If you are an HR professional with international and cross-border responsibilities or you’ve been planning to earn your GPHR^® certification, now is the time to enroll in our HR exam preparation course based on the newly updated SHRM Global Learning System^®.

George Mason University offers this program in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The SHRM Global Learning System^® has been designed to maximize your experience, education, and skill set to provide you with the best chance to pass the GPHR^® exam. It is the most widely used HR Certification Institute certification preparation product in the marketplace.

One of the reasons for its success is the careful process by which the program is developed and maintained. The curriculum, designed by a world-class team of global HR and course-development experts, covers the new 2009 HR Certification Institute Global Body of Knowledge and includes a number of features and tools to develop specific competencies and decision-making skills.

• Identify key methods and practical guidelines for many global HR tasks.
• Strengthen your competencies and productivity through effective global HR training.
• Prepare for the HR Certification Institute’s GPHR^® certification exam with the most up-to-date materials.
• Sharpen your test-taking skills and increase your confidence through pre- and post-tests.

This course features a blended approach to learning. You’ll learn from printed workbooks, online tools, and a dynamic classroom experience.

• Global content that corresponds to the updated GPHR^® Body of Knowledge including legislation from six countries/regions that were identified in the practice analysis
• Proven training program that includes a blended format of print and web-based study tools designed to enhance your exam preparation
• More than 750 sample online and print exam questions to test your knowledge
• Interactive case studies for each module to apply learned principles
• A post-test that mirrors the HR Certification Institute exam to hone your test taking skills
• Electronic flashcards and glossary
• Resource center with updates, printable flashcards, and related links
• Individual reporting feature, so students can compare how they do on exams

By enrolling in our classroom-based format, you also get the added benefit of

• A structured classroom environment that enhances learning and helps you stay on track
• Experienced instructors to explain concepts and apply them to your industry
• Opportunities to network and share real-world experiences with other HR professionals
• Minimizing travel and maximizing employer tuition assistance

1. Strategic HR Management
Learn how to develop global HR strategies to support your organization’s short- and long-term business goals and corporate values.


Key topics and issues include:
• Participating in creating the organization’s global strategy.
• Aligning HR processes and activities with the organization’s global strategy
• Adapting processes to the cultural and legal contexts of each area of the global organization.
• Enhancing communication between the organization and its stakeholders.
• Ensuring that the HR function possesses the skills, knowledge, and resources to fulfill its global role.


2. Global Talent Acquisition and Mobility
Learn about the development, implementation, and evaluation of global staffing strategies to support organizational objectives in a culturally and contextually appropriate manner. This includes the recruitment, hiring, preparation, and global mobility of employees to meet business needs.


Key topics and issues include:
• Developing global talent strategies.
• Implementing the strategies, translating them into day-to-day activities.
• Evaluating the strategies to ensure that they make significant contributions to the organization.


3. Global Compensation and Benefits
Learn about the establishment and ongoing assessment of a global compensation strategy, including remuneration, benefits, and perquisite programs aligned with the company’s business objectives.


Key topics and issues include:
• Complying with local compensation practices, laws, and regulations.
• Accommodating varied employee values and expectations stemming from differences in cultures, languages, and communication preferences.
• Dealing with different standards and costs of living, and multiple currencies, exchange rates, inflation/deflation rates, tax systems, and tax rates.
• Addressing organizational business changes (expansions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, greenfield operations, and divestitures)


4. Organizational Effectiveness and Talent Development
Learn about the design, implementation, and enrichment of organizational structures, programs, and processes to effectively develop and engage a global workforce aligned with the organization’s business needs, culture, and values.


Key topics and issues include:
• Managing talent and performance of local and international assignees.
• Establishing employee engagement, training and development programs.
• Creating and implementing leadership development and change management initiatives.


5. Workforce Relations and Risk Management
Learn about the establishment of processes and practices that protect or enhance organizational value by managing risk and addressing employee rights and needs on a global basis.


Key topics and issues include:
• International, supranational, and national labor-related standards and laws with which global HR must ensure compliance.
• The most common forms of workforce organizations with which HR professionals may work (e.g., labor unions and works councils).
• HR practices that promote a positive work environment.
• Managing HR risk in a global context.



In each module there will be an introduction to specific countries: Canada, China, India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other European Union countries, with module-relevant material.

You should attend if you are:

or are an HR professional with at least two years of exempt-level (professional) experience whose responsibilities include:

To receive a Certificate of Completion, participants cannot have more than two class absences. Participants also must complete the Pre-Test & Post-Test PLUS all Module tests by the deadline specified by your instructor.

The HR Certification Institute developed the certification and administers the exam. The SHRM Global Learning System prepares you for the GPHR^® certification exam and also includes information about how the components of the test are weighted.

All certification testing is computer-based and conducted at the 250 Prometric Test Centers around the country. For best results, schedule your certification exam for a date that is after the end of your particular class section. For information on the exam and how to register, visit www.hrci.org.

While no single course of study guarantees success on the HR Certification Institute examinations, thousands of individuals have used the SHRM Global Learning System^® to effectively prepare for their exams.

This program has been approved for 27 international recertification credit hours toward PHR^®, SPHR^®, and GPHR^® recertification through the HR Certification Institute. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HR Certification Institute web site at www.hrci.org, call the HR Certification Institute at 866-898-4724, or send an e-mail to info@hrci.org.

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Scott A. Wilson, MBA, GPHR, SPHR, is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Triple Canopy Incorporated, a security and intelligence services company headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. Wilson has over 20 years of human resources leadership experience and oversees all aspects of Triple Canopy's human resources and human capital management. Before joining Triple Canopy, Wilson worked for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) as a vice president and business unit human resources director. He was also employed by EDS as a human resource business partner and completed several human resources consulting engagements in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

At George Mason University's Office of Continuing Professional Education, Wilson teaches courses in global and strategic human resource management. He is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Human Resource Planning Society (HRPS). Wilson is certified as a global professional in human resource management (GPHR) and senior professional in human resource management (SPHR) by the Society of Human Resource Management. He earned a bachelor's degree in international business from George Washington University and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Florida.

“Professors were extremely knowledgeable, and gave great “real-life” examples to explain the concepts.” –Fall 2008 student

“Complete review of learning system with great, real life examples to drive the point home.” –Fall 2008 student

“Very good course, valuable material, very approachable and competent instructors!” –Fall 2008 student