Aurora University to Offer SHRM Learning System Course;
Series prepares students for national certification exams

AURORA, Ill.-- Aurora University’s Dunham School of Business will offer the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Learning System Course on Saturdays from Feb. 16 through April 26.

Registration is open for the series which meets from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Dunham Hall, 1400 Marseillaise Place in Aurora.

AU’s Dunham School of Business offers the course in cooperation with SHRM. The course prepares HR personnel for two SHRM national certification exams--Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). The Human Resources Certification Institute administers certification exams.

SHRM sponsors the only nationally recognized certification exams for human-resource professionals.

Course topics are:
       
Strategic Management: Topics include the role of HR in organizations, strategic planning, scanning the external environment, organizational structure and internal HR partners; measuring HR effectiveness, ethical issues affecting HR, and legislative environment.
       
Workforce Planning and Employment: Topics include employee-rights legislation, legislation affecting privacy and consumer protection, equal employment opportunity/Affirmative Action, gender discrimination/harassment, organizational staffing, job analysis and documentation; recruitment, records management
       
Human Resources Development: Topics include key legislation, HR development and the organization, adult learning/motivation, HR needs assessment, and HR department design.
       
Compensation and Benefits: Topics include key legislation, compensation and organization focus, pay administration, compensation systems, benefit programs, voluntary/government-mandated benefits programs, evaluating and communicating a total compensation system.
       
Employee and Labor Relations: Topics include collective bargaining, positive employee relations, work rules in union/nonunion environments, strikes and secondary boycotts, discipline and complaint resolution.
       
Occupational health, safety and security: Topics include key legislation, safety, health, and security.

Vince Pellettiere, AU assistant professor of management said, “The SHRM Learning System Course is a powerful tool to assist students in preparing for the PHR or SPHR certification exams. Additionally, the course provides professional development for HR professionals and HR departments.

“The class provides a solid foundation for managing the challenges that HR professionals face in today’s demanding work environment. The course supplies a current reference of HR practices, broadens the perspective of functional specialists, and strengthens individual competencies and productivity.

“Studies show that participants in this course have a higher pass rate when taking the SHRM certification exam versus those whotook the exam without taking the SHRM Learning System Course,” Pellettiere said.

Cost for instruction and course materials is $850 for SHRM members and $880 for others. Students who complete the course may apply for an optional three credit hours toward an AU MBA certificate or degree.

For more information or registration, call (630) 844-4894, e-mail vpellett@aurora.edu, or visit aurora.edu/business/hr.htm.

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