Advance Your Career with 80 Courses to Choose from in 2026

As 2026 comes into view, Duke employees have 80 ways to advance their skills and growth through courses offered by Duke Learning & Organization Development.

The new lineup spans leadership, communication and strengths-based development, classes that help participants discover talents they can use to chart a successful career path in nearly every role.

“At Duke, we champion learning at all levels,” said Keisha Williams, Assistant Vice President for Learning & Organization Development. “Growth is a continuous journey, and no one should ever feel stagnant or limited in their potential. Our programs are designed to empower every individual because there’s always an opportunity to learn, lead and thrive.”

While most of the courses are virtual, there are 20 in-person courses, including Leading through Generational Differences (Feb. 23), Personality & Effective Communication (June 11) and CliftonStrengths (Oct. 1).

A diagram on a sheet of paper. — Duke Learning & Organization Development has several courses that can help staff and faculty build soft skills. Photo by Travis Stanley.

Among the courses with an especially wide appeal are CliftonStrengths (March 31 and Oct. 1), which allow participants to explore their innate skills to help them learn what qualities they can leverage in order to thrive, and Self Leadership (March 4 and Oct. 26), which helps participants plot a path toward growth.

“If a course or program sparks your interest, whether for professional growth or personal curiosity, take the initiative to pursue it now,” Williams said. “We’re entering a future where investing in talent is not just encouraged, but essential. The opportunities are abundant, and the rewards are limitless. You truly have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

L&OD also will offer six Certificates of Excellence programs in 2026. The self-paced Communication, Self-Leadership, Supervisory and Management and Leadership certificate programs, which are accessible to staff members in a range of roles, will return, along with the cohort-based CEAP Designation program designed for administrative professionals.

The HR Strategic Business Partner Certificate program will be offered for the first time since 2024. The cohort-based certificate program consists of core courses on how HR pros can partner with other parts an organization and how to leverage HR analytics, and elective courses on topics such as total rewards, employee retention, talent development and talent acquisition. The deadline to apply for the program, which starts in March 2026, is Dec. 31, 2025.

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