Our MSc Human Resource Management is designed to give you an advanced understanding of the social science theory and evidence that underpins people management practice, thereby allowing you to meet the knowledge requirements for Chartered Membership of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Please note that students intending to pursue CIPD accreditation must achieve a minimum of 50% in all modules and assessments.
Compulsory modules
Work Design, Organisational Change and Development (15 credits)
The aims of this module are:
- to introduce a range of theories and concepts that describe how the work setting activates and influences a number of important psychological processes;
- to examine the interactions between the wider environments within which organisations function and key issues within work psychology.
Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice (15 credits)
The module aims to develop the capacity to critically evaluate theory and evidence around people management issues. It introduces the major aims and practices of people and HR management and covers major debates on leadership, flexibility, change management and ethics in people management.
Developing Skills for Business Leadership (15 credits)
Through problem based learning, this module aims to develop a range of skills that are pivotal to effective management practice, including thinking and decision making skills, interpreting financial information, team-working and interpersonal skills associated with personal effectiveness. Developing a capacity for reflective learning is central to this module.
Employment Relations (15 credits)
The module aims to give students a critical appreciation of different theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence on the nature of the employment relationship while also giving insight and understanding into collective and individual approaches to the management of the employment relationship. It will examine the role of legislation and regulation in the management of the employment relationship and consider the ethical issues involved.
Compulsory modules
Learning, Development and Knowledge Management (15 credits)
The aims of this module are:
- to examine a range of individual-, group- and organisational-level theories of learning, development and knowledge management;
- to develop an awareness of the application of theories across from the assessment of needs to the evaluation of interventions.
Strategic Human Resource Management (15 credits)
This module aims to develop a strategic perspective on HRM practice, developing the students' understanding of how market environment, technology and other environmental forces shape the practice of HRM.
Research Methods for Human Resource Management (15 credits)
The broad purpose of this module is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to undertake a significant piece of individual research. It covers different research philosophies and theories of knowledge, how to think about and develop research questions, and key quantitative and qualitative methods.
The module aims:
- to provide students with the relevant theoretical and practical research method knowledge required to design, plan and execute research of a standard required by a dissertation
- to give students an understanding of research methods which will allow them to critically review research by others on issues of relevance in people management.
Employment Law (15 credits)
This module aims to equip students with an understanding of the principles and operation of UK employment law, with a focus on the practical application of the law in an HR management context.
Optional modules (choose one)
Dissertation in Human Resource Management (60 credits)
The aims of this module are:
- To plan and conduct an original piece of systematic research to add to the investigation and solution of a defined issue in the area of people management.
- To review how research and theory from the academic field of HRM and cognate social sciences can be applied to the investigation and solution of a defined people management issue, utilising knowledge gained from other modules on the MSc HRM programme.
- To write this up in a competent report that seeks to persuade businesses or business partners to change or adopt a particular policy or practice.
Consultancy Project (60 credits)
This module is an opportunity to tackle a real organisational problem in a specific discipline, as prescribed by a ‘client’ company, working in a group.
The aims of this module are:
- to apply discipline-specific knowledge, covered in the postgraduate programme, in addition to knowledge gained from previous studies (if relevant) to a real-world problem/situation;
- to undertake business consultancy across the entire lifecycle of a project from inception to delivery;
- to develop consulting skills, including those related to academic research, such as effective communication with the company, choosing appropriate theories/frameworks and effectively collecting and using data as needed;
- to effectively work in a group;
- to deliver a range of agreed outputs to a deadline.
Employment Relations Dissertation (60 credits)
The aims of this module are:
- Plan and conduct an original piece of systematic research to add to the investigation and solution of a defined issue in the area of people management.
- Review how research and theory from the academic field of HRM and cognate social sciences can be applied to the investigation and solution of a defined people management issue; utilising knowledge gained from other modules on the MSc Employment Relations and HRM programme.
- Write findings in a competent report that seeks to persuade businesses or business partners to change or adopt a particular policy or practice.