psychological tendencies that can be a barrier to inclusive work environments
- Understanding the critical and visible roles where power dynamics play and its direct relationship to diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging
- Learning to effectively provide and creating an inclusive workplace environment by an understanding of group dynamics and conflict management skills
- Identifying organizational interventions compatible with the cultural level of commitment
For more information on the program, visit www.csuohio.edu.