MSc Human Resource Management (HRM)

Year 1

Within the degree programme there are seven mandatory courses, one option and the mandatory capstone HRM dissertation.

Semester 1

• HR Strategy and Practice 
• Organisational Behaviour 
• Digital HRM
• The Legal Context of Work 

Semester 2

• Sustainable HRM
• Employment Trends
• Research Philosophy and Practice 

Choose one of the following options:

• Managing Diversity in Business
• People Analytics
• The Psychology of Leadership

Between May and August students undertake their MSc dissertation.

Specialist Mandatory Courses:

Semester 1

HR Strategy and Practice

This course explores what it means to be an HR practitioner and provide insights into the differing strategic and operational roles occupied by those working within the HR profession. In line with the CIPD Profession Map, the course also explores the skills and behaviours required to perform the role of an HR practitioner effectively and considers how to design a range of people practices to deliver strategic people plans.

Organisational Behaviour 

Core to designing HR policies and practices is an understanding of why people behave the way they do at work. This course considers factors at an individual, group and organisational level that impact on our experience of work. Topics covered include motivation, work group dynamics, power and politics, organisational culture and the people aspects of change.

Digital Human Resource Management

Data permeates our world and is integral to the way businesses function and formulate strategies. The contemporary workplace therefore needs to augment human skills with the emergence of artificial intelligence and automation. This course examines how the HR profession can adapt to changing realities by combining artificial and human intelligence in new ways; finding digital solutions that not only enhance efficiency but also sustain positive employee experiences.

The Legal Context of Work

The legal context of work course aims to provide insights into the aspects of international and domestic law relevant to areas of work and employment, equipping you with the skills necessary to develop and maintain legally compliant and sustainable HRM practices.

Semester 2

Sustainable HRM

Sustainable HRM builds on many of the ideas in the HR Practitioner but engages in a more specialized discussion around how to ensure long-term financial sustainability, whilst meeting broader individual, societal and environmental needs. Specifically, the course helps to understand how HRM can be used to develop inclusive workplaces that promote wellbeing, achieve organisational flexibility which is mutually beneficial for employers and employees, and facilitate environmental sustainability in organisations.

Employment Trends

This course will encourage you to consider and discuss the context of contemporary employment, and its impacts on the pattern of employment outcome, as well as considering future trends in employment such as robotics. The course will provide the local, national and international context and trends that inform the practice of HR practitioners, and influence the outcomes for employees and workers.  

An MSc with industry demand

Within the HR profession, there is growing interest in understanding how to manage people in a way that not only delivers business results, but provides a positive experience of work for employees and workers, and supports wider social and environmental objectives. Our MSc HRM covers all the topics you would expect from an HR degree but also enables our students to develop specialist knowledge in this increasingly important new approach to people management.

Our research: a driving force for new knowledge

Underpinning our MSc HRM is our close links with the Centre for Research in Employment, Work and the Professions (CREWS). We have a strong research interest in sustainable HRM, diversity and inclusion, and developing fair work and healthy workplaces. Key academics from CREWS teach on the HRM programme, and use their own research to inform their courses.

HRM Mandatory Courses

Research Philosophy and Practice

The Research Philosophy and Practice course aims to prepare students for conducting their own dissertation. It introduces the social science research process, explores different research philosophies, designs and methodologies, and helps students design their own research study.

HRM Course Options

The Psychology of Leadership

The Psychology of Leadership discusses core theories of leadership, with particular focus on key social psychological approaches to understanding this complex and contentious concept. The practical considerations of leading in an organisational setting are also considered.

People Analytics

This course aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and competencies when gathering and using data to deliver value to businesses. This course also creates awareness on the value of people and data by cementing a critical understanding of analytics and its use in creating insight and measuring value.

Managing Diversity in Business

Developing diverse, inclusive workplaces is key to sustainable HRM and this course provides a critical understanding of the major areas of equality and diversity in organisations and society. By the end of the course, students will understand how diversity affects organisational effectiveness and how to promote greater inclusivity within organisations.

Dissertation Project

Over the summer the masters' dissertation enables you to deepen your knowledge of HRM through research into a topic of your choice. You will gather and analyse data from employers (this could be your current workplace) or employers which directly relates to your ambitions and interests.

Examples of topics within this discipline are:

• The role of HRM in overcoming in work poverty
• The potential for remote working and robotics to improve employment outcomes
• The role of HR practitioners in 'green' HRM
• Innovation, sustainable HRM and customer satisfaction in hospitality industry.
• Sustainable HRM practices and the effects on employee retention.
• The impact of employee wellness programs on employee engagement