The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
HRER 836: DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE (3 credits) This course examines workplace diversity, gender and race challenges facing employers and employees, and the skills for managing diversity.
Overview
With demographic changes and globalization, the labor force in the U.S. has become more diverse than ever before. As a result, employers are faced with various kinds of diversity- related challenges and complexities in the workplace. Factors that account for diversity in the workplace include differences in race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and physical disability. While diversity in itself is not a problem it can, under certain conditions, lead to many challenges. There is little doubt that organizations must address diversity-related challenges in the workplace with effective strategies in order to be successful in today’s globalized market as well as to satisfy legal requirements.
This course has three interrelated components: One component examines the challenges of diversity in the work place, in general, and race and gender- based diversity, in particular. The second component examines employment and discrimination laws, work and family and recruitment and selection policies, and sexual harassment guidelines. The third aspect of the course deals with various strategies for managing diversity in the workplace. The course will provide an opportunity for students to carefully examine the challenges of workplace diversity and existing laws, policies and strategies designed to deal with the challenges.
Course Objectives
After successfully completing the course, you will be able to:
- familiarize themselves with the academic discourse on the challenges of diversity in the workplace;
- examine the challenges and complexities of managing a workforce which is diverse with respect to race, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion, culture and personal value;
- gain greater understanding of how differences of cultural values influence interpersonal relations and interactions in organizations;
- understand social policy and employment laws that pertain to diversity in the workplace;
- understand the changing trends in demographic composition of the labor force; and
- to critically examine current organizational strategies for managing diversity.
Students will be able to meet these objectives through multiple exercises, discussion assignments and group work. These activities are designed to help students understand diversity-related challenges at the personal and organizational levels; and to demonstrate knowledge and skills in effectively responding to a variety of diversity-related questions and issues facing organizations.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2 GHz or higher |
| Memory | 1 GB of RAM |
| Hard Drive Space | 20 GB free disk space |
| Browser | We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or
Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion,
and for advice on downloading a supported version,
please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers.
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses. |
| Plug-ins | Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe] |
| Additional Software | Microsoft Office (2007 or later) |
| Internet Connection | Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required |
| Printer | Access to graphics-capable printer |
| DVD-ROM | Required |
| Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers | Required |
| Monitor | Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Schedule
| Lesson | Reading Assignment |
Activities |
Lesson 01 Part 1: Introduction Lesson 01 Part 2: Defining Diversity and Why it is Important to Understand Diversity |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 01 Individual Assignment. |
| Lesson 02: Race and Racism in the Workplace |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 02 Individual Assignment. Review the Lesson 10 Research Paper Assignment and begin working on it. |
| Lesson 03: Gender, Work, and Families |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 03 Individual Assignment. Continue working on the Lesson 10 Research Paper Assignment. |
| Lesson 04: Working with Older Workers |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 04 Individual Assignment. Continue working on the Lesson 10 Research Paper Assignment. |
| Lesson 05: Understanding and Valuing Workplace Diversity at the Individual, Group, and Organizational Level |
|
Note that this lesson includes a group assignment. Log in early in the week and plan ahead to give yourself time to coordinate your group discussion and activities. Complete and submit the Lesson 05 Group and Individual Assignments. Submit the Lesson 05 Peer Evaluation. Continue working on the Lesson 10 Research Paper Assignment. Complete the HRER Mid-Course Survey |
| Lesson 06: Exposure to Diversity |
|
Note that you'll need to plan ahead for this assignment as you will need to go out into the field before you complete it. Read the assignment for details. Complete and submit the Lesson 06 Individual Assignment. Continue working on the Lesson 10 Research Paper Assignment. |
| Lesson 07: Religion in the Workplace |
|
Note that this lesson includes a group assignment. Log in early in the week and plan ahead to give yourself time to coordinate your group discussion and activities. Complete and submit the Lesson 07 Group Assignment. Submit the Lesson 07 Peer Evaluation. Continue working on the Lesson 10 Research Paper Assignment. |
| Lesson 08: Physical Disability and the Workplace |
|
Note that this lesson includes a group assignment. Log in early in the week and plan ahead to give yourself time to coordinate your group discussion and activities. Complete and submit the Lesson 08 Group Assignment. Submit the Lesson 08 Peer Evaluation. Continue working on the Lesson 10 Research Paper Assignment. |
| Lesson 09: Sexual Orientation in the Workplace |
|
Note that this lesson includes a group assignment. Log in early in the week and plan ahead to give yourself time to coordinate your group discussion and activities. Complete and submit the Group Assignment, and the 2 Short Discussion Forum Assignments. Submit the Lesson 09 Peer Evaluation. Continue working on the Lesson 10 Research Paper Assignment. |
| Lesson 10: The Impact of Cultural Differences in the Workplace |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 10 Discussion Forum and Research Paper Assignments. |
| Lesson 11: Developing Multicultural Leadership in a Diverse Workforce |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 11 Individual Assignment. Review the Lesson 14 Research Paper Assignment and begin working on it now. |
| Lesson 12: Implementing Diversity |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 12 Individual Assignment. Continue working on the Lesson 14 Research Paper Assignment. |
| Lesson 13: Recruitment and Hiring a Diverse Workforce |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 13 Discussion Forum Assignment. Continue working on the Lesson 14 Research Paper Assignment. |
| Lesson 14: Topic Research Paper |
|
Complete and submit the Lesson 14 Research Paper Assignment. |
NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Grading
The World Campus follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:
A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit
The final grade will be calculated on the basis of 1000 total points.
| Grade | Minimum % |
| A | 93 |
| A- | 90 |
| B+ | 88 |
| B | 82 |
| B- | 80 |
| C+ | 78 |
| C | 70 |
| D | 60 |
| F | < 59 |
GRADING CRITERIA
Lesson |
Discussion Forum |
Drop Box |
Points Per Assignment |
1 |
N/A |
N/A |
Ungraded |
1 Part 2 |
|
Lesson 01 Part 2 Individual Assignment - Dimensions of You Exercise |
40 |
2 |
Lesson 2 Individual Assignment - Privilege and Disadvantage | 40 | |
3 |
Lesson 03 Individual Assignment - Gender Issues in the Workplace | 40 | |
4 |
Lesson 04 Individual Assignment - Personal Experience Forum | 40 | |
5 |
Lesson 05 Individual Assignment - Ethnic Identity; Keirsey Temperament Indicator | 40 | |
5 |
Lesson 05 Discussion Forum 2 Group Assignment - Adjectives | 30 | |
5 |
Lesson 05 Peer Evaluation | ungraded | |
6 |
Lesson 06 Diversity Field Experience Individual Assignment with review of classmate(s) | 40 | |
7 |
Lesson 07 Video Discussion | 28 | |
7 |
Lesson 07 Discussion Forum Group Assignment - Petersen Assignment | 40 | |
7 |
Lesson 07 Peer Evaluation | ungraded | |
8 |
Lesson 08 Discussion Forum Group Assignment - Company Research | 40 | |
8 |
Lesson 08 Peer Evaluation | ungraded | |
09 |
Lesson 09 Discussion Forum - All Are Welcome Company | 28 | |
09 |
Lesson 09 Discussion Forum on Video | 28 | |
| 09 | Lesson 09 Group Assignment Domestic Partner Benefits | 30 | |
9 |
Lesson 09 Peer Evaluation | ungraded | |
10 |
Lesson 10 Discussion Forum #1 - Cultural Differences in an Organizational Context | 40 | |
10 |
Lesson 10 Individual Drop Box Assignment - Country, Culture, & Groups Paper | 200 | |
11 |
Lesson 11 Individual Drop Box Assignment - Organizational Leaders Who Embrace and Manage Diversity | 40 | |
12 |
Lesson 12 Individual Drop Box Assignment - Best Places to Work Research | 28 | |
13 |
Lesson 13 Discussion Forum - Recruitment | 28 | |
14 |
Lesson 14 Individual Diversity Topic Research Paper | 200 | |
|
|
|
COURSE TOTAL = 1000 Points |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Assignments
The teaching method for the course is largely based on participatory discussion. Students are expected to actively engage in discussions of assigned readings, class exercises, and case studies. Students are expected to learn from each other through online discussions and assignment postings. Both individual preparations and working with groups are crucial for success in this course. Only through contribution to class discussions, doing the assignments and exercises can students’ learning be meaningful.
Students please note: The Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations does not view Wikipedia as a valid source for information cited in academic work. It can be a useful tool for quickly finding general information on subjects or as a starting point for research. However, students should not cite Wikipedia as a source in papers, reports, assignments, etc.
Some of your assignments will include Group Work. Please read this helpful information on working in teams and groups.
Research Papers—You will be expected to write two research papers. The American Psychological Association Citation (APA) Style should be used for these papers. You will also be required to submit your papers to TURNITIN before turning them into the instructor. TURNITIN is a program that analyzes content of papers for originality and proper citing of sources. It is used in this course primarily to help you identify any problems of excessive or uncited material from other sources. The Instructor Manual available on the TURNITIN Web site provides directions for instructors to follow on setting up a class account, and the Student Manual provides directions for you to access the services via that account. Click on the appropriate links and follow the step-by-step procedures in each manual on Getting Started and Plagiarism Prevention. Your instructor will supply you with the class ID, password and other pertinent information.
You will be required to watch some videos as you progress through the course. To do so, make sure you have the Adobe Flash Player application. If you have trouble accessing video segments, contact the World Campus HelpDesk.
As a Penn State student, you have access to lynda.com, your one-stop shop for video tutorials on Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and hundreds more topics--all free to active Penn State faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students. Take tutorials to help with coursework, learn techniques for your own projects, and build tech skills to boost your résumé. Tutorials are not required or graded.)
Class Atmosphere
The issues discussed in this course may be considered controversial. Therefore all students are expected to welcome the expression of various points of view. Class participants are responsible for permitting each member of the class to express his or her views without pressure from others. It is not expected that we will all hold the same viewpoint. However, it is expected that we will all treat each other with respect regardless of the difference in our opinions.
Professional behavior is expected in this class. The instructor reserves the right to adjust the overall grade of any student who acts unprofessionally or is disrespectful.
E-Reserves
This course also requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. To access these materials, click on the E-Reserves link on the left side menu. In order to find out which articles are mandatory or optional, click on the Course Readings List to review details.
Group Work
All of you will be assigned to a group and are required to work with your group to turn in assignments and final projects. Group members will be required to exchange phone number, IM, or e-mail addresses to facilitate timely completion of assignment work. Once groups are formed, the group should designate the time and day each assignment is to be provided to the reporter of the week. It is your responsibility to let your group members know if you are having computer problems or other problems and cannot submit the assignment on the designated time agreed upon by the group. Remember, some of your members may work full-time or part-time. Each group member is expected to share his/her schedule in terms of when assignments can be submitted, times to chat online etc. You are also expected to use the team discussion forum as necessary to discuss issues with your team members. If you fail to work with your group, you will be expelled from the group. This means you will lose group points. You will receive three warnings from the instructor before you are expelled.
Exams
There are no exams in this course.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer
Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.