People are the most important asset of any thriving organisation and as a result the effective management of human resources (HR) is naturally central to any sound business strategy. This has led to an increase in human resource management (HRM) jobs, both in the UK and abroad.
What is human resource management?
HR managers are tasked with providing clear direction and guidance for those working in an organisation, and are responsible for helping to generate a positive and encouraging working environment.
Core HRM master functions include the hiring and development of employees - through training, incentives and benefits, and performance evaluation - administrative services, mediating in disputes and communicating with staff at all levels.
Why study a Masters in human resource management?
Organisations in the UK and internationally with HR functions are increasingly seeking applicants with a postgraduate degree in HRM because of the knowledge they gain about different HR themes and the critical thinking skills they have developed,' says Tony Dobbins, professor of HR management and Employment Relations and programme director of the MSc HRM, at Birmingham Business School. 'They may also be professionally qualified if their programme is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Joining the CIPD as a student gives you access to all of its online resources, such as podcasts, factsheets and employment law information. There's also a discussion forum for the community of HR professionals. You can use this to ask experienced members questions on your research and studies.
Where can I study human resource management?
There are plenty of CIPD-accredited courses to choose from at postgraduate level, including the MSc Human Resource Management at the University of Edinburgh Business School and the University of Liverpool, and the MA Human Resource Management at Leeds University Business School. You may also wish to consider the challenging HRM stream of the MSc Human Resources and Organisations at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
You could also consider the strategic HR at Cardiff University which takes one year if studied full time and includes a three-day management retreat where you can put your negotiation and conflict resolution skills into strategic HR practice.
All these options boast excellent industry links and the opportunity to apply your learning in practice. A 2:1 in any discipline is required for the majority of these Masters programmes, which typically consist of 12 months of full-time study. Tuition fees for full-time courses in 2021/22 at the institutions above vary from £12,300 to £26,232 (for UK/EU students).
For a two-year CIPD Level 7 diploma accredited course that incorporates a placement year, you may wish to consider the MSc Human Resource Management at Kingston University London. Other part-time options include the two-year MSc Human Resource Management with CIPD at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, which is suitable for those already working in HR and seeking qualified status.