Adult & Organizational Development (AOD) at Temple University
Students in Temple's Adult and Organizational Development (AOD) program learn how to effectively teach adults in professional and organizational settings, as well as within traditional educational institutions. Graduates are prepared to foster change and development in any professional arena where adult education is a central objective, including:
- Training and development -- team and individual
- Human resource management
- Organizational learning and leadership development
- Conflict intervention
- Mediation and alternative dispute resolution management
- Organizational development
- Community organizing
Through the various AOD options, students learn how to assess learning and training needs, and then design and conduct development programs, training and interventions. Students also become competent facilitators of conflict resolution and group decision-making.
Temple's AOD Programs
- Four Choices
- Program Coherence. Every program, every course focuses on the management of change for individuals and organizations.
- Immediate Real World Applications. The strong link between theory/research and practice/application allows students to use knowledge and strategies learned in the classroom at work the next day.
- Reliance on Systems Thinking. The program teaches students how to see individuals and teams within the broader context of their organizations and communities, and to build strategies accordingly.
- Professional Development Rooted in Principles of Adult Education. At Temple, the AOD programs are set in the College of Education rather than the School of Business. The programs rely strongly on educational theory and embrace a comprehensive view of each topic studied.
- Emphasis on Conflict Management. Students become skilled in diagnosing barriers to effective group communication, effectively mediating in disputes and overseeing third-party interventions.
- Diversity of Experience. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, including business, non-profit, education, community and government. This wealth of experience has proven to be an invaluable resource for their classmates
- Small Class Sizes. Students receive significant personal attention.
- Personal Development. Graduates consistently say that their lives are changed by the AOD program. They see the systemic nature of things. They understand conflict and respond better. They employ principled negotiation in everyday life. They see themselves as leaders and behave in ways that positively influence their families and professional organizations. And they successfully manage the stresses and strains that organizational life often puts on personal lives.
