Certificate in Organizational Anthropology

Certificate in Organizational Anthropology
Organizational Anthropology

About the Online Organizational Anthropology Certificate

Today’s workplaces are characterized by high levels of diversity. Organizational leaders who can effectively manage interpersonal relationships within complex and varied team structures are in high demand across all professional environments. The Certificate in Organizational Anthropology at Penn LPS Online, a 4-course, 4 c.u.* credit online program of study, is designed to develop your understanding of how teams, corporations, and other organizations develop and reinforce culture, and how to apply this research to create stronger functioning groups.

Beginning with an anthropological approach to organizational culture, you explore different theories of how culture forms and evolves in organizations and why it matters for performance. You learn strategies for influencing change in an increasingly digital workplace and getting alignment at the conversational level based on research into best practices in communication.

Flexible Course Schedule and Tuition

Penn LPS Online courses in the Certificate in Organizational Anthropology are offered on an accelerated (8-week) schedule. Courses in the online certificate program are largely asynchronous with some optional synchronous sessions to be scheduled by the instructors.

You have the option to enroll in individual organizational anthropology courses without committing to the entire online certificate, enjoying the flexibility and expertise offered by Penn LPS Online to suit your schedule and interests. Visit the Cost of Attendance page for course tuition and fee rates.

*Academic credit is defined by the University of Pennsylvania as a course unit (c.u.). A course unit (c.u.) is a general measure of academic work over a period of time, typically a term (semester or summer). A c.u. (or a fraction of a c.u.) represents different types of academic work across different types of academic programs and is the basic unit of progress toward a degree. One c.u. is usually converted to a four-semester-hour course.

The Certificate in Organizational Anthropology prepares you to:

  • Understand current anthropological research on team, corporate, and organizational culture
  • Explore the effects that modern corporations have on their surrounding environments, with attention to local, regional, national, and global effects
  • Develop an understanding of theories of organizational culture, and how to apply those theories in specific professional and organizational contexts
  • Examine underlying social and cultural influences on diverse teams, and learn how to apply theory to foster diversity and create inclusive cultures
  • Identify the variables that underlie communication in virtual, internet-mediated spaces, and apply social science research to create strong collaborative professional relationships, even when working remotely

Online Organizational Anthropology Courses

Students must complete all four online courses listed below to earn a Certificate in Organizational Anthropology.

Courses are subject to change.

See Course Tuition

Meet the Faculty

Greg Urban, PhD
  • Faculty Director, Penn LPS Online Certificate in Organizational Anthropology
Amrita V. Subramanian
  • Affiliated Faculty, Organizational Dynamics
Photo of Derek Newberry, PhD
  • Affiliated Faculty, Penn LPS Online Certificate in Organizational Anthropology
Mario Moussa, PhD
  • President, Moussa Consulting
Jackie Candido
  • Senior Director of Program Design & Delivery, Arts & Sciences Online Learning

Careers related to Organizational Anthropology

The Certificate in Organizational Anthropology is designed to build upon your education and enhance your professional expertise in a wide variety of career environments including:

  • Research associate–qualitative research
  • Management consultant
  • Project manager
  • Human resource manager

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