Continuing and Professional Education

    Homepage > Program Overview

    DePaul Labor Leadership Certificate Program

    The Labor Leadership Certificate Program is taught by the DePaul University Labor Education Center. Through progressive coursework, the six-course program develops the skills and leadership abilities of activists, student leaders, members, stewards, officers, and staff from unions, worker center, and community-based organizations. Each course helps you gain a deeper understanding of labor issues and builds your skills to achieve economic justice for fellow members and your broader community. Classes are taught by highly-trained instructors with real-world labor and organizing experience.

    You will leave this program with the knowledge and skills to engage in enforcement of contractual and labor law, effective organizational communication (visual, written, verbal, and social media based), arbitration, organizing, bargaining practices and strategies, and a knowledge of labor history and political economy. Earning a DePaul Certificate indicates you have essential training to fulfill your roles more effectively and to better support your fellow peers, members and co-workers while you strengthen your respective organizations. Completion of the certificate program also certifies that you are equipped to move into higher levels of leadership or employment in your union, worker center, or community-based organizations.

    Please note: Each of the six Labor Education courses can be taken individually or all together to earn the Labor Leadership Certificate.

    Courses in this Program
    Who Should Attend

    This certificate program is intended for union, worker center and community-based organization members, staff, activists, and Executive Board officers. You are welcome to enroll at any level: Beginner (Working knowledge of topics), Competent (Good working and background knowledge of topics), or Proficient (Depth of understanding of topics).

    Benefits

    Upon completion of all six courses, you will:

    • Build on existing labor knowledge and skills
    • Gain a deeper understanding of labor issues and economic justice
    • Prepare to take on new levels of leadership in unions, worker centers and community-based organizations
    • Earn a Certificate of Achievement from DePaul University

    Professional Affiliations

    The Labor Leadership Certificate Program is presented in partnership with DePaul's Labor Education Center.

    Topics/Syllabus

    • Role of the steward and labor law
    • Written and verbal union communications, and meeting facilitation
    • Collective bargaining and labor-management relations
    • Labor history and economics
    • Skills for organizing and basics of health and safety
    • Arbitration and politics

    FAQ

    Is there a required textbook?
    No, no textbooks are required for this program. Reading materials will be provided in class.

    Do I get DePaul credit for this class?
    No, but some DePaul CPE courses have been approved for continuing education units (CEUs). These classes are professional education classes with different requirements than courses taken for academic credit.

    Is this class offered in-class or online?
    This certificate program is offered both in-class and online.

    Will I have to write papers and take exams?
    There will be short papers and exams in some of the courses.

    For More Information, Contact:

    Jessica Cook-Qurayshi

    Email: JCOOK18@depaul.edu
    Phone:

    Upcoming Class Offerings

    To see these class offerings, click on the links under the Courses in this Program section on this page (click here to jump to that section).

    Paper Registration

    If you wish to register for a class via a paper form, click here.

    Student Policies

    Click here for a list of our student policies.

    Contact Us

    For general inquiries, please email us or call 312-362-6300.