Our world is full of systems and policies that affect how individuals learn, grow and relate to one another. Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD) studies how those systems and policies are shaped by culture and power. We prepare leaders and researchers to transform our education and organizations for the better.
We teach our students how to design, test, implement, and revise our institutional strategies in both the public and private sectors, from the international to the local level. Our students gain practical experiences in creating approaches to increase social and economic development, foster human flourishing, disrupt power structures, and promote a more just society.
Recent articles
Price named 2024 Impactful Professional of the Year
Nathan Price, PhD Student in Higher Education at OLPD, was named 2024 Impactful Professional of the Year by Blacks in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
Ardichvili named to AHRD Hall of Fame
Alexandre Ardichvili, Professor and Hellervik Chair in Leadership and Adult Career Development, was inducted into the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) Hall of Fame at the AHRD 2024 Annual Conference held in February.
Upcoming events
Public Oral Defense: Leslie Boey
Leslie Boey, PhD Candidate in Higher Education, will present "Anti-Asian Racism and the Critical Identity Development of Asian American College Students During COVID-19."
Public Oral Defense: Abby Menter
Abby Menter, PhD Candidate in Comparative and International Development Education, will present "Epistemologies and Enactments of Self-Determination in South Dakota"
MLTD Info Session
Join us via Zoom for an information session about the fully-online Master of Learning and Talent Development. Meet staff and faculty, and get answers to all of your questions!
Public Oral Defense: Sarah M. Pattison
Sarah M. Pattison, PhD Candidate in Comparative and International Development Education, will present "Humanizing the International Higher Education Practitioner-Faculty Relationship."
Public Oral Defense: Bo Fang
Bo Fang, doctoral candidate in Human Resource Development, will present "Exploring the Impact of Cultural Values on Employee Engagement in Chinese Organizations: The Moderating Role of HRD Culture."
identify “ability to work in a team” as a top attribute they seek in new hires.
Source: Job Outlook 2020, National Association of Colleges and Employers
Undergraduate programs
Business and marketing education
Learn a broad set of skills to prepare for a variety of careers, from positions in Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurial startups, and international organizations to nonprofit management.
Human resource development
Gain the skills you need to offer workplace training and contribute to organizational development in a variety of public and private organizations.
Graduate program tracks
Comparative and international development education
Examine educational ideas, practices, and systems through a global lens and foster understanding of transcultural issues and trends in education.
Education policy and leadership
Work to continuously improve educational quality and effectiveness so that young people graduate from secondary education well-prepared to continue their learning and contribute to their communities.
Evaluation studies
earn what works. Study evaluation theory and practice and inform the decision-making process in a variety of fields.
Higher education
Investigate the experiences, practices and decisions of those involved in post-secondary educations as well as the socio-political contexts in which higher education exists.
Human resource development
Study the ways in which people find meaning and thrive in their workplaces, and cultivate the conditions that empower people to be the best versions of themselves at work.
Contact information
For general questions about our department, contact:
Undergraduate studies
612-625-9087
ugolpd@umn.edu
Graduate studies
612-626-9377
olpd@umn.edu
Main office
612-624-1006