James Madison University
Adult Human Resource Development
During my second year as a graduate student within the Adult Education and Human Resource Development (AHRD) program. For employment, my first year I served as a Graduate Assistant of alcohol and other drug outreach for The Well, located in the University Health Center. Within The Well, I help facilitate various programs and contribute to campus wide initiatives.
Previously, I was also a Graduate Assistant for the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS). Within CMSS, I also assisted with programming and supporting others within the office. Having the opportunity to serve on the interviewing panel was also a good chance for me to develop my evaluation skills.
The masters program, along with my graduate and other opportunities, continue to provide new skills as well as hands on learning opportunities which allows me to grow more professionally in the AHRD field.
About
James Madison University’ Masters of Science in Education degree in Adult Education/Human Resource Development is designed for those entering or advancing in positions associated with learning in education, business, industry, government, and other public and private sector organizations. This program seeks college graduates pursuing a career in the AHRD field, experienced AHRD professionals who want to expand their skills and enhance their career potential, and working managers and professionals in leadership roles where skills in developing and leading people have become critical to their organization’ success. A major strength of the program is that it allows individuals to align their programs to personal and career needs and objectives.
Program Objectives
Within our program we strive for our learners to achieve the following objectives for teaching, learning, and human performance improvement to:
1. Apply systems theory, analytic systems, principles of adult development, learning theory, leadership theory, and current trends.
2. Successfully navigate business, industry, educational, and other organizational settings.
3. Identify, understand and build effective organizational relationships that support teaching, learning, and performance improvement appropriate to the context.
4. Organize, manage, and evaluate teaching, learning, and performance improvement efforts.
5. Analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate appropriate curricula in appropriate modes (including distance, action, self-directed, transformative, informal learning, etc.) for individual, team, organizational, and social learning.
6. Facilitate and lead team-based learning, planning, organizing, and evaluating appropriate to the context.
7. Apply appropriate learning technologies.
8. Recognize and respond responsibly to issues of diversity and ethics.
9. Demonstrate the ability to articulate and forecast the vision and role for teaching, learning, and performance improvement appropriate to the context.
10. Interpret and conduct research.
Program's Mission
The Adult Education/Human Resource Development Program’s mission is to prepare professionals to design, implement, evaluate, and lead appropriate interventions that promote learning, development, and performance improvement in settings where adults learn and work. In addition to delivering effective instruction, Adult Education/Human Resource Development professionals are also prepared to design methods to facilitate change and develop programs to enhance productivity and increase satisfaction for all employees.
Course Load
The major consists of a minimum of 36 credit hours of course work organized into four components: professional core, concentration area courses, research paper or thesis, and key assessments (qualifying exam, oral comprehensive exam, written exam, research project defense, and portfolio).
Program's Website
The AHRD website will provide you with more information about the requirements, goals, and assignments given to current students in the Master’s program. It will give you an in depth look at the courses that each student must complete as well as elective options that students may choose to complete. The site also provides information about the professors who teach each course as well as a summary of each concentration available to students in the program. Please click here to view the AHRD website.