Master of Science (MS)

Human Resources Management

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Program
Human Resources Management

Admissions criteria for the Master of Science in Human Resources Management (MSHRM)

Graduate Admissions - Masters level

Prospective students are required to submit the following: 

  • Completion of application for admission
  • Official transcripts for bachelor or graduate degree within 5 weeks of the class start date (refer to Conditional Acceptance).  (All credentials earned outside the United States must be evaluated by a NACES or AICE-member credential evaluation service).  Please speak with an admissions representative for more information.

Note: See program notes and specific requirements below for each graduate - masters level degree program

Specific requirements for admission to classified graduate status are: 

  • A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Completion of application for admission.
  • A 2.7 overall grade point average or higher on completed requirements for the baccalaureate degree, or an earned graduate degree from an accredited institution with a CGPA of 3.0 or higher.

Provisional Admission:

Applicants with an undergraduate degree CGPA of less than a 2.7, but not lower than a 2.3, or a graduate degree CGPA of less than 3.0, but not lower than a 2.7, will be considered for provisional admission. Students who do not attain a 3.0 GPA in the first quarter will be dismissed. Students cannot appeal the dismissal from the university as a result of failure to meet the conditions of provisional admission.

For additional admissions information please see the admissions section here. 

Offered at Austin, Online Programs, and Tampa. 

Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.

The Masters of Science in Human Resource Management (HRM) degree program explores the multiple roles of HR practitioners, as well as the concepts, strategies and structures that impact and constraint organizations and its stakeholders.  The graduate program examines the functional areas of HRM, employment and labor laws, generally accepted business practices, ethical principles, HR metrics and measurement and change management using consultative approaches through effective organizational leadership.  Emphasis is placed on managing human capital and applying best-practice tools to meet organizational mission, goals and objectives.  The program is identified as being aligned with the Society for Human Resource Management recommended minimum standards for degree-based coursework in human resources and integrates the Human Resources Competency Model components.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to: 

  1. Evaluate strategic HRM practices and procedures in a systematic manner, including employee and labor relations, workplace safety, health and security, and global programs in terms of human and financial impact (direct and indirect) on the organization and in consideration of  the local, national and global environment.
  2. Apply ethical principles, generally accepted business practices, and employment and labor laws with stakeholders in the decision- making process about HR policies, practices, or initiatives.
  3. Demonstrate the contribution of human resource planning, management and diversity initiatives to organizational stakeholders using generally accepted HR metrics and measurements.
  4. Define staffing (recruitment and selection), training and development, retention and performance management concepts, processes and policies as part of an integrated whole, and not as an isolated functional area of HRM to develop programs that meet broader organizational needs and enable the organization to maintain a competitive advantage.
  5. Develop classification, compensation, and benefits both direct and indirect that meet the strategies and constraints of the organization and its environments.
  6. Analyze organizational development and change management principles using consultative approaches to realize the Human Resources vision through effective organizational leadership.

Master of Science in Human Resources Management: 48 Credits

Course Code
Title
Credits
The course examines the context of strategic human resource management and develops a framework and conceptual model. Trends are explored that impact strategic HRM practices, including viewing the employee as "human capital." The course also addresses the practice and implementation of strategic human resource management through discussion of issues and development of specific programs and policies. Topics include: staffing, training, performance management, compensation, labor relations, employee separation, and managing a global workforce.

Credits : 4

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This course studies theories and practices relevant to staffing work organizations including: principles of human resource strategy and the link to business strategy; fit and flexibility in the design of human resource systems; approaches to evaluating and assessing the contribution and effectiveness of human resource systems; the value and challenges of a diverse workforce, and the characteristics related to primary and secondary types of diversity.

Credits : 4

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This course provides an introduction to employment and labor laws for non-legal professionals in human resources management and labor relations. Acknowledgement is made that the field of employment and labor law is constantly changing. Thus, the complex terrain of federal and state employment laws, with expanded coverage of issues currently in the forefront, such as family and medical leave, sexual harassment, workplace torts, employment-at-will (EAW), OSHA, ERISA and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, among other topics are examined. Another distinguishing aspect of this course is the treatment of ethical standards behavior as a catalyst to resolve difficult choices through self-reflection. Topics related to ethical standards include: right versus right, why ethics matter, ethical fitness, resolution principles and ethics in the twenty-first century.

Credits : 4

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This course examines and studies the challenges of a comprehensive staffing model that identifies the key components of staffing, including external influences (economic, laws and regulations), staffing strategy and planning, job analysis, measurement, external and internal recruitment, decision making, and selection.

Credits : 4

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This course is designed to provide the student with both the theoretical and practical knowledge to design, administer and evaluate classification, compensation and benefit systems. The application of both tangible and intangible forms of compensation to attract, motivate and retain employees is addressed. Topics include: the context of compensation practice, the criteria used to compensate employees, compensation system design issues, employee benefits, challenges of compensating key strategic employee groups, and pay and benefits from a global perspective.

Credits : 4

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This course provides a comprehensive analysis of how human resource management facilitates the process of employee evaluation within an organization through the development of performance management systems, performance appraisals, measurement tools, and the important role of feedback, coaching, appraisal training programs and employee development. This course will also examine the relationship of organizational strategy, core values, goals, and execution of its mission and vision to measuring human resource effectiveness.

Credits : 4

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This course balances between research and real company practices as they relate to the fundamentals of training and development. Topics include: the forces influencing working and learning, the strategic training process, needs assessment, determining whether outcomes are appropriate, approaches to employee development, training issues resulting from the external environment, career management, and the future of training and development.

Credits : 4

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The course presents a comprehensive study of employee labor relations and processes. Topics covered include: union organizing; negotiating a labor agreement; economic issues; contract administration; labor arbitration; employee relations; and workplace health, safety, and security.

Credits : 4

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This course examines how human resources management practices within a global context are distinctive from domestic human resources management. Students will analyze the challenges that multinational corporations are confronted with, which include cultural, political, social, and legal issues; the level of managerial skills and education; and technological development in the host country. Issues such as expatriation versus local management, selecting and preparing for international assignments, cultural adaptation at the individual and system level, and the influence of globalization on future HRM practices are also examined.

Credits : 4

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This course explores the theory and practice of choosing, implementing and using metrics to improve decision-making, optimize organizational effectiveness and maximize the value of HR investments. The "LAMP" methodology (Logic, Analytics, Measures and Process) is used to demonstrate how to manage, measure, and analyze the value of every area of HR that impacts strategic value. Topics include: hiring, training, leadership development, health and wellness, absenteeism, retention and employee engagement.

Credits : 4

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This capstone course integrates subject matter from specialized human resources management (HRM) courses in the program. Major topics include the strategic role of HRM, managing HR within a strategic framework, HR operations within an organization and the application of legal requirements related to HRM. Use of the case method will draw significantly on students' prior management HRM study and experience. As part of the course requirements, students will take a SHRM-CP certification practice test.

Credits : 4

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Sub-Total Credits
44

Elective (Choose one course from the following):

Course Code
Title
Credits
Using an internal consulting approach, this course explores the processes for planning and directing organizational development and change, with consideration for the reasons behind the change. In addition, the course covers the management and leadership of organizational change in the 21st century, including issues of managing growth, resistance to change, intervention phases, crisis management, and inter- and intra-group conflict and power.

Credits : 4

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The goal of this course is to provide an opportunity to the MS HRM student to gain experience toward becoming a professional who is both highly self-directing and able to use consultative supervision. The internship is designed specifically to enable the MS-HRM student to apply classroom knowledge to the work environment, and to better prepare the student to enter and progress through the Human Resource Management Industry. This course is a faculty supervised and evaluated field experience in the student's chosen domain of professional interest. Minimum 120 contact hours are required. This course is Pass/Fail (P/F). Students will work with Career Services or the appropriate Department Chair, Program Director, or designee to identify a potential internship site location. Once an acceptable organization and site supervisor are found, South University must approve the organization to be utilized for this purpose. The Site Supervisor, student, and Faculty Coordinator, as defined in the College of Business Internship Courses Student Handbook, arrange for the student to have an opportunity to realize the goals and objectives and apply competencies of the MS HRM program to real life situations. Please refer to the Internship Learning Agreement in the College of Business Internship Courses Student Handbook for further information regarding requirements prior to participating in an internship.

Credits : 4

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Sub-Total Credits
4
Total Credits
48