MSc

Human Resource Management

MSc Human Resource Management at the University of South Wales develops confident, strategic HR professionals who can shape workplace culture, manage change, and add real value to modern organisations.

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Key Course Details

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £11,060*

  • International students

    £17,900*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Newport

  • Campus Code

    C

Fees

  • Home students

    £11,060*

  • International students

    £17,900*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
Make an Enquiry

This CIPD-aligned MSc is ideal for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of people, work and organisations, while developing the leadership and analytical skills needed to improve performance, culture and working lives across a wide range of roles, within HR and beyond.

Designed For

This course is ideal for graduates from any discipline and professionals who want to build skills in HR, people management, and leadership. Whether you aim to move into HR, progress into management, or strengthen your ability to lead others, the MSc supports your development for future leadership roles across a wide range of sectors.

Career Paths

  • People (HR) Advisor
  • Employee Relations Specialist
  • HR (People) Business Partner
  • Talent Acquisition

Skills Taught

  • Systems thinking for strategic people decisions
  • People data and evidence-based problem solving
  • Ethical, inclusive people leadership
  • Employee relations and conflict resolution
  • Influence, communication and change delivery 

We make a difference in practice, not just on paper. Our courses are designed by people who offer jobs - and taught by people who have real work experience.

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Course Highlights

CIPD Accredited Course

Study a course aligned with the UK’s leading HR professional body, supporting your career in human resources

Future-Ready HR Skills

Learn from experienced academics and industry professionals as you develop strategic, ethical, and digital HR skills to lead people and organisations through change.

Top for Teaching Quality

Business, Management and Marketing at USW is top 5 in the UK and top in Wales for Teaching Quality (Times Guide 2025)

Module Overview

Over the year of full-time study (or two years part-time), you will develop strategic, digital, and practical HR skills. You will use data, coaching, employment law, and research to design ethical solutions to real workplace challenges and prepare for senior people management roles.

Strategic People Management
You will explore how people, leadership, culture, and strategy connect in real organisations. You will build the skills to think clearly and ethically about HR as a strategic function that shapes performance, change, and workplace culture.

Digital HRM Analytics: From Insights to Action
You will learn how digital tools and people data shape modern HR. You will use analytics and AI insights responsibly to improve performance, fairness, and decision-making in today’s digital workplaces.

Managing People in Practice
You will learn how people practices work across the employee lifecycle. You will apply HR theory and coaching skills to design ethical, practical solutions that improve performance, inclusion, and organisational success.

Employment Relations
You will learn how to manage workplace relationships fairly and confidently. You will apply employment law, negotiation, and coaching skills to resolve issues, support voice, and make ethical decisions that build trust at work.

Leading Sustainable Futures in the People Profession 
In this final module, you will tackle real people challenges with employers. You will use research and systems thinking to design ethical, evidence-based solutions and present them with confidence to professional and academic audiences.

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

You’ll learn through a blend of lectures and interactive workshops that introduce key theories and then apply them through case studies, simulations and employer-linked challenges. Teaching is practical and discussion-led, helping you tackle real people management issues using evidence, data and reflection. You’ll work independently and in teams, hear from industry professionals, and gradually move towards more self-directed, research- and consultancy-style learning as your confidence and capability grow.

Assessment

You will be assessed through practical, applied tasks that reflect real HR practice. These include projects, case analyses, consultancy-style reports, presentations, simulations, and a major final capstone project. Assessment focuses on how well you apply theory to real people challenges, use evidence and data, and justify ethical, professional decisions. You will also reflect on your development as a future HR and people leader.

Accredited By

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

Graduates of this MSc progress into roles such as HR adviser, people partner, talent manager, organisational development specialist, and business manager. The course prepares you to work across sectors, lead change, influence culture, and build a long-term career in human resources and people management.

Careers support

You’ll be supported throughout your studies and beyond by dedicated careers advisers with experience in business and people management. You’ll have access to one-to-one guidance, CV and application support, interview preparation, career assessments, and an employer database of over 2,000 organisations, plus regular job alerts to help you progress your HR career.

Industry partner

You’ll study on a CIPD-aligned MSc that puts real world HR and people management at the heart of your learning. Through practical projects, case studies and connections with our alumni and employer network, you’ll tackle current workplace challenges and build skills that employers value across industries and sectors worldwide.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A minimum 2:2 Honours degree or an equivalent qualification, or in exceptional circumstances, three years’ or more significant managerial experience.

Holders of CIPD Graduate Membership, or postgraduate qualifications in either HRM or general management, may be entitled to exemptions through the fast-track programme.

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

 

We're here to help

Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

 

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£11,060

per year*
UK Full-time Fee

£11,060

per year*
UK Full-time Fee

£11,060

per year*
UK Full-time Fee

£11,060

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,900

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,900

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,900

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,900

per year*

Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.  We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

 

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Busaries Alumni Discount

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment. 

*Obligatory

Periodically the course will organise a variety of Travel opportunities, Industry visits and/or other social activities to engage and socialise student cohorts, along with providing added value elements to enhance the student[s] experience. Some or all of these could potentially incur additional costs which will vary depending on event and location.

Text books are provided via the USW library but students may wish to purchase their own private copies.

Cost: Up to £400

 

Students have the opportunity to attend various branch and regional CIPD events as well as occasional seminars and conferences. It is recommended that all students fully engage with the CIPD and their events to maximise their advantages of their professional membership. Costs vary depending on event and location.

Students are encouraged to engage in any and all work experience opportunities, however, some of these may be unpaid and may incur costs associated with travel and expected workplace attire and this will vary according to the placement.

Should students choose to sit exams abroad (in their home country for example) there will be a £50 admin fee and a cost of £20 per exam. Students are also responsible for any additional charges made by an overseas exam venue.

University Quality Assurance

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

Studying at USW

Our courses are designed with industry leaders and provide the practical skills and experiences industry demands. Our flexible courses reflect the need for life-long learning. If you value education in practice, not just in theory, then USW is for you.

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Postgraduate fees and funding
The University's Ty Crawshays building at Treforest, Pontypridd.
Pontypridd Campus, Treforest
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Postgraduate Open Events

How to apply

There is an online application process for this course. Please choose the application form for your preferred start date and mode of study (i.e. full-time or part-time).

International admissions

Please see our international admissions advice for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Next Steps

How to Apply
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