Training and Development (TRDEV)

Degree Conferred: M.Ed.

The Graduate Faculty

• Margaret C. Lohman, Ph.D. (Ohio State) Associate Professor of Education
• Jo Tyler, Ed.D. (Columbia) Assistant Professor of Training and Development

The Program

The Training and Development Program is the only one of its kind in southcentral Pennsylvania. It is designed to prepare training and development professionals for a broad range of responsibilities, including performance analysis, training design and delivery, career development, organization development, and program evaluation. Specifically, this program provides students with the professional knowledge and skills essential to:

• Analyze employee performance;
• Specify training and non-training solutions to improve employee performance;
• Design and develop training programs;
• Plan and manage organization development and change;
• Design career development programs ;
• Evaluate training and development programs;
• Manage complex projects using appropriate consulting and project management skills.

Admission Requirements

An applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree in any field from a regionally accredited, college-level institution. Admission decisions are based primarily on an applicant’s junior/senior cumulative grade-point average and career-goal statement. Additional information pertaining to any postbaccalaureate course work and professional experience are considered. The best-qualified applicants will be accepted up to the number of spaces available for new students.

Applicants with low grade-point averages may be required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or take 9 credits of course work recommended by a program faculty member and maintain a grade point average of B or higher in order to be reconsidered.

Applicants are required to submit the following:

• A completed online application with the application fee;
• Two copies of official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended;
• A brief career/goal statement.
• Two reference letters;
• A resume.

Application Deadlines

Candidates may enter the program at the beginning of fall or spring semester, or the summer session. Application deadline dates for U.S. students and international students are posted on the Training and Development program Web site.

The Curriculum

Students may enter the Training and Development program from a variety of backgrounds and enroll in courses to help them develop competencies in training and development. Coursework includes both required and elective courses in training and development as well as electives from outside the program. Students select one of two areas of professional practice, training, or human resource development, as a focus for their electives in the training and development program. Courses are scheduled to accommodate part- and full-time students.

There are two options in the program: the paper option requires the completion of a master’s paper (TRDEV 587) and a total of 36 credits (excluding an internship if one is needed); the non-paper option does not require a master’s paper, but does require Research Designs Applied to Training (TRDEV 588) and an extra elective in Training and Development for a total of 39 credits (excluding an internship if one is needed). For both the paper and nonpaper options, at least half of the total credits must be earned in 500-level courses.

Both options require successful completion of Instructional Methods in Training and Development (TRDEV 418), Foundations in Training and Development (TRDEV 460), Performance Analysis (TRDEV 465), Systematic Instructional Design (TRDEV 518), Technology in Training (TRDEV 531), and Educational Research Design (EDUC 586).

Prescribed (Required) Courses

• TRDEV 418 INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (3)
• TRDEV 460 FOUNDATIONS IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (3)
• TRDEV 465 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS (3)
• TRDEV 531 TECHNOLOGY IN TRAINING (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 431 or permission of the program
• TRDEV 518 SYSTEMATIC INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 418 and 460, or permission of the program
• EDUC 586 EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND DESIGNS (3). Prerequisite: EDUC 440 or EDUC 539 or TRDEV 418 and TRDEV 460

Additional Courses

A. From Training and Development courses, select three (3) courses for the Paper Option or four (4) courses for the Non-Paper Option.

• TRDEV 421 PRESENTATION SKILLS FOR NEW TRAINERS (3)
• TRDEV 431 BASIC TECHNOLOGY SKILLS IN TRAINING (3)
• TRDEV 432 VIDEO PRODUCTION IN TRAINING (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 418, 431, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 470 HRD TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 460, 418, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 475 CAREER AND SUCCESSION MANAGEMENT (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 460, 418, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 505 PROJECT MANAGEMENT (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 460, 418, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 507 PROGRAM EVALUATION (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 418 and 460, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 520 LEARNING STYLES AND THEORIES FOR TRAINERS (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 418, 460, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 532 WEB-BASED TRAINING (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 418 and 431, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 533 DISTANCE LEARNING FOR TRAINERS (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 418 and 431, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 565 IMPLEMENTING TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 460, 465, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 583 ISSUES IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (3). Prerequisite: TRDEV 418 and 460, or permission of the program
• TRDEV 596 INDIVIDUAL STUDIES (1-3)
• TRDEV 597 SPECIAL TOPICS (3)

B. Select two three-credit courses at the 400/500 level from programs outside Training and Development. The two courses should assist you in preparing for professional roles and responsibilities in training and development. The following courses are highly recommended:

• BE SC 408 GROUP FACILITATION AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS (3). Prerequisite: general psychology, general sociology, or general behavioral science
• BE SC 468 INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY (3). Prerequisite: general psychology, general sociology, or general behavioral science
• P ADM 510 or MNGMT 510 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR (3). Prerequisite: admission to graduate degree candidacy

Required Experience

One of the following:

1. Holds or has held a position in training and development successfully for six months or more. Submit request for waiver for approval.
2. TRDEV 595 Internship (3 credits which are not counted in the 36-credit or 39-credit requirement). Prerequisite: prior approval of proposed assignment by instructor.

Capstone Requirement: Choose one (1) of the following options:

1. TRDEV 588: RESEARCH DESIGNS APPLIED TO TRAINING (3) plus one additional 3-credit elective). Prerequisite: EDUC 586, TRDEV 418, TRDEV 460
2. TRDEV 587: MASTER'S PAPER (3). Prerequisite: Consent of adviser

Transfer Credits and Course Substitutions

A maximum of 10 credits of high-quality graduate work done at an accredited institution may be applied toward the requirements for the master’s degree in Training and Development. Approval to apply any transferred credits toward a degree program must be granted by the student’s academic adviser and the Graduate School. Transferred academic work must have been completed within five years prior to the date of first degree registration at the Graduate School, must be of at least B quality (grades of B– are not transferable), and must appear on an official graduate transcript. Credits earned toward a previously completed postbaccalaureate professional degree program (law, medicine, etc.) are not transferable. However, up to 10 credits can be transferred from a professional degree program if the degree has not been conferred.

A maximum of 15 credits earned as a special nondegree student at Penn State may be applied to the Training and Development program, with departmental approval. The credits must have been earned within fi ve years preceding entry into the program.

Grade-Point Average and Time Limit

A 3.00 (out of 4.00) minimum grade-point average is required to graduate from the program. All course work must be completed within eight years.

For a list of courses, visit the web at http://www.psu.edu/bulletins/whitebook/$programs.htm.

Please note: This page is not a part of the official Penn State Graduate Bulletin.