Human resource personnel can take their next career step through Georgia Southern University’s spring-semester professional development course, a Continuing Education class at the Coastal Georgia Center in Savannah.

Run in partnership with the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), “Certificate in Professional Human Resource Management” will meet from 6-9 p.m., Mondays, Feb. 1 to April 26 (skipping March 15). The 36-hour course prepares human resource practitioners for the HR Certification Institute’s exams in May and June to become certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

HR personnel without advanced degrees are encouraged to take the exam-prep course in 2010, due to the HR Certification Institute’s scheduled change.

The current prerequisite for either exam is two or more years of full-time exempt-level HR experience. Starting in 2011, more years of experience will be required for exam-takers who do not have college degrees.

The course provides an in-depth study of key areas in human resources management: strategic management; workforce planning and employment; human resources development; total rewards; employee and labor relations; and risk management.

The $955 registration fee, reduced to $905 for SHRM members, includes the complete SHRM Learning System and classroom review of the six training modules, exclusive Web site-training access, the online Resource Center, and more. Individual purchase of the SHRM Learning System alone would cost participants $795.

A late registration fee applies after Jan. 20. The deadline for registration is Jan. 25, which is also the date of the required one-hour orientation session. To register, call (912) 478-5551 or visit http://ceps.georgiasouthern.edu/conted.

For more information, e-mail J. Marie Lutz, SPHR at seminars@georgiasouthern.edu or call (912) 478-1763.