Nov 01, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Human Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice, Graduate Certificate


Department of Organizational Leadership
475E Pawley Hall  (map)
(248) 370-4109 • Fax (248) 370-4095
www.oakland.edu/orgleadership

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Program Coordinator:
Dr. Chaunda L. Scott
495B Pawley Hall
cscott@oakland.edu

Program description

The Graduate Certificate in Human Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice is associated with the Master of Organizational Leadership program housed in the School of Education and Human Services. The goal of the program is to provide useful diversity management policies and practices that can be utilized in a variety of organizational settings. It aims to address organizational expectations, linking diversity and inclusion goals to organizational objectives. It also seeks to enhance participants’ cultural and professional competence through knowledge and experience in promoting an ongoing commitment to professional development and mastery.

This timely graduate certificate program is also unique in that presently there are no other graduate certificate programs in the state of Michigan quite like this. Moreover, this program provides an opportunity for graduate students and professionals to customize human diversity and social justice learning by allowing them to select approved graduate elective courses that are aligned with their graduate studies, career field and future career interests. The class offerings may be taught in one of the three formats - in-person lecture, blended, and fully online.

Admission terms and application deadlines

Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.

Current Deadlines

  • March 15th and July 15th for fall semester
  • November 15th for winter semester
  • International applicants 
  • The Graduate Certificate in Human Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice does not admit students during the summer semester.

Application requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all Graduate Application Requirements and additional department requirements by the published application deadlines:

  1. Graduate Application Requirements
     
  2. Additional department application requirements
  • An official transcript for undergraduate and graduate coursework showing a bachelor’s degree in an academic discipline that is from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative grade point average of a B or better
  • A formal statement consisting of 1,000 words detailing work and life experiences and career goals that has led to the applicant’s desire to pursue the program
  • Two recommendations from individuals who can attest to the quality and scope of the applicant’s academic and professional ability
  • A current resume

After documents have been reviewed and approved, applicant will be invited for an interview with the graduate certificate coordinator. Shortly following this interview, applicants will be notified by email regarding the status of the application.

Admission review and assessment

Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Oakland University Graduate School, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department. 

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Certificate requirements


Students and professionals who qualify for admission to the certificate program must complete four approved graduate level courses totaling 16 credits with the grade of B or above. Student enrolled in the Department of Organizational Leadership Ed.D Program may also extend their learning and complete a human diversity inclusion and social justice cognate totaling 20 credits, five courses. Students in the Ed.D program interested in this option should contact the coordinator for more information regarding the specific requirements.

  • Course requirements (16 credits) for students and professionals who have completed a bachelor’s degree with an overall GPA of B or above.
  • Course requirements (20 credits) for Ed.D. students.

a. Core requirements (8 credits)


The required core courses for this four-course program are:

b. Electives


With the permission of the program coordinator, the remaining two/ three elective courses can be selected from interdisciplinary academic departments, including, but not limited to and depending on availability:

Department of Counseling

Department of Human Development and Educational Studies

Department of Organizational Leadership

Department of Teaching and Learning

Satisfactory academic progress


Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress for all financial aid recipients each semester.

Students who fall behind in their coursework, or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state and university aid. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional details.

Good academic standing


All graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing throughout the entire course of their graduate program. To be in good academic standing , a graduate student must make satisfactory progress toward fulfilling degree requirements, including the completion of critical degree milestones as set forth by the academic program. The student must also maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 3.0 (B) or better.

Good academic standing is a requirement for:

  • Holding a Graduate Assistantship
  • Receiving a fellowship or scholarship
  • Advancing to candidacy for a graduate degree
  • Going on a leave of absence
  • Obtaining a graduate certificate or degree from Oakland University.

Additionally, graduate students must meet all department academic standards which may be more stringent than the minimum set forth by the University.

Graduate students who are not in good academic standing for any reason are subject to probation and/or dismissal from further graduate study.

Related program information


Plan of study

All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty program adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the faculty program adviser and submitted by the student to Oakland University Graduate School.

Master’s and graduate certificate students must submit a department-approved plan of study by the end of their first semester of graduate coursework. Doctoral students must submit an approved plan of study prior to completion of the first year of coursework. (See the Graduate Student Responsibility  section of this catalog.)

Note:  Credit granted for successful completion of a course toward an undergraduate degree program may not be repeated for a graduate degree. If a substitution is approved, the minimum number of program-approved graduate credits will be required. A Petition of Exception - OU Course Waiver/ Substitution requesting the substitution must be approved.