How a Certificate in HR Helped Robert Grow After Two Degrees

When Robert Filipkowski '17 '18 first came to Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), it was to earn his associate degree in liberal arts. But he didn't stop after that achievement.

Instead, he built on his progress and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in general studies, noting that both programs prepared him for his goal of moving into human resources (HR).

"As HR has been a field I have worked with closely over my career, working in the field is a goal of mine," said Filipkowski.

These broad-based degrees aligned with his aspirations, preparing him to "deal with all kinds of topics, situations and people in the field of HR," he said. "I liked the 'jack-of-all-trades' education that the liberal arts and general studies programs offered."

When earning his bachelor's in general studies, he said he focused in on organizational leadership courses. And after graduating summa cum laude, with highest honors, there were still courses he wanted to take.

Growing With an HR Certificate

Next up for Filipkowski was a certificate in human resource management. "What originally attracted me was my previous experience at SNHU," he said of his decision to enroll in his third program at SNHU.

His HR coursework proved immediately useful, he said, as he was able to put what he learned into practice at work.

"I have worked on several programs at my current job that allowed me to use my knowledge gained from the certificate," he said. "I used knowledge gained in the 'Total Rewards' class when developing offers to hire candidates, as well as recognize them while they are employed in our organization."

A course on change management in his certificate program was also beneficial when new programs affected his division at work, according to Filipkowski.

"The certificate truly helped me have a strong foundational knowledge to address these real-life situations," he said.

Plotting a Path Forward

After two degrees and a certificate, Filipkowski was looking to move forward with a master's degree. He said he imagined this "grand educational path" for himself since the start.

"It is my hope to complete a master's degree in human resources at SNHU, and (I) eventually want to transition into a full-time human resource role for the next phase of my career," he said.

What will your path look like?

Mars Girolimon '21 '23G is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University where they earned their bachelor’s and master’s, both in English and creative writing. In addition to their work in higher education, Girolimon’s short fiction is published in the North American Review, So It Goes by The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, X-R-A-Y and more. Connect with them on LinkedIn.