Interest in professional development
programs continues to grow. As technologies, new ideas and new laws advance, companies are looking for
ways to keep abreast. Individuals also
are seeking ways to advance their
careers. With more than 4,000 colleges
and universities around the U.S., it is
important to choose the right program
for your needs.
“This is a huge industry and, while
most schools do a good job at what they
do, some do not,” says Tom Green,
Ph.D., associate provost at National
University in La Jolla. “The first areas
potential students must identify are their
own needs and expectations from a professional development program. Then
they can determine which schools might
fulfill those needs.”
Smart Business talked with Green
about how companies and individuals
can best choose the right program for
their needs.
What options should be considered when
looking at professional development programs?
The first area to consider is the importance of a degree. If a degree is important, then you need to find the programs
that lead to the degree you wish to attain
and then determine which of those programs is best for you. If a degree is not
as important as the skills or knowledge
desired, then you look for the program
that provides you the most information
in your area of need for the time and
funds expended.
While some people are just looking for
extra initials after their name (in that
case almost anything will do), most people are returning to school to broaden
their knowledge or to gain additional
skill sets.
What criteria should be used to find the
right program?
If you are looking for a degree, you need to find out if the college or university is regionally accredited. If the
degree is a precursor to licensing, then
you need to look for specific accreditation. It is then important to look at the
specific program for the degree and the
individual courses offered. How does it
all fit with what you want to do next?
How open is faculty for discussion of
your needs and how their offerings fit
those needs? Are graduates available to
provide additional insight? Talk to others in your organization about their
experiences.
If a nondegree program will fit your
needs, it is important to have a sharp
focus on just what those needs are. Is
the purpose to refresh skills or gather
new knowledge? Will the course make a
difference in your organization? Will you
be more effective in what you are doing
or will this course open new doors?
How do you know if the program is right for
you?
Review the courses. Does the delivery
method match your particular learning
style? Visual learners have different needs
than verbal or participative learners.
Do the instructors have real-world
experience? The teachers should be academically qualified and can be most
helpful if they have experience in the
field as well. A good combination of
practicality and theory is especially
important for adult learners. Some programs are now adding the component of
application, which also comes from real-world experience.
Another area to consider is who else is
taking this program. The educational
content may not differ much among several programs, but the other participants
might vary widely. Networking can be a
very important component of learning
and advancing.
If you are looking for specific knowledge, is the supplier willing to customize
a program to fit your needs? Some universities have set their ways and cover
broad interests. Some smaller schools
may have the ability to tailor their program to fit your specific needs.
Look at the oversight. What are their
standards? What are the important elements and how are they met?
Are there any other considerations?
It is so important to be a smart consumer. You have many choices, so you
need to be a savvy shopper. It is up to
you to analyze and match your needs
with what is offered. The more you can
learn about the programs that are available, who is teaching them, and how others view them, the better your ability to
make the right decisions to move ahead
in the competitive environment in which
we live and work.
TOM GREEN, Ph.D., is associate provost at National University.
Reach him at [email protected] or (858) 642-8493.