Human Resource Management MA

In a turbulent, rapidly changing business environment, the demand for HR professionals who can strategically manage and develop staff potential – while overcoming issues such as redundancy, flexible working and the recent challenges of furloughed staff and social distancing – has never been more fundamental to business success.

Our career-focused MA is fully accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) and is designed to build your understanding of the theory, practices and policies associated with evidence-based Human Resource Management (HRM) as they relate to real-world situations, equipping you with the knowledge, competencies and analytical skills to effectively manage organisational strategy and operations from an HR perspective.

Our problem-based approach to teaching means you’ll get to apply what you learn to manage problems through assignments and projects based on actual situations. We’ll draw on everyday HR issues in the news, case studies and current examples, at times addressing some of our own students’ workplace experiences. You’ll learn to collect and analyse relevant data and information, developing your ability to identify, evaluate and propose the most appropriate solutions looking at issues ranging from flexible working to employee engagement, managing change or reward management.

Our annual HRM conference offers you the chance to hear direct from a range of guest speakers who have previously covered issues such as immigration and labour supply and the impact of EU legislation on employee relations post-Brexit. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop essential HR practitioner skills through a series of practical workshops in areas such as finance, employment law, interviewing, disciplinary and grievance handling, counselling and negotiating. Working in teams, you might simulate dealing with a disciplinary hearing, for example, or conducting a job evaluation exercise. When studying people resourcing, you may participate in an assessment centre or practise your interviewing skills.

Whether you’re a graduate intending to work in HR or a current practitioner seeking to advance, our course, with its focus on professional practice, will help you progress your career. With working professionals in mind, this course can be studied both full-time or part-time. Part-time study is either evenings only or a combination of evening and half-day study. Past graduates have secured jobs as consultants (internal and external), HR managers, compensation and benefits managers, change management specialists, HR business partners/operations managers, civil servants and mediators.

Top reasons to study with us

• 100% satisfaction among full-time students (2019 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey)
• Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), the Human Resource Management MA maps and aligns to the CIPD Profession Map core knowledge and core behaviour standards at Chartered Level
• We pay your joining fee and initial CIPD membership fee, giving you student access to CIPD knowledge resources and professional networking events, part of a 160,000-strong worldwide member network
• Annual HRM Conference offers the chance to hear from leading experts, with past themes including making a difference at work, talent management and HRM in transition
• Taught by accomplished professionals with specialist HR knowledge and experience of academia, research and training, some as senior HR professionals and consultants
• Workshop series for essential skills in interviewing, negotiation, counselling and disciplinary handling
• Optional 8-12 week internship

Why study this course?

Build your analytical skills
Learn which human resources information and data to source and analyse as part of evidence-based practice.

Combine theory and practice
Link theory to global practice through real-life case studies, guest lectures, workshops and assignments.

Get industry insight
Annual HRM Conference gives you the chance to hear from experts on themes such as HRM in transition and talent management.

Accreditation

Westminster Business School is an accredited Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) centre. The Human Resource Management MA maps and aligns to the CIPD Profession Map core knowledge and core behaviour standards at the Chartered level. Students who graduate with a Diploma will need to have passed all core modules in order to gain an Associate level of CIPD membership. Both Masters and Diploma students have the eligibility to potentially upgrade their membership to Chartered Member depending on evidencing their experience via the CIPD upgrading process. There is no CIPD accreditation for a post-graduate certificate exit award. Westminster Business School will pay your CIPD joining fee and your initial membership fee.