Louisiana State University holds a prominent position in American higher education and is considered one of the world's finest teaching and research institutions. The University is one of only 25 institutions nationwide to be designated as both a land-grant and sea-grant institution. LSU is one of only 151 universities, 102 public and 49 private classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Research Extensive University (formerly called Research I). Today, more than 28,000 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate students from around the world enroll at LSU. 

• The Human Resource and Leadership Development (HRLD) program is regarded as one of the top programs in the U.S.  Our award winning faculty are among the top researchers in the field, publishing widely in top HRD journals such as Human Resource Development Quarterly, Human Resource Development Review, Human Resource Development International, Advances in Developing Human Resources, International Journal of Training and Development and Performance Improvement Quarterly. 
• The HRLD graduate program was the only program in the College to receive a Superior rating through LSU’s rigorous program review process which includes external reviewers.
• Our faculty are committed to working across the full spectrum from theory to research and to practice.  They not only teach you the leading research-based methods, but know how to apply them in practice.
• Our program coordinator, Dr. Ed Holton (www.edholton.com), is a member of the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame, was the founding Editor of Human Resource Development Review (www.lsu.edu/hrdr), a Past-President of the Academy of Human Resource Development (www.ahrd.org) and has received the Academy's Scholar of the Year award.  He is also the co-author of leading texts in the field, including Research in Organizations (Swanson & Holton, 2005), Foundations of HRD (Swanson & Holton, 2001) and The Adult Learner, 6th edition(Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2005).
• Dr. Reid A. Bates, Associate Professor of HRD, was the recipient of the Academy of Human Resource Development's Scholar of the Year award in 2004. This prestigious award is the highest honor given by the Academy.
• Our faculty are also experienced in applying HRD in global settings and regularly work with students from other countries and speak internationally.
• Students may tailor their program to focus on Human Resource, Leadership or Organization Development.
• We are one of the few programs to offer B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in HRD.
• We maintain close ties to business and government organizations to provide our students practical experience as well as classroom training.

HRD programs tend to be dominated by either a learning orientation, or a performance one.  The LSU HRLD program is firmly rooted in performance-oriented HRD. This means that we believe in individual learning and development, but when it occurs within organizational boundaries that it must also lead to individual AND organizational performance improvement.  Thus, the curriculum focuses not only on individual level factors affecting performance, but system and process level factors as well.  That is, we take a performance systems view of HRD interventions which maximizes the chances of real performance improvement in organizations.

We are also deeply committed to maintaining a strong research program so that our faculty stay at the leading edge of HRD research, theory and practice. Our faculty are expected to maintain a vigorous program of research and publication. We believe we can provide students the best preparation by building faculty expertise to the highest level.  Our faculty are regarded as international experts with our research being used throughout the world.

Third, we have a deep commitment to research, theory, AND practice.  We do not believe in “ivory tower” learning.  Our faculty regularly work in organizations, applying research and theory and enhancing it through field work.  Our curriculum demands that students not only learn “book knowledge” but also how to apply that knowledge.  Students often comment on the strong blend of research and practice that enables them to be superior performers at work.

The School of HREWD is especially well suited to give students the best possible preparation of Human Resource Development (HRD) careers.

The proximity of petrochemical, shipping, and industrial concerns, and numerous government agencies enables the School to maintain strong ties with a variety of organizations. This close relationship with field practice, a strong research tradition, and a flexible curriculum helps students fulfill most career goals.

Mission: The LSU SHREWD offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to prepare professionals who train, educate, and lead people in developing human capital for the workplace at the local, state, national, and international levels. SHREWD achieves this mission through a balanced program of teaching, research, and service.

Goals: The goals support the SHREWD mission and affirm the SHREWD commitment to excellence through its people, programs, delivery, and leadership:

• Enhance LSU's distinction as having Louisiana's only comprehensive program for developing human capital resources for the workplace and secure its position as one of the premier comprehensive human capital development program.
• Assist schools, government, business, industry and other organizations to address the changes and challenges of educating a world class workforce.
• Achieve recognition as catalyst for improved instructional quality.
• Recruit and educate undergraduate and graduate students for professions supported in SHREWD
• Add the body of knowledge through research
• Demonstrate leadership in human capital development delivery systems such as:
  • Institutions of higher learning
  • Human resource education in public and private secondary schools.
  • Technical institutes and proprietary schools
  • Youth and Adult education such as the cooperative extension service
  • Adult education centers and organizations
  • Human resource development organizations
  • Special population settings
  • Workplace literacy settings
• The SHREWD creates, evaluates and disseminates innovative processes and programs that support the growth and improvement of human resource development programs and professionals.