USC Law launches online human resources certificate

-By Gilien Silsby

USC Gould School of Law is offering a new online certificate designed for human resource professionals looking to advance in the field.

The Human Resources Law & Compliance certificate is available this fall to both non-lawyers and lawyers interested in legal related aspects of human resources. The program helps expand career opportunities for professionals pursuing employment related issues in various employment settings. Applications are accepted year-round.

“I have been able to apply legal concepts, that I never really knew too much about, in my actual, everyday work life,” said current online USC Gould student, Jessica Gross.

Three students studying at USC Gould School of Law.

The certificate, which focuses on human resources law and compliance, is ideal for human resource managers who handle negotiations, compliance managers who deal with risk management involving employees, and others in the human resources field, said Deborah Call, associate dean and chief programs officer of USC Gould’s Graduate and International Programs.

“Graduates often tell us that to enhance their professional careers in top companies, government offices and law firms, they must have mastered fundamental legal concepts and compliance skills,” Call said. “We believe that our online Human Resources Law & Compliance Certificate will greatly benefit middle managers who are looking to advance to the executive track.”

Coursework ranges from Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Compliance and Employment Discrimination Law to Employment Dispute Mediation, Human Resource Compliance and Regulatory Compliance.

“This experience has been professionally and personally rewarding. It has been the best experience of my life,” said current online USC Gould student, Diana Vanderlaan.

The certificate may be earned in as few as nine months, and may be taken individually or in conjunction with the LLM or MSL degree as a specialization. USC Gould’s online courses are delivered by many of the same accomplished faculty who earned the school a top-20 ranking among the U.S. News & World Report Best Law Schools. Online students have access to academic advising, student support, career development and bar exam preparation through the Graduate and International Programs Office.

Top-ranked and accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), the USC Gould School of Law delivers advanced legal education to students in Los Angeles and around the world. The USC Gould faculty consists of some of the legal field’s most prominent attorneys and legal experts. There are more than 10,000 USC Gould alumni worldwide.