Online Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate Program


Gwynedd Mercy UniversityGwynedd Mercy University's new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Post-Baccalaureate Certificate program prepares you with the skills, knowledge, and dispositions necessary to be a leader who advances social justice. The coursework will deepen your knowledge about the existential issues of our time, encourage you to reflect on your own practice, and guide you in developing a social justice orientation and mission-based advocacy.

This DEI Certificate program is designed for leaders from all industries who seek to better serve their students, employees, and constituents by overcoming institutional and cultural barriers.
Please note: The program features two required in-person weekend residencies at GMercyU. 

 

Why Choose GMercyU

The DEI Certificate program is rooted in GMercyU's core values of integrity, respect, service, and social justice, and serves to develop and enhance the next generation of instructional and organizational leaders for a more just society, including:

  • Recognition of White privilege and the elimination of structural racism
  • Stewardship of the earth and life sustainability
  • Just and humane immigration
  • Peaceful protest and advocacy for justice as a human right
  • Overcoming institutional and cultural barriers to women
  • Gender identity and sexual orientation as human rights

Curriculum

The DEI Certificate program will include three tracks where students will complete five courses in a choice of concentrations:

  • PK-12 Schools and School Districts – Geared towards educators and administrators serving Grades PK-12
  • Coming Soon! Higher Education – Geared towards educators and administrators in higher education
  • Coming soon! NGO & Corporate – Geared towards leaders in all industries, including HR, management, finance, law, health, sciences, and technology, among others

The first DEI Certificate session for PK-12 Schools and School Districts track begins September 2023.

To enhance the teaching and learning experience, this accelerated program includes a mix of online coursework and two in-person weekend residencies on Gwynedd Mercy University’s campus. The online courses will be seven weeks long while residency courses are just three weeks long, including a weekend residency on campus.

EDU 503 Social & Political Foundations: Power, Privilege, and Reflections on Self-Bias
Begins September 23, 2023 (weekend residency)
This course is an inquiry into the fundamental purposes of social and political institutions in the U.S. Students will deeply examine their own personal beliefs and bias to better understand contemporary issues as well as the philosophical, political and cultural origins of institutions and organizational patterns.

EDU 573 Community Relations and the Culturally Responsive School
Begins October 23, 2023
This course is designed to guide school personnel in developing leadership skills that exemplifies equity. In addition, skills, knowledge, and dispositions that are vital to communicating effectively with and relating to all school constituent individuals and groups, and fundamental to initiating, implementing, managing, and evaluating effective communication strategies, styles, and practices with and between all parties in the schooling process. This course provides the second opportunity of a safe space to engage in conversations that may be challenging to reflect on the content of this course as well as the previous course content and personal reflections. 

EDU 711 The Teacher’s Role in a Just Society: A Personal and Professional Reflection
Begins January 2, 2024
Teachers and Adminstrators play a central role in guiding school children to understand and accept others of diverse backgrounds. This course provides learnings, reflections, and sharing, toward creating a personal and professional tool kit for teachers who are committed to the success of every student. Students will reflect and identify their own personal bias and attitudes toward racism. Students will benefit from classroom recognition of their strengths and need related to bias and race and build strategies in their tool box to counteract bias and racism. This course provides the first safe space for the remainder of the program to begin the conversation and their personal transformational journey in DEI.

EDU 712 Social-Emotional Competency in the Elementary & Secondary Classroom
Begins February 26, 2024
Teachers will benefit from developing social-emotional learning and culturally responsive competencies to promote a positive equitable learning environment for all students. Teachers will also develop skills to address microaggressions and overt and implicit bias among students and set a positive role model.

EDU 713 Teacher Leadership: Rethinking Practice in the School & Classroom Through the Lens of Equity
Begins April 22, 2024 (weekend residency)
This course is designed to guide school personnel in an understanding of leadership and the importance of equity in the school and classrooms. Strategies will be presented to:

  • Assist teachers in building their own Equity-Centered Leadership skills to become “Equicentric Leaders”
  • Cultivate Effective Collaboration with colleagues, administrators, parents and stakeholders through the lens of equity
  • Rethink bias, stereotypes, and expectations as it relates to students, parents, and colleagues
  • Understand cultural differences as they relate to behavior and social interaction between teachers and students and with each other
  • Assessing the classroom and school community environment in terms of equitable practices, assessment, behavior and social interactions, and growth in instructional planning and delivery, resources, assessment of skills, and interaction with students, parents, and colleagues
  • Students will create and present a culminating project that informs DEI practice, policy, and/or procedure.

This course will also provide a space for students to debrief, share, and reflect on this program and share next steps in their personal and leadership journey.

EDU 701 Understanding Human Diversity in Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Socioeconomics, & Exceptionality
The concept of diversity includes acceptance and respect for the broad range of human characteristics in their socioecological, historical, and cultural contexts, as well as understanding that each individual, family, community, and societal group has uniqueness.


EDU 721 Educating for a Just Society in Scholarship, Advocacy, and Action
Public policy, common mind-sets, and individual dispositions can be changed through writings, teachings, organizing, and advocating social change through a broad range of media, social settings, and involvements.


EDU 722 Social-Emotional Competency in the College Classroom
Instructors will benefit from developing social-emotional learning competencies to promote a positive learning environment for all students.


EDU 723 DEI Leadership in Higher Education
Strategies and tool kits for advancing the cause of DEI in higher education make up this course for those who aspire to changing campus culture and climate.


EDU 724 Unconscious Bias & Micro-Aggression in Higher Education
To promote a deeper understanding of unconscious or implicit bias in the college classroom, this course offers insights on micro-aggressions and the impact they may have on college student disposition, retention, and success.

EDU 701 Understanding Human Diversity in Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Socioeconomics, & Exceptionality
The concept of diversity includes acceptance and respect for the broad range of human characteristics in their socioecological, historical, and cultural contexts, as well as understanding that each individual, family, community, and societal group has uniqueness.


EDU 503 Social & Political Foundations: Power and Privilege
This course is an inquiry into the fundamental purposes of social and political institutions in the U.S. Students will deeply examine their own personal beliefs and bias to better understand contemporary issues as well as the philosophical, political and cultural origins of institutions and organizational patterns.


EDU 592 Professional Development and Transformational Leadership
This course will provide students with the knowledge of: developing meaningful professional development, training, and structure; strategies to align assessments with curricula and standards; and build a collaborative environment to encourage high quality instructional delivery for all students.


EDU 702  The Social Justice Movement: Activists and Community Leaders
Learn how to transform norms around racial justice, immigrant rights, gender and sexuality, and discover the contributions of diverse leaders in transforming cultures toward a more just society.


EDU 724 Unconscious Bias & Micro-Aggression in Higher Education & the Workplace
To promote a deeper understanding of unconscious or implicit bias in the college classroom, this course offers insights on micro-aggressions and the impact they may have on college student disposition, retention, and success.

Earn Your DEI Certificate

Graduates of this post-baccalaureate program will become a vital resource for others on how to better serve the needs of people who face institutional and cultural barriers to access and success.

Take the next step towards your professional goals by earning your post-baccalaureate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate with GMercyU. Email gradadmissions@gmercyu.edu  to contact an admissions counselor, or begin your application online now!

Have questions? We're ready to help! Please contact:
Wivina Chmura, Associate Director of Admissions
215-641-5541
gradadmissions@gmercyu.edu