Page 25 - The Human Resource Development - New Student Orientation Handbook (REVISED)

The Human Resource Development
Orientation Handbook and Research Guide

Comp Exam “Boot Camp”
To assist students in effective study strategies, a review session called “Boot Camp” is provided
each Fall and Spring Semester to help students plan for and to study for successful outcomes on
the Comprehensive Examination. This six (6) week non-credit course will challenge students to
apply the program’s core courses in order to synthesize learning with application through the use
of scenarios and case studies to succinctly respond to issues and problems that arise in
organizations that require the assistance of an HRD professional.

The program’s core courses that must be implemented in order to successfully pass the
Comprehensive Exam include: Introduction to Human Resource Development, Adult Learning,
Organizational Behavior, Organizational Development, Consulting, Training, and Research.

An example of an essay format question is:

• We have learned that HRD can be effective if it successfully addresses some organizational
need. We also have an understanding that a thorough needs assessment establishes the
foundation for an HRD or training program. Firstly, provide an example with a discussion
on the process of identifying needs. What factors must be considered when promoting a
needs assessment. Secondly, assuming that a need for training has been identified during
the first phase of a training or HRD intervention, discuss the role of manager or HRD
professional in the design, implementation and evaluation process.

Research Paper/Thesis/Seminar Paper:
Each HRD Graduate student must also write and present a research paper (will be referred to as a
Seminar Paper/Thesis from here on). Although outside work is required, HRD students complete
the majority of their seminar paper/thesis in HURD 806 Research and Analysis, Interpretation and
Proposal Writing and HURD 880 Integrative Seminar. If you are unable to complete your thesis in
the seminar courses you will receive an incomplete in the class and must register for HURD 881
Research Advisement (three credit hours). You will then have two (2) semesters to complete the
seminar paper/thesis and have the incomplete removed. A complete and graded seminar paper/thesis
is a requirement for graduation.

Building a Portfolio for the Future
You may have already decided your next step after completing your HRD Masters, or you may still
be developing a plan for how all your experiences will be used toward your existing job or a new
career. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you are on, one thing you will want to do is build
a portfolio of the work you complete in the HRD program. This work will have a minimum of
three purposes. First, it will serve as the building block for your thesis. To build a thesis you will
need an abundant amount of research on the topic you pursue. You will also need a tremendous
amount of reference materials, especially from scientific journals, practitioner magazines, and
books. You will find it invaluable to refer back to the materials you collected during the program.
Second, it will serve as a source of valuable information when preparing to take your comprehensive
exam. Exam questions are based on core course work. Third, it will become your business portfolio
that you will use as reference materials, a strawman for a project, or even a sample proposal for a
client.

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