Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Equity and Social Change: Why Merrimack College?
Communities today are grappling with the realities of historic and contemporary systemic oppression of groups based on social identities such as race, class, religion, ethnicity, age, gender expression, ability, and sexual orientation. In response, more organizations are offering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming, including diversity and inclusion certificate options, to encourage diverse representation, especially from historically underrepresented groups. Merrimack’s DEI certificate provides community engagement professionals in schools, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and other contexts the skills to build institutional policies and practices that are welcoming, inclusive and equitable. Our diversity certificate program stands out for its:
Flexibility for working professionals.
Merrimack’s DEI program has been designed to allow employees and leaders of educational institutions and community-based organizations to pursue the critical skills and techniques they need to become diversity, equity and inclusion professionals without leaving their current position. All courses are offered online.
Leading faculty.
Drawing from courses in Merrimack’s M.Ed. in Community Engagement, the diversity certificate program is similarly led by nationally prominent researchers and practitioners in the field. You’ll learn in small classes that guarantee extensive face-time and one-on-one support from accomplished scholars such as community engagement specialist Audrey Falk.
Transferable master’s degree credits.
If you decide to continue your studies, you can count all the credits from the diversity, equity and social change certificate program toward Merrimack’s master’s degree in community engagement. The graduate certificate amounts to about a third of the total credits needed for the master’s degree.
