Human Resource Management

In this MSc you'll learn about the role of the HR professional, the nature of professionalism and approaches to addressing ethical dilemmas, sustainable HR management, and EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion). You'll develop the people management skills that are essential for HR work such as selection and appraisal interviewing, delivering training, managing performance, organisational development and people analytics. You'll also gain the skills and understanding needed to work at a strategic level in an organisation in relation to HR issues. This will include employee relations, learning and development, talent management, engagement with employees and stakeholders, and the ability to address change management issues.

Key features of the course
•Develop essential people management skills for working in HR

•Gain the skills and understanding needed to create organisational HR strategies

•Develop the core behaviours and knowledge to address business and change management issues in an uncertain world

•Understand a HR professional's role; tackling ethical dilemmas, EDI, and favouring sustainable HR management.

The qualification provides a route to professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Modules
To gain this qualification, you need 180 credits and we recommend that you study the modules in the following order:

90 credits from the following:

Compulsory modules Credits
The role of the human resource professional (B810) 30
Human resource management in context (B811) NEW 30
Creating evidence-based value in people management (B812) NEW 30

plus 30 credits from the following:

Option modules Credits
Employment relations and employee engagement (B813) NEW 30
Learning and development at work (B814)
30
plus a 60 credits from the following:

Compulsory module Credits
Dissertation (HRM) (B894) 60

You should note that the University's unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 60 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

You must hold a bachelors degree awarded by a recognised UK university, or equivalent. Please contact us if you hold a qualification that you believe is an equivalent level to a UK degree, to ensure that it meets the requirements for admission.

You will need to be able to draw on experience of working in or with organisations. This experience can be drawn from a wide range of situations such as employment in public and private sector organisations and in self-employed or voluntary roles.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 6.5 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see their website for details.

3 years.

How long it takes
The minimum time to complete this qualification is three years by studying 60 credits a year. You should allow 12-13 hours of study per week for each 30-credit module. The maximum time to complete is seven years.

Career relevance

This qualification provides a route to professional membership of the CIPD if you wish to develop a career in HR management. If you intend to use this qualification for CIPD membership you will need to indicate that intention at the start of your studies via a Diagnostic Questionnaire to facilitate registration with CIPD as a student on a CIPD approved award. You will also need to have active membership/student membership of CIPD (paying associated annual membership fees) throughout your studies. CIPD membership does give you access to a wide range of relevant resources and the CIPD network.

This qualification also provides training in research and academic skills for those wishing to develop academic careers in the field of human resource management.

More generally, by studying a postgraduate business qualification you can expect your salary to increase and for it to have a positive impact on your career progression, as well as bringing improvements to your organisation.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.