Earning your training and development degree online is a great way to further your career or start a new career altogether. Colleges and universities now have online platforms that provide resources and tools that allow you to learn and experience just as much as if you were in a classroom setting. By using platforms like Blackboard and BrightSpace, all of your lessons, reports, homework, and lectures can be found online and accessible on almost any mobile device.
Having a Bachelor degree in Training and Development is a great way to know you are making a difference in other peoples’ lives. The skills and abilities you teach in the workplace can also be applied in their personal lives as well. Individuals will rely on you to provide them with the most accurate and up to date information possible. With an online training and development degree, you will be responsible for educating future leaders who will be able to guide others when it comes to working as a team and being productive.
Methodology: Ranking the Best Online Bachelor Degree in Training and Development Programs
To rank the best online training and development bachelor’s degree programs, Great Business Schools researched online and hybrid programs from a variety of accredited, reputable institutions. Programs are ranked by cost, reputation, and salary potential, using Niche and IPEDS data.
1. University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas offers a BS in Human Resources and Workforce Development Education that is recognized by U.S. News among the best online bachelor degree in training and development programs available in the marketplace. This 120 semester credit undergraduate degree can be complete in two to four years, depending on the student’s time availability.
Founded in 1871 as one of the Morrill Land Grant Act’s schools, the University of Arkansas is a comprehensive university that is also the state’s flagship campus. The Fayetteville campus of the University of Arkansas serves approximately 26,340 students through the distance learning platform and on the school’s 500-acre campus.
Highlight The University of Arkansas holds the distinction of being the first school to host a chapter of Chi Omega Sorority.
Degree BS Human Resources and Workforce Development Education
2. Oregon State University
Oregon State University’s Public Health & Human Sciences College offers a Bachelor of Science degree (BS) program in Human Development and Family Science that can be completed entirely online. Oregon State University’s online bachelor degree in training and development program is recognized by U.S. News among top programs and also accredited by CEPH. Students are required to complete 180 quarter credits over eight terms/four years. Note that 45 credit units of the last 75 credit units earned for the degree must be completed at Oregon State University in residence.
Located in Corvallis, Oregon State University is a four-designation school, one of only several holding a Land, Sea, Space, and Sun-grant designation. The university’s college-town campus is home to about 31,440 students, with a student alumnus that nearly one-quarter million grads.
Highlight Oregon State University operates additional facilities in Bend, Oregon, and online.
Degree BS in Human Development and Family Science
3. Drexel University
Drexel University offers a BS in Education, which switches the emphasis from certification to a broader perspective that includes applying education foundations to other fields and careers. Drexel University’s online bachelor degree in training and development program prepares students who wish to work in the areas of youth advocacy, educational nonprofits, training/development or instructional design, and graduate school, to name a few. Drexel’s program is divided into four quarters that cover ten-weeks of instruction.
Drexel University, founded by financier Anthony Drexel in 1891, is a preeminent research institution of higher education in Philadelphia. The university’s urban campus is home to about 24,140 students who also participate in Drexel’s unique cooperative education programs.
Highlight Drexel University was developed to teach practical skills in the sciences and arts to men and women from each and all heritages/backgrounds.
Degree BS in Education: Non-Certification
4. University of Wisconsin – Stout
The University of Wisconsin – Stout offers a BS in Career, Technical Education, and Training that can be complete 100% online. The University of Wisconsin’s online bachelor degree in training and development program is recognized both nationally and internationally and is a degree completion program for those students who already hold an associate degree from an accredited school. Students completing this undergraduate completion program at the University of Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin (UW Stout) was founded in the early 1890s and named for famed lumber magnate and state senator, James Stout. The university’s large-town, rural campus is home to approximately 8,140 students. UW Stout is one of the state’s polytechnical schools.
Highlight The Stout of the University of Wisconsin is organized into three colleges/schools that offer more than 65 undergraduate & graduate degree majors.
Degree BS in Career, Technical Education, and Training
5. Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University offers a BS in Organization Administration that is available through an online, hybrid, or on-campus (Clinton, Dearborn, East Landing, Saginaw, Troy & Southfield) delivered course. Students enrolled in Central Michigan University’s online bachelor degree in training and development program are required to finish 120 semester credits to graduate. Interested students may apply to the combined B.S. to MSA accelerated dual degree program. Classes for this degree include industrial sociology, organizational behavior management, managerial economics, and the legal environment of business, among others.
Established in the early 1890s, Central Michigan University is a multiple campus institution with a student enrollment of approximately 21,550 students. Central Michigan University is divided into eight colleges/schools.
Highlight Central Michigan University is known for its endowed lecture series to include Harold Abel, Fleming, and Milliken/Hart series in Politics.
Degree BS in Organization Administration
6. Maryville University
Maryville University offers a BA in Human Development and Family Studies that is ranked among the best values by Kiplinger and Forbes. Maryville University’s online bachelor degree in training and development program in human development and family studies offers four academic tracks – adult development & aging, early childhood development, family life education, and youth development. Maryville University offers a generous transfer credit policy for those transferring to this undergraduate degree in training and development.
Maryville University is a private university that was founded in 1872 in downtown Saint Louis. The school moved to its Town and Country location about 90 years later. Approximately 10,950 students attend classes offered by Maryville University located online and on-campus.
Highlight Maryville University is organized into six schools/colleges covering health, nursing, education, business, adult ed, and arts/sciences.
Degree BA in Human Development and Family Studies
7. Walsh University
Walsh University offers a BA in Organizational Development and Leadership (ODL) that integrates coursework from the areas of sociology, psychology, communication, and organizational leadership. Classes for this online bachelor degree in training and development program include resource development, organizational promotions, behavioral science, and digital leadership, to name a few. Students enrolled in Walsh University’s undergraduate degree in training and development is offered in an accelerated format with eight-week accelerated sessions. Students graduate prepared for careers in human resource management, training, and development, or organization management, among others.
Affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church and founded in 1960, Walsh University is a private school with a campus in North Canton and an academic satellite facility in Italy. Walsh University is home to approximately 2,150 students.
Highlight Walsh University has been named to honor the Youngstown, Ohio Roman Catholic Diocese’s Bishop, Emmet Walsh.
Degree BA in Organizational Development and Leadership
8. Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University’s Education College/Education Technology Department offers a Bachelor of Science degree program (BS) in the area of Applied Management with an academic emphasis in Instructional Technology, Training and Evaluation (ITTE) that has been designed for those students who already hold an associate degree in a related discipline. Northern Illinois University’s online bachelor degree in training and development program requires the completion of 40 hours of coursework at the 300 level or above.
Established in the mid 1890s as a normal school for teacher training, Northern Illinois University is now a research institution with approximately 19,940 students vying for academic degrees offered by NIU’s seven colleges/schools.
Highlight Northern Illinois University’s main campus is in DeKalb, but the university operates several satellite facilities in Naperville, Rockford, Chicago, and Hoffman Estates, among others.
Degree BS Applied Management-Instructional Technology, Training and Evaluation
9. Idaho State University
The Education College at Idaho State University offers a BS in Workplace Training and Leadership (WTL) that can be completed 100% online. This online bachelor degree in training and development program offers an academic emphasis in Career & Technical Education for those interested in becoming industrial trade educators professionally. Students with more than 10,000 hours of work experience may qualify for up to 24 credits towards the degree’s requirements. Degree candidates must complete 120 hours of coursework to graduate.
Idaho State University is a space-grant school that was established as a state college in 1947. Idaho State University’s campus in Pocatello is home to approximately 12,250 students that hail from 48 states and nearly 60 countries.
Highlight Idaho State University is recognized as Idaho’s lead institution in matters of health and medical education.
Degree BS Workplace Training and Development
10. Liberty University
Liberty University offers a BS in Business Administration (BSBA) with an academic track in Human Resource Management that can be completed, on average, in only 3.5 years. Liberty University’s online bachelor degree in training and development program requires degree candidates to complete 120 semester credits to graduate. Liberty University’s undergraduate degree in training and development has received accreditation from the ACBSP. Students can transfer up to 90 eligible credit units with Liberty University’s generous transfer credit policy.
Established in the 1970s by Jerry Falwell, Sr., Liberty University is a private institution that is recognized as an evangelical Christian school. The university’s student enrollment exceeds 100,000, is one of the largest in the nation, with the majority of students enrolled online.
Highlight Liberty University began distance learning in 1985 when its coursework was delivered through VHS sent by mail.
Degree BS Business Administration-Human Resource Management
11. Western Governors University
Western Governors University offers a BS in Business Administration (BSBA) with an academic track in Human Resource Management that is recognized among the best value programs for several consecutive years by University Research. Western Governors University’s online bachelor degree in training and development program offers students a flat tuition rate per term, not credit. WGU’s undergraduate degree in training and development is also SHRM and ACBSP -accredited. Students can complete this degree as quickly as 30 months, which saves money with the flat tuition program options.
Established in 1997 by the current governors of nineteen U.S. states, Western Governors University operates as a competency-based learning model completely online. WGU’s student enrollment is approximately 119,450 students.
Highlight Corporate board members of Western Governors University include members of the Gates Foundation, AT&T, Microsoft, and Google, among others.
Degree BS Human Resource Management
12. Pacific Oaks College
Pacific Oaks College offers a Bachelor’s in Human Development with an academic emphasis on Active Learning Across the Lifespan. Pacific Oaks College’s online bachelor degree in training and development program requires degree candidates to complete 120 semester credits to graduate but offers eligible credit for learning from experiential units. Classes for this undergraduate degree in training and development include play across the lifespan, and political/social contexts of human development, among others. This degree program is available on the San Jose campus of Pacific Oaks College.
Pacific Oaks College was established as a private school in 1958. The college aligns with the social justice principles as set forth by Quakers. The college’s suburban campus is home to approximately 1,140 undergraduate and graduate students.
Highlight Pacific Oaks College also maintains a children’s school on its campus that has been operational since 1945.
Degree Bachelors in Human Development: Active Learning Across the Lifespan
13. Hope International University
Hope International University offers a BS in Human Development in psychology that is available 100% online. The online bachelor degree in training and development program provided by Hope International University offers five academic tracks for this undergraduate degree – graduate counseling, addiction studies, family studies, behavioral psychology, and community mental health/counseling. Students who graduate from Hope International University’s undergraduate degree in training/development find rewarding work as child protective specialists, employee assistance professionals, domestic violence shelter advocates, and family life educators, among others.
Founded as a bible seminary in 1928, Hope International University is a Christian higher learning institution with a strong affiliation to the Restoration Movement. HIU offers partnered programs with CSU Fullerton, which is located nearby.
Highlight Hope International University completed a merger with the Nebraska Christian College of Papillion in 2016.
Degree BS in Human Development
14. San Diego Christian College
San Diego Christian College offers a BA in Human Development that can be completed entirely 100% online. San Diego Christian College’s online bachelor degree in training and development program is designed to develop critical thinkers, effective advocates, and counselors assisting others throughout the various stages of the human life span. Students complete SDCC’s undergraduate degree in training/development, with 123 credit units, in about 48 months. Classes for this degree include crisis intervention, life span development, and counseling theory, to name a few.
Established as a private evangelical school in 1970 as a heritage school, San Diego Christian College’s campus is located in suburban San Diego. SDCC’s serves approximately 675 students who follow the core principles of truth, purpose, and impact.
Highlight San Diego Christian College awarded its first academic degrees several years after the school opened its doors to students.
Degree BA in Human Development
15. University of New England
The University of New England Bachelor of Training and Development is among the best online bachelor degree in training and development programs in the state of Maine. UNE offers three start dates through the year for those interested in enrolling in this undergraduate degree in training and development. Most students finish the degree in under four years, even studying part-time. Students must complete 144 quarter credits to graduate from this Bachelor of Training and Development degree program.
The University of New England was founded in 1831 as a private junior college/school. UNE is a multiple campus institution of higher education with campuses in Biddeford, Portland, Maine, and in Tangiers, Morocco. UNE is a space-grant university with a student enrollment of approximately 13,650 students.
Highlight The University of New England offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through the schools’ six colleges/schools – of which the medical school is the only medication education facility in Maine.
Degree Bachelor of Training and Development
Why Should I Get My Training and Development Bachelor’s Degree Online?
Convenience is another key factor as to why students choose to earn their Bachelor’s degree in Training and Development online. Not only can they study from virtually any location, they have access to faculty and school resources as well. If there is no set class time, they are able to access lessons, lectures, videos, quizzes, and exams at any time of the day. All they have to worry about is submitting their lessons prior to the deadlines. Course work is divided up into lessons that can be completed and turned in at any time of the day or night.
Students who have families may not be able to quit their job to attend school in a classroom. Not only do online courses allow them to do their homework whenever it’s convenient, it also lets them use what they learn in a real-life setting. If a student is already working in the field they want to move forward in, earning their Bachelor’s degree online will give them the education they need to be eligible for higher-paying positions with more responsibilities. The closer they get to graduation, the more eligible they become for new opportunities that may show up.
What Can I Do with a Bachelor’s in Training and Development?
There are many entry-level jobs in training and development. Human Resources positions offer graduates who have earned a Bachelor’s in Training and Development a chance to use those skills in a variety of ways. Graduates can develop training protocols and come up with programs that allow each employee to reach their full potential. By analyzing the workforce, training and development leads can identify individuals who have skills that may make them perfect for a specific job.
Health and safety training leads are also in high demand. As part of the Human Resources department, health and safety training leads are in charge of teaching workers how to be safe on the job. Safety protocols must be developed and taught. Training methods must be implemented that allows every worker an opportunity to learn and utilize the skills. Training leads may also implement programs that are designed to help workers live a healthier more productive lifestyle. The healthier they are, both in and out of the workplace, the more productive they will be on every level.
Another possibility is to become an educator in a specific field. You can become an educator and work as an independent contractor. This way you can work for many different companies, educating each one’s employees so that they are better able to perform their duties. You can find work as an educator with organizations like OSHA and other relief organizations that provide health and safety training. If you prefer to work with one company, you may be able to apply for positions like Safety Director or Training Supervisor.
What Does a Training and Development Assistant Manager Do?
The training and development assistant job description includes helping Training and Development leaders gather information for training, develop specific training protocols, and assist in the education process. An assistant manager in the Training and Development field needs to have above par research and communication skills. They must be able to work well with others and share information between Human Resources and the workforce. It is also essential that they be able to find answers to questions that employees may have about specific situations.
An assistant manager in any type of department must be knowledgeable enough to be able to stand in for the Training and Development manager when they are unavailable to perform their duties. They must have all of the necessary skills that a manager uses on a regular basis. For many, it will be a good learning process that will provide them with the abilities they will need if they ever choose to advance into that position in the future.
Another role a Training and Development assistant manager must take on is a liaison between upper management and the Training and Development team. If there are questions that need to be answered, it is up to the assistant manager to make the connection and find the answers that either side of the table are looking for. The assistant manager must be available to the workforce as well if questions arise or if any type of training is needed.
Carrie Morris
Author
Warren Dahl
Editor-in-Chief