rss icon facebook icon twitter icon linkedin icon

Testimonial

Professional Certificate in Consulting

Participants in this program acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, tools and models needed to develop and facilitate executive, creative, technical and organizational solutions in the ever-changing business environment. Upon completion of the Professional Certificate in Consulting, participants will be able to help clients achieve business objectives by:

  • providing expert guidance for implementing new structures
  • improving processes
  • facilitating learning
  • aligning organizational assets to drive high-performance results.

Participants gain a thorough understanding of the theories, concepts and skills needed to consult successfully within any organizational setting.

The educational component of the program consists of a series of learning modules organized into four main content areas (see below). A learning module is a class that meets once a week for four, six or eight weeks. Each session is 90 minutes long. Course requirements include additional readings, written assignments and field practice.

Consulting Curriculum at a Glance

Section 1: Introduction to Organizational Consulting

  • Defines consulting and describes how it differs from other ways of working
  • Describes the difference between internal and external consultants and provides guidelines on when it is most appropriate to use each
  • Deals with how to go about organizing for consulting and lays out the different roles a consultant may play
  • Teaches the consultative selling process

Section 2: Essential Skills and Perspectives

  • Lays out theoretical perspectives and four basic skills that every effective consultant should have
  • Explores theoretical frameworks for consulting with special consideration given to open systems theory and the importance of structure in organizations
  • Discusses the hard skills essential to consulting:
    • Problem solving
    • Working with groups
    • Communications
    • Managing change

Section 3: Consulting Engagement Life Cycle

  • Explores the typical and predictable stages of forming a client-consultant relationship
  • Outlines the five stages of a consulting life cycle
    • Entry and contracting
    • Needs assessment
    • Program conception and design
    • Implementation
    • Ending

Section 4: Success, Failure and Professional Growth

  • Addresses a number of situations in which every consultant will find him – or herself
  • Describes potential problems and reviews strategies for dealing with them
  • Discusses how to continually improve effectiveness as a consultant
  • Explores consulting as a style of working and how this style can be effective in a wide variety of professional roles

Want to know more?
Sign Up for our online Q&A or Request Information
SIGN UP
Sign up for our online newsletter
NEWSLETTER
Meet Our Director Dr. Hicks
ACTP