Overview
Organisational development professionals put people at the heart of organisations. Together they create a positive and inclusive working environment that encourages collaboration, aims to removes inequality and increase performance. Roffey Park’s Masters in People and Organisational Development is an established, internationally recognised master’s qualification.
The MSc in People and Organisational Development is designed as a practical and experiential OD qualification. The programme is delivered through a mixture of virtually taught components, online materials and self-directed group learning. The latter takes the form of Dialogic Learning Groups in which learners work together, share their experiences, provide each other with feedback and expand their horizons. This form of social learning has been a speciality of Roffey Park Institute for many years and offers a powerful and impactful learning experience. Throughout the masters in organisational development you will be challenged to think critically and creatively about organisations, their people and their role in the wider society.
The programme has recently been reviewed, renewed and converted into an online delivery format. In addition to the thorough grounding in organisational development practice that the masters has long delivered, the new version allows us to open the programme to fully international cohorts, allowing for global networking among experienced OD professionals and diversity of opinions and perspectives.
We are an associate partner of the University of Sussex who act as validating authority for our MSc in People and Organisational Development.
Do you have any questions about our MSc? Join our next live Q&A webinar
Roffey Park Institute will be hosting a complimentary webinar for those interested in taking our international MSc in People and Organisational Development. We will provide an overview of the programme and our unique approach to learning. You will have the opportunity to meet members of our faculty team and ask further questions about the programme.
Who is this programme for?
- An HR professional wanting to deepen your practical skillset in organisational development
- A learning and development and talent manager looking to interpret the requirements of culture change and organisational transformation
- A transformation officer/CTO/change lead looking for the maximum guarantee of project success
- A CEO or senior director/partner in need of the full picture of the organisational change process
- An independent or internal consultant in organisation development and change, now or in the future
You’ll walk away with
- A masters in organisational development, an internationally recognised qualification, which will boost your impact and career as an OD professional
- A thorough knowledge of organisational development theory and its evolution
- The skills, tools and practice to lead transformational OD initiatives that put people first
- Greater connections with an international network of OD professionals
Why choose Roffey Park?
- We have been a centre of expertise in organisational development for more than 30 years and a pioneer of action learning for over 75 years.
- Our faculty team are experienced OD professionals with expertise across private, public and not for profit sectors. They have international experience in working with clients in the field of organisational development, leadership, management and HR.
Benefits for you and your organisation
You will graduate with a masters in organisational development, an internationally recognised qualification, which will grow your impact and career as an OD professional. You will also:
- Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of organisational development (OD) theory and its evolution, and critically evaluate different OD models, tools and techniques
- Apply OD concepts to real world situations and demonstrate an understanding of the role of OD in organisational success
- Analyse change dynamics within an organisation and lead the application of group dynamics and dialogic methods as key OD tools
- Reflect on your own OD practice, identify areas for improvement and demonstrate evidence of a commitment to on-going learning and continuous improvement.
- Function as an OD professional with a critical appreciation of how issues such as EDI and sustainability impact on the practice of OD
- Develop and critically evaluate plans for OD interventions that address organisational challenges related to culture, diversity, inclusion, sustainable development and ethics
- Conduct research in the field of OD
- Build an international network of OD contacts
Dialogic Learning Groups
Dialogic Learning Groups are a key element of the masters in organisational development. Dialogic practice is also a key OD methodology, so practising it over the extended period of the programme is important experiential training. Activity within the DLG will be monitored and course mentors will periodically check in on the group, but most DLG meetings will be learner-led. This is an important element to the master’s programme as the DLGs will become strong professional networking hubs for learners. Each DLG is given access to course mentors, which enables them to access advice and guidance from the faculty team when they need it without comprising the autonomy of the DLG itself.
Commitment
The course is designed to fit into the busy lives of working people.
Each module contains live online lectures which take place on a Friday morning (starting 8am UK time), with no more than 2 mornings in each 2 month period.
Specific dates of these can be supplied on request.
In addition participants are required to join a number of small group sessions at times to be agreed by the group.
Fees
Our MSc in People and Organisational Development is delivered online over the course of two years.
Applications for the Masters in Organisational Development
To qualify for entry to the MSc in People and Organisational Development students are typically expected to hold at least a lower second (2.2) UK bachelor’s degree or international equivalent. As this is a professional organisational development master’s, you will need to demonstrate that you have at least four years of relevant business/industrial experience (this need not be in OD).
However, we do consider applicants who do not meet all of the above. We take a holistic approach and assess a person’s suitability for the programme based on their qualifications, experience and evidence of continuous personal development. Our application form requests details of career and qualification current situation and history as well as a brief statement outlining what the applicant is looking to gain from the programme. All applicants will be interviewed online before a place on the programme is offered.
The programme is taught entirely in internationally accessible English, but if English is not your first language you will need to hold a minimum IELTS 6.5
Frequently asked questions
We know that signing up for a master’s qualification is a big commitment and you’ll have lots of questions. To help you, here are some frequently asked questions from our participants.
We have a dedicated team and resources to support all MSc participants through their learning journey. You will have membership of our Learning Resource Centre (LRC) giving you access to our library catalogue, online journals, books and other relevant material. You’ll find all the information you need on a range of specialist subjects from organisational development, leadership and management, to human resources and personal development. Alongside use of the LRC, all your course materials and course instructions will be accessible through our digital learning platform.
Yes, this is an online MSc in OD qualification. Your formal teaching, with the whole cohort will be facilitated during live, online sessions. These are underpinned by self-directed learning groups (DLGs) who will meet regularly online over the two-year programme. You will be supported throughout by our experienced faculty team who will run summative and formative feedback sessions with individuals and groups.
Each module has a module leader who will curate, design and deliver the module. In addition, each DLG will have a facilitator for selected mentor-led sessions.
Most of your time on the programme will be spent working independently. As a guide, you should be prepared to study for around 12 hours per week, in addition to attending live online lectures and Dialogic Learning Groups.
Each module has assignments which may include individual written pieces, presentations and group work. There are no formal exams with this qualification. Whilst the majority of your work will be done independently, an important part of the assessment process is the giving and receiving of feedback to each other.
We are able to provide payment plans for participants who are self-funding. Please contact us to find out more.
The MSc qualification runs over two years. Learning takes place through a range of interactions, including facilitated sessions delivered by a member of Roffey Park’s experienced OD faculty team. The majority of the programme takes place in small group learning sessions alongside self-study. It is important to note that this is an online MSc in OD qualification.
The MSc in OD is an international qualification programme. Each cohort has around 15 – 25 participants and the group will comprise international and UK participants, from private and public sector organisations with a range of qualifications and work experience. This diversity will enrich your learning experience through access to different cultural OD contexts.