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Graduate Diploma in Professional Inquiry

The Graduate Diploma in Professional Inquiry (GDPI) is a part-time online program that addresses the inquiry skills fundamental to quality professional thinking and action. Specifically, the GDPI curriculum is designed to improve professional problem solving and decision-making processes at the individual, team, program, classroom and organizational levels.

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Overview

  • The GDPI provides a scholarly home for university graduates who seek to advance personal goals and those of their profession through the intentional synthesis of theoretical and practical knowledge and skills
  • part-time and fully online to provide students who are interested in earning a Graduate Diploma in Professional Inquiry from Queen’s University an opportunity to do so without having to leave their work environments
  • this program will appeal to pre-kindergarten to grade 12 classroom teachers and to professionals across sectors who have educational or leadership responsibilities (e.g., health sciences the military, community colleges, social services, business and commerce)
  • applicants who choose this program will be looking to become more effective self-regulated and collaborative learners, and skilled in using contextual knowledge and the skills of inquiry to improve professional practice
  • objectives will be achieved through the completion of coursework and participation in online discussions and group exercises
  • GDPI courses will provide students with 36 hours of instructor-supported learning, and normally for each hour of guided learning, students will be required to invest 2 to 3 hours into extended reading, thinking, collaboration, or the production of materials
  • the required courses, as set, will prepare professionals with the inquiry skills necessary to engage in independent, collaborative and organization inquiry in response to questions embedded in work and program contexts
  • the elective courses offer teachers and those working in medical and other public sector contexts with opportunities to conduct specific inquiry into themes that shape the quality and effectiveness of professional life
  • issues and approaches to learning in courses will reflect the needs of those enrolled and the expertise of the instructor
  • students will be supported throughout their program by program staff, their instructors, and the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research
  • the total number of courses (weight 3.0) required for the GDPI is five
  • minimum time for degree completion is 16 months (summer, fall, winter, summer)
  • diploma requirements must be completed within 5 years of initial registration

Courses

All descriptions of the courses offered in the GDPI program are in the Academic Calendar.

The required courses are:

  • Self-Regulated Inquiry and Learning: provides opportunities for exploration of current theories of self-regulated learning. Self-regulated learning requires autonomous management of learning through effective goal setting, resource allocation, valid self-assessment, and goal revision.​

  • Collaborative Inquiry: this course will enable the student to understand the foundational principles of collaborative learning and to enact those principles in professional practice. This, in turn, will lead to the creation of a collaborative learning community within the context of the course where the knowledge and skills of professional inquiry will be explored and demonstrated.

  • Program Inquiry and Evaluation: this course will guide students in conducting systematic evaluative inquiry in support of the data-informed program decision-making. Students will examine the multiple purposes of program evaluation applying the principles, methods and logic inherent in the needs of targeted program personnel and decision makers.

The elective courses are:

  • Integrated Planning, Instruction, and Assessment: this course will enable students to inquire into the interconnected structures of planning, instruction, and assessment through an understanding of curricular frameworks. Students will understand the complexities of their intended work environments and apply that understanding to analyze planning, instruction, and assessment to a specific context of practice.

  • Innovation in Teaching and Learning: This course will help students develop a foundational understanding of innovation in the workplace grounded in exploration of historical, sociological, and philosophical contexts and frameworks. Students will explore case studies and develop a plan of action rooted in the particular needs of their workplace.

  • Organizational Learning: The goals of this course are to examine theory, research and case-studies on organizations in public service sectors using professional inquiry approaches. Topics will include organizational theory, structure and bureaucracy, organizations and their environments, human resources, politics, decision-making, leadership and organizational change. Ultimately, this course will prepare students to apply the concepts covered in the course to their professional context.

  • Knowledge Translation and Mobilization: Knowledge translation (KT) and mobilization (KMb) includes efforts to strengthen connections between research, policy and practice in public service sectors. This course looks at the theory, science and practice of KT/ KMb in order to enable practitioners to find, share, assess and apply evidence in their particular professional setting.

Degree Opportunities

The University is developing a part-time online Professional Master of Education Degree (PMOE) for those interested in advanced inquiry for professional thinking and practice and want to focus their studies in a particular concentration. This program may be of interest to graduates of the GDPI who will be granted advanced standing. Please visit our website for periodic updates on the development of this new, exciting program.

Admission Requirements

  • A baccalaureate degree from a recognized university
  • Graduation with a B- graduating average or higher (70% graduating average or a ranking in the top third of the graduating class where number grades are not available)
  • Under exceptional circumstances, consideration will be given to highly motivated individuals with relevant field experience who do not meet the B- requirement
  • Applicants whose native languages do not include English must obtain a minimum English language requirement of 580 or higher on the paper-based TOEFL exam; 237 Computer-based; 88 on the TOEFL iBT test or IELTS Band 7 or higher.

Application Deadline and Program Start Dates

Applications are due by January 31st, 2014. Most offers of admission will be made in late February or early March.

Late applications will be accepted until the end of April 2014 if there are still spaces available after the first intake.

The program will begin on July 2, 2014.