UC Irvine Extension Adds Human Resources Management Certificate Program to Growing List of Online Course Offerings

Business Wire, Nov 9, 2007

Asynchronous, Accelerated Learning Option Allows Working Students Greater Flexibility

IRVINE, Calif. -- The University of California, Irvine Extension has announced the online availability of its Human Resources Management Certificate Program, offered to provide working students with a flexible alternative to on-campus study. The program, developed in collaboration with the National Human Resources Association, employs coursework that reflects the most current activities and functions in human resources, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully fulfill the role of human resources generalist. "Training and Human Resources Development," a course offered through the accelerated program, will also be made available to self-learners at UC Irvine Extension's OpenCourseWare Web site.

"Because many of the students that are attracted to our Human Resources management certificate program are working professionals - HR generalists, assistants, trainers, recruiters, staffing specialists, and office managers - the accelerated, online format represents a flexible option that's really necessary for them to learn," explains Adam Porter, SPHR, senior director of human resources at Edwards Lifesciences, LLC and advisory committee member at UC Irvine Extension. "The online format offers them the same comprehensive and in-depth course of study as the traditional format, but enables them to achieve their learning and professional goals on their time and in a setting off-campus that works with their own schedule."

UC Irvine Extension's program is highly regarded by local employers for its "real-world" focus, immediate applicability in the workplace, and most up-to-date information on domestic and international HR practices. Students can expect to leave the program with the ability to confidently interface with those in specialty human resources areas and have a positive influence on the HR functions within their respective organizations. Each course in the program stresses practical information and techniques useful in identifying, attracting and retaining employees and in positioning human resources as a strategic business partner in a highly competitive work environment.

"Offering the program online is not just important to the students who are already working professionals," relates Linda Denton, MHROD, corporate learning and executive coach and advisory committee member for the program. "The OpenCourseWare offering represents a huge benefit to self-learners who want to increase their knowledge about human resources. It gives them a glimpse into the UC Irvine Extension experience, at no cost."

Other OpenCourseWare curricula available online includes "The Capital Markets," a course part of the Investor Relations certificate program and "Introduction to Spa and Hospitality Operations," a course part of the Spa and Hospitality management certificate program. Easily accessed at http://ocw.uci.edu/courses, the courses are offered to accommodate the needs of busy professionals.

For more information about the Human Resources Management Certificate Program available online through

UC Irvine Extension, contact Kathy Amoroso at kamaroso@uci.edu or visit online at http://unex.uci.edu/certificates/business_mgmt/hr/.> About UC Irvine Extension: As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional, and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.extension.uci.edu.

About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,400 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.3 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

About UC Irvine's OpenCourseWare Initiative: The University of California, Irvine is the first University of California campus--as well as the only West Coast University--to join the OCW Consortium. UC Irvine's membership in the OCW Consortium is consistent with its public and land-grant missions and its desire to play a significant role in contributing to the social welfare of the state, the nation and the world. Open Educational Resources (OER) showcase the University's high quality education and makes courses and course materials free for everyone in the world. UC Irvine's OCW is a large-scale, Web-based resource that houses educational assets that are discoverable, searchable, modifiable, and, best of all, free and easily available. Through the OCW Movement, UC Irvine provides university-quality courses and learning assets to populations of self learners that are underserved and in many cases, unable to participate in formal education at a university. This site also offers access to UC Irvine's online continuing education offerings. For more information about UC Irvine's OCW initiative, visit http://ocw.uci.edu/ or email ocw@unx.uci.edu.