Bachelor of Science Occupational and Technical Studies with a Major in Training Specialist (BS)
Unlock your potential in the $350 billion global training and development industry with the Training Specialist major! Gain the expertise necessary to become a training and organizational development specialist by creating value-added training solutions that drive talent development and enhance organizational performance. Develop skills in training and development program design, delivery, and evaluation; creative problem-solving, leadership, communications technology, and management. Explore and enhance your career opportunities in business, industry, healthcare, government, the military, and higher education. A minor in Training and Development and a certificate in Industrial Training are also available. Join us and launch your career today!
Career Highlights
- 12% projected job growth far exceeds the 5% national average; $65,000 starting; $125,000 with five years of experience (Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook, 2024)
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Careers include corporate trainer, training and development specialists, instructional designer, talent development and recruiter, and human resources specialists, consultant, training and development manager, and chief learning officer.
Major Highlights
- An accelerated plan of study is available. Complete the Bachelor of Science degree in 1.3 years as a 60+ hour transfer student.
- Complete the major at your own pace, full-time or part-time.
- Self-paced and instructor-led courses
- Built-in OSHA certification
- A.S. and A.A.S community college credits accepted
- Transfer friendly (prior course work likely meets elective requirements)
- Military friendly (JST, CLEP, and DSST credits accepted)
- Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC) partner
- U.S. Armed Forces Military Pathways
- Courses based on cutting-edge research conducted by ATD, SHRM, AHRD
- Developing employ-based educational programs
Graduation Qualifications
To graduate, students need to earn at least a 2.0 GPA overall and in their major. In addition to meeting other requirements of the University, students must earn a minimum of 25 percent of the total number of credits required for the degree (for example, 30 credits in a 120-credit degree program) through on- or off-campus instruction.
Accelerated Plan-of-Study Based on a Transfer of 60+ Hours
Please see the Degree Program Guide area for additional information.
- 60 hours remaining (120 hours total required for degree completion)
- 34 hours STEM/SEPS courses
- 6 hours Upper Division General Education
- 20 hours of a combination of remaining required courses and electives
- 4 semesters to completion (3 academic semesters plus 1 summer term)
Requirements
Lower-Division General Education
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | 6 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Language and Culture | 0-6 | |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| Human Behavior | 3 | |
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| The Nature of Science | 8 | |
| Impact of Technology | 3 | |
Written Communication: Grade of C or better required in both courses
Oral Communication: met in the major by HMSV 339
Information Literacy and Research: STEM 251G required
Human Creativity cannot be met by SEPS 223A
Human Behavior: ECON 200S required; cannot be met by SEPS 203S
Impact of Technology: satisfied by STEM 370T in the major
Upper-Division General Education
- Option A. Approved Disciplinary Minor (a minimum of 12 hours determined by the department) or second degree or second major
- Option B. Interdisciplinary Minor (specifically 12 hours, 3 of which may be in the major)
- Option C. An approved Certification Program such as teaching licensure
- Option D. Two Upper-Division Courses from outside the College of Education and Professional Studies and not required by the major (6 hours)
Requirements for Graduation
Requirements for graduation include the following:
- Minimum of 120 credit hours.
- Minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward the major.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward a minor.
- Completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better. The W course must be taken at Old Dominion University.
- Completion of Senior Assessment.
Training Specialist Major
This major is designed to prepare students as training specialists who design, develop, and present training in business and industry. The major is also available through ODUGobal. On approval of the program leader, select business-related technical content areas from the community college can satisfy 30 hours of technical content for this major. Requirements are as follows:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Complete lower-division requirements | 35-41 | |
| Complete upper-division requirements (minimum of 6 credit hours) | 6 | |
| Technical Content Courses | ||
| ACCT 201 | Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 |
| HMSV 339 | Interpersonal Relations | 3 |
| MGMT 325 | Contemporary Organizations and Management | 3 |
| MGMT 330 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| or MGMT 340 | Human Resource Management | |
| MKTG 311 | Marketing Principles and Problems | 3 |
| PSYC 201S | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 303 | Industrial/Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| SEPS 302 | Workforce Supervision Management | 3 |
| SEPS 389 | Education and Training of Adults | 3 |
| SEPS 400 | Instructional Systems Development | 3 |
| SEPS 402 | Instructional Methods in Occupational Studies | 3 |
| SEPS 405 | Directed Work Experience | 4 |
| SEPS 450 | Assessment, Evaluation and Improvement | 3 |
| SEPS 481 | Career and Professional Development | 3 |
| STEM 350 | Communication Technology Processes | 3 |
| or STEM 351 | Communication Technology | |
| STEM 365 | Safety and OSHA Certification | 3 |
| STEM 370T | Technology and Society (Writing Intensive) * | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Training Electives ** | 21 | |
| Elective Credit | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-126 | |
- *
Grade of C or better required
- **
Consult the departmental advisor for a list of approved courses used to meet this requirement.
Elective credit may be needed to meet the minimum of 120 credits required for the degree.
Degree Program Guide
The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years. It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor. Additional information can also be found in Degree Works.
Training Specialist Major
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 110C | English Composition (C or better required) | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Elective or Foreign Language (if required) | 3 | |
| STEM 251G | Computer Literacy: Communication and Information | 3 |
| PSYC 201S | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Literature | 3 | |
| Elective or Foreign Language (if required) | 3 | |
| Human Creativity (cannot be met by SEPS 223A) | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| ECON 200S | Basic Economics | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| Nature of Science I | 4 | |
| ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C |
Writing, Rhetoric, and Research or Writing, Rhetoric, and Research: Special Topics |
3 |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| ACCT 201 | Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 |
| Training Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Nature of Science II | 4 | |
| Training Elective | 3 | |
| Training Elective | 3 | |
| Training Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| MKTG 311 | Marketing Principles and Problems | 3 |
| MGMT 330 or MGMT 340 |
Organizational Behavior or Human Resource Management |
3 |
| SEPS 302 | Workforce Supervision Management | 3 |
| MGMT 325 | Contemporary Organizations and Management | 3 |
| HMSV 339 | Interpersonal Relations | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SEPS 389 | Education and Training of Adults | 3 |
| SEPS 400 | Instructional Systems Development | 3 |
| SEPS 450 | Assessment, Evaluation and Improvement | 3 |
| STEM 351 or STEM 350 |
Communication Technology or Communication Technology Processes |
3 |
| PSYC 303 | Industrial/Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| SEPS 405 | Directed Work Experience | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 4 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| SEPS 402 | Instructional Methods in Occupational Studies | 3 |
| STEM 365 | Safety and OSHA Certification | 3 |
| STEM 370T | Technology and Society (writing intensive; C or better required) | 3 |
| Training Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division General Education | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SEPS 481 | Career and Professional Development | 3 |
| Upper-Division General Education | 3 | |
| Training Elective | 3 | |
| Training Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Training Specialist Major Accelerated Guide*
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| 1st 8 Weeks | 9 | |
| Computer Literacy: Communication and Information | ||
| Workforce Supervision Management | ||
| Instructional Systems Development | ||
| 2nd 8 Weeks | 9 | |
| Technology and Society | ||
| Instructional Methods in Occupational Studies | ||
Other required course or elective |
||
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| 1st 8 Weeks | 9 | |
| Communication Technology | ||
| Career and Professional Development | ||
Other required course or elective |
||
| 2nd 8 Weeks | 9 | |
| Education and Training of Adults | ||
Upper Division General Education I |
||
Other required course or elective |
||
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Summer | ||
| STEM 365 | Safety and OSHA Certification | 3 |
| SEPS 405 | Directed Work Experience ** | 4 |
| Other required course or elective | 3 | |
| Other required course or elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| 1st 8 Weeks | 9 | |
| Assessment, Evaluation and Improvement | ||
Upper Division General Education II |
||
Other required course or elective |
||
| 2nd 8 Weeks | 2-3 | |
Other required course or elective (if needed) |
||
| Credit Hours | 11-12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 60-61 | |
- *
Permission required to take over 18 hours per semester. This plan assumes at least 60 credits have been transferred in to Old Dominion University.
- **
SEPS 405 is a 4-hour course that is offered in a 12-week Session 1 format. Courses taken in Winter Term and Maymester do not count toward Summer hours.
BA or BS to MBA (Master of Business Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MBA or BS/MBA program is an early entry to the MBA program of study. The early-entry program is designed for well qualified non-business undergraduate ODU students to start their MBA program prior to completing their undergraduate degree. Well qualified non-business undergraduate students may take MBA-level courses as early as three semesters prior to graduation and count up to 12 graduate credits toward their undergraduate degree. Students participating in the early-entry program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree). Early-entry program students should carefully consider their undergraduate degree program requirements when planning their course of study. Students in the early-entry program work in close consultation with the MBA Program Office and should refer to information in the Strome College of Business section in the graduate catalog to develop an individualized plan of study based on the required coursework.
BA or BS to MPA (Master of Public Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MPA or BS/MPA program provides qualified Old Dominion University undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn a master's degree in public administration while taking credits in the MPA program as an undergraduate student. The program is designed for highly motivated students with the desire to immediately continue their education after the bachelor's degree. The program is especially relevant to individuals seeking to work (or currently working) in the public or non-profit sectors, but is suitable for students from any undergraduate major. Graduate courses may be taken during the fall and spring semester of the student's senior undergraduate year. Up to 12 graduate credits can count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree and can meet upper-level General Education requirements. After receiving the undergraduate degree, a student will continue with the MPA program, taking MPA courses until completing the required 39 credit hours. Students in the linked program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).
Requirements for admission to the graduate program can be found in the School of Public Service section of the Graduate Catalog. For additional information, please contact the School of Public Service in the Strome College of Business.