Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Human Resources Management (HRM) certificate program is now officially accredited, thanks to a recent designation from the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) in Saskatchewan this academic year.
The CPHR designation – announced by the school on April 4 – represents a commitment to the national standard of excellence and sets a benchmark for the instruction of effective Human Resources (HR) practices.
The HRM certificate program at Sask Polytech involves everything from introductory-level material to more challenging specialities which include strategic compensation, employee and labour relations, and creating healthy organizations.
“So often, people think about human resources as… the recruitment or retention of employees, but there are many things in between there,” explained Kristen Craig, dean of the Sask Polytech School of Business.
“That’s where our program is well-rounded, and it touches on all of the areas of human resources.”
To achieve accreditation, the program is rigorously evaluated by the CPHR to ensure conformity with standards set on a national level. This process involves each institution providing a sample of its curriculum and the associated learning outcomes expected of students enrolled in the program.
“When you receive accreditation for your program, it really signifies that you know that the program (and associated faculty) is at that national standard of excellence,” Craig said.
This isn't the first time a Sask Polytech HR program has received the CPHR accreditation.
Back in 2020, the academic institution earned accreditation for the business diploma program with a specialization in HR.
“We were the first post-secondary institution in Saskatchewan to get accredited for our business diploma program with a specialty in HR, so we’re really proud of that,” Craig stated.
A driving force behind the recent accreditations comes from the way Sask Polytech structures its course programming.
“We have faculty in the program that come from industry — they’ve worked in various roles within the HR profession, and they really bring that wealth of knowledge and experience into the classroom,” Craig explained.
Programming at Sask Polytech is also based on applied learning principles, she noted.
“What I mean by that is our students are actually working on projects that simulate real world situations, or they’re working directly with industry to support (that) industry on projects.
“It’s unlike a traditional course that you would take where it’s lecture-based,” she added.
The newly achieved accreditation means the school will appeal to more aspiring HR students, and those students now have another guarantee that their investment of time and effort will result in a designation with equal merit anywhere in Canada.
“This really sets our program up to show that students coming out of this program meet that national level,” Craig said.
As well, students graduating from either accredited program with an average of 70 per cent or higher won’t have to write the National Knowledge Exam (NKE), otherwise required to officially become a CPHR candidate.
“Through this accreditation that we (now) have, that national exam requirement is being waived, because essentially, what it’s saying is that our students meet that level… required to demonstrate that they have those competencies.”
Sask Polytech’s School of Business programs offer students a comprehensive understanding of HR principles and prepares graduates for a successful career in what is described as a “dynamic field” of employment. With this newly added CPHR accreditation, graduates can further enhance their professional credentials and stand out in today’s competitive job market.
To learn more about the business diploma in HR and the HRM certificate programs, visit SaskPolytech.ca.
