Looking to supercharge your team’s effectiveness with diversity and inclusion courses? You’ve come to the right place.
A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be. — Rosalynn Carter, Former First Lady of the United States
Why diversity and inclusion courses? Company leadership is already aware that diversity is good for business. It’s up to managers to foster that sense of belonging at every level of the company. Eighty percent of employees say inclusion is important when choosing where to work. Discover what diversity and inclusion training is out there, catch up on DEIB industry trends, and find out which certifications and classes will work best for your team.
Diversity and inclusion certification courses
Nothing supercharges and upskills your team more than certifications from a reputable institution. Not only do these diversity and inclusion training courses provide valuable education from leading experts — they also help establish credibility within the DEIB field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that people with professional certifications have 20-40% higher rates of employment than those without. There are a wide-variety of DEIB certification courses offered by accredited institutions. They vary by length, delivery method, and price. Here are some current diversity and inclusion courses:
1. Stanford University: Leverage Diversity and Inclusion for Organizational Excellence
A self-paced, online course from one of the top universities in the world. Everyone on your team will be elated by “Stanford University” on their resume. Cost: $1,500.
2. Harvard University: EDIB Leadership Certificate
This certification is offered by the School of Continuing Education at education powerhouse, Harvard. The four total courses are offered through scheduled online and on-campus options. Average total cost: $12,400.
3. University of South Florida: DEI in the Workplace Certificate
This online self-paced certification takes 14 hours and is affordability priced. Cost: $99.
4. University of Washington: DEI Certificate
University of Washington’s Foster School of Business offers this series of diversity and inclusion online courses. It requires a minimum of three scheduled online courses for certification. Cost: $975
5. Aperian Global: Inclusive Behaviors Inventory Certification
Aperian’s Inclusive Behaviors Inventory is a tool developed by DEIB experts. This tool is used and taught by the University of California at Berkeley. The course is delivered through scheduled online courses. Cost: $1,099.
DIY diversity and inclusion courses and resources
Not all diversity and inclusion courses come with an Ivy League certification — or the hefty price tag. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), budget will always be a factor. Thankfully, there are plenty of free diversity and inclusion training materials available.
First order of business? Narrow your focus. Instead of getting overwhelmed with a major course load, implement only the diversity and inclusion course where you can identify a need. You can use an anonymous survey like this one from Culture Amp to get a holistic view of your employees' experiences, insights, and particularly sensitive issues that have come up. Consider then pursuing courses like:
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Resources for DEI
MIT offers a variety of resources for team leaders to enhance DEIB through engaging with colleagues and direct reports. Check out Decision Tree, a framework for engaging in meaningful local efforts.
7. EDUCAUSE: DEI Book Recommendations
Are you an avid reader? Here’s a list of books recommended by EDUCAUSE community members to increase your knowledge base as a DEIB professional.
8. Royal Society of Chemistry: Inclusion & Diversity Resources
RSC is a UK-based institute with 175 years of history. They offer solid options for ready-made DEIB resources in STEM.
9. National Association for Colleges and Employers: DEI Resources
NACE offers original research and journal articles covering meaningful ways to engage with diverse early-career talent such as higher ed students with disabilities and trans students entering the workforce.
10. Nonprofit Learning Lab: DEI Resources
NLL offers anti-racism and equity workbooks that you can work through with your team.
To save on resources but still make the most of DIY training, consider reaching out to a DEIB facilitator. Having an expert on hand can ensure the DIY diversity and training courses are properly conducted.
One-stop shop: On-demand certification courses, templates, and tools
Education is wonderful, but even after a certification, we often still end up scrounging the internet for templates, tools, and other resources. The holy grail of DEIB education and resources is a one-stop shop where employees can receive certified training, find templates and tools, and stay up-to-date with the latest in the industry. If that sounds up your alley, check out:
11. PowerToFly: PowerUp
PowerUp is an on-demand L&D platform for DEIB, HR, and talent acquisition teams (or for anyone who wants to grow as an inclusive leader!). Whether your focus is on inclusive hiring best practices or the intersection of DEIB and AI, PowerUp has you covered with online courses and engaging learning pathways that are totally self-paced and designed by industry experts. With a single PowerUp membership, you can:
- Unlock a complete library of online, self-paced L&D and upskilling courses, all designed in keeping with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging best practices
- Earn SHRM and HRCI recertification credits and LinkedIn-shareable certificates
- Learn however makes sense for you with crash-course videos, downloadable templates and resources, a 2024 diversity calendar, and more
- Stay current with trending DEIB news and topics
Topics currently covered on PowerUp include: Inclusive AI usage; diverse candidate attraction & engagement; inclusive onboarding; DEIB programming; ERG foundations; and more!
Download the PowerUp 2024 Course Catalogue
Give staffers the training they want
Your staffers look for career development wherever they can get it. You’ve already heard that 39% of employees would leave their current company for a more inclusive employer. Well, they mean it. Twenty-three percent of professionals say they've already made that move.
Not only that, but as our 2024 What Diverse Talent Wants report found, underrepresented candidates are ready to leave their current employer if it means heading somewhere that affords more learning and development. A full 91% of our respondents said they want to see more upskilling from employers in 2024 and 94% said they’d be somewhat or very likely to leave their job today for better L&D, up 6% from 2023.
Do you have the budget for big-name certifications? If not, don’t hesitate to go the DIY route. Or offer licenses to an all-in-one, DEIB-informed L&D platform like PowerUp. It's a simple way to demonstrate your priorities and give staffers the training they want.
Ready to dive in? Discover all the features of a PowerUp membership today.
20 professional development books to read in 2025
