As a student in Boise State University’s Master of Science in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning, you’ll go far beyond traditional coursework — you’ll immerse yourself in hands-on experiences that develop your skills, strengthen your professional network and prepare you for meaningful impact in the workplace.
Whether you’re exploring faculty-led research labs, engaging in real-world client projects or pursuing specialized graduate certificates, the organizational performance and workplace learning program is expert-designed to help you build confidence, competence and a powerful portfolio of work.
Read on to discover more about how this graduate experience can help elevate your learning, sharpen your expertise and expand your career potential, and answer the question: What is organizational performance and workplace learning?
Opportunities to participate in research labs
The Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning program offers students a unique opportunity to participate in faculty-led research. While participation in the research and development labs is optional, it’s highly encouraged as you can directly apply your learning, build your portfolio and deepen your connections with faculty and peers. You can participate in fully online faculty-led lab activities as a volunteer or earn credit through independent study.
“I would tell anyone considering this program to just do it. Try it. Go for it. Be open and honest with your professors and the people you’re working with. It’s a very flexible environment to be a part of as a professional.” – Kayla Jamison, OPWL graduate
In a lab, you will receive regular mentorship and supervision, often through Zoom meetings, where faculty guide tasks like conducting research, data analysis and ethical research practices. Many OPWL students have co-authored papers or presented research with faculty, demonstrating the strong potential for professional development and recognition through lab involvement.
The research and development labs also help you develop valuable research skills, including literature review, project design, data collection and analysis, report writing and collaboration.
Here are the labs that OPWL currently offers:
- Critical Human Resource Development Lab
- Human Resource Development and Strategic Partnership Lab
- Interactive Learning Design Lab
- Learning Strategy Lab
- Process Management Lab
- Workplace-Oriented Research Central Lab
Acquiring relevant skills for career advancement
In the Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning program, you will acquire practical, hands-on experience through real-world projects with actual clients in various industries. These projects cover topics such as instructional design, needs assessment, evaluation, e-learning development, consulting and project management.
By working on real challenges faced by businesses, you can develop critical problem-solving skills and the ability to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings. This experience sets graduates apart, preparing you for success in your professional careers by providing more than just classroom theory — you gain real, practical experience.
“With everything you do in this program, you’re learning, then immediately applying it. [The classes] gave me all of the pieces I needed. We did a proposal for what we thought our consulting services would be. I still use that template to this day.” Megan Renaldo, OPWL graduate
The program also offers four graduate certificates that can easily be applied toward your master’s degree plan — as long as the credits are earned within seven years — or completed separately, allowing you to specialize in key areas of expertise:
- Workplace Instructional Design: Design effective learning programs for a wide range of sectors, including business, government, military and nonprofit organizations.
- Workplace E-Learning Design and Development: Focus on creating and managing e-learning projects, completing 16 credits in areas like e-learning authoring tools, scenario-based learning and learning management systems.
- Workplace Performance Improvement: Diagnose and solve performance problems in organizations. Coursework includes needs assessment, data visualization and survey design.
- Organizational Development: Improve organizational effectiveness by leading change, consulting, project management and leadership strategies.
Career outlook for Master of Science in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning graduates
The career outlook for OPWL graduates is highly favorable. The field has a projected growth of 6% by 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many roles in this field also offer the flexibility of remote work.
The OPWL program’s competency-based approach ensures that you gain real-world experience by working on projects with actual clients. These projects provide valuable portfolio samples and help develop essential skills like project management, communication and the ability to explain your process and outcomes — giving you a competitive edge in the job market and supporting career transitions or advancements.
OPWL also provides a Student Union page for learners to connect with mentors, internships and job opportunities in real-time. Many of these opportunities are only offered to those within the program. These opportunities may also help position you for success in a wide range of roles across diverse industries, including:
- Instructional design and learning development: Positions like instructional designer, learning and development manager and e-learning developer require the ability to create effective learning solutions and manage training programs — skills that are built through the organizational performance and workplace learning program’s hands-on, project-based curriculum.
- Human resources and talent development: Roles like talent development manager, workforce development specialist and training manager focus on employee development and organizational growth.
- Organizational development and consulting: Positions such as organizational development specialist, performance improvement consultant and chief people and culture officer involve optimizing workplace performance and guiding change within organizations.
“Because of this program, there are jobs that will be available now that weren’t there before.” Rob Guerin, OPWL graduate
Learn more about the Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning program
Earning an online Master of Science in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning from Boise State University can open doors to new opportunities and a brighter future — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online degree is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.
Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.