MSc in Human Resource Management

The MSc in Human Resource Management is a one-year, full-time programme. It is both academically challenging, with input from world-leading academics, and practically focused, giving you the opportunity to develop the confidence, knowledge and skills needed for a successful career in Human Resource Management.

As well as learning from the cutting-edge research of our faculty members, you will work towards a professional qualification, Graduate Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, a qualification required by most employers for UK Human Resource Management positions.

MSc in Human Resource Management consists of two stages: the taught component and the dissertation and management research report

Stage 1: The Taught Component

Most of the first two semesters (September–June) are spent examining the ‘Employment Relationship’, giving you a theoretical and practical introduction to the topics of organisational behaviour, personnel management and employment relations.

Work and Organisation

This module establishes a critical understanding of the nature of work and its organisation. Particular issues and aspects of work are introduced, building a picture of the inter-related nature of work, business organisation and socio-economic environment. Emphasis is placed upon different approaches and perspectives in understanding organisation processes and the experience of work.

Managing Human Resources

The management of human resources has changed dramatically in recent years, and there has been a major expansion in the role played within all types of organisations by human resource managers. HRM now involves the effective use of people in achieving an organisation’s strategic business objectives and the satisfaction of individual employee needs. It can be a major contributor to the success or failure of an organisation because it is in a key position to affect customers, productivity, profitability and, for listed companies, shareholder value. This module provides students with opportunities to analyse the main approaches that have developed to guide management action. The aim is to equip students to become reflective practitioners.

Employment Relations

The regulatory context in which an organisation operates has an important bearing on corporate human resource management policies. Systems of employment regulation vary across firms, industries and countries, and are heavily influenced by prevailing management practice, state policies and worker/trade union organisation. This module explores all of these issues, using case studies to provide a practical context. Students undertake a Photoshop training programme as part of the practical element
of the module.

Research Methods

In order to make informed decisions, HR managers must be able to evaluate the quality of information upon which choices are made. An understanding of research methods is a pre-requisite for evaluating the reliability of data collected by others or designing research which will collect reliable data. This module gives students the theoretical understanding and empirical practice in different research traditions and the opportunity to learn how to design research and to collect and analyse data.

Stage 2: The dissertation and management research report (Post Spring Semester)

From June to September students work on an individual, research-based dissertation under the individual supervision of a faculty member.

The dissertation and management research report

Examples of dissertation topics include: Do work-life balance policies reduce stress in the workplace?; A comparative study of training in two diverse public sector organiastions; Workers’ Rights: A case study analysis of an NGO organisation; and Emotional Management: A case study of teachers in Cyprus. Students also prepare a Management Research Report, an extended executive summary aimed at a professional audience, giving a series of practical and policy recommendations arising from the dissertation research and any professional or ethical issues involved in implementing these recommendations.

Assessment

The MSc Human Resource Management relies heavily on continuous assessment in order to gauge student progress. For each of the four taught units there are two substantial pieces of assessed work. Several of these take the form of conventional essays or reports for which students are required to read widely and provide an assessment of a particular feature or theme within Human Resource Management. In addition, there are group assessments that are more practical and which require students to give a presentation, as well as produce a written report.

Students who are successful in passing their assignments and examinations proceed to the dissertation phase of the programme. Students who perform at a consistently high level across the coursework, examinations and the dissertation are eligible for a distinction. A number of students have been awarded distinctions on the MSc Human Resource Management in the period since its inception.

Residential course

A short residential course is held at Gregynog Hall in mid-Wales during the first semester which brings together elements from all the modules. The course is free of charge. Formal lectures are given and practical sessions are held on topics such as persuasion and negotiation to help you develop the skills needed for a career in HR.