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MSc

Human Resource Management

This Human Resource Management masters is designed to provide you with the up-to-date knowledge and understanding you need to manage people effectively in the workplace.

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Key Course Details

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £10,800*

  • International students

    £16,900*

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

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Newport

  • Campus Code

    C

Fees

  • Home students

    £1,200*

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

The MSc Human Resource Management provides you with a postgraduate The MSc Human Resource Management also provides you with a postgraduate qualification alongside CIPD accreditation, the professional body for Human Resource Managers, at associate level.

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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Staff sat in front of a red backdrop smiling

Module Overview

You will study key areas of human resource management, such as the principles, values and approaches to leadership and management, and you will explore the changing context within which businesses operate.

HRM and Strategy in a Business Context

This module provides an understanding of the historic roots and development of the concept, theories and models of HRM, before going on to examine the principal internal and external environmental contexts of contemporary organisations within which managers, HR professionals and workers interact.

Global Talent Management

This module focuses on the issues of recruitment, selection and employee retention along with the strategic aspects of equipping learners with the knowledge and skills required for resourcing and talent management within a global context.

Training, Learning and Talent Development

This module aims to provide a critical understanding of the concepts of knowledge management and organisational learning and to develop the personal and professional skills needed for designing and implementing knowledge management strategies that promote organisational learning including through coaching.

Developing Skills for Business Leadership

This module aims to develop your soft skills and demonstrate your ability and commitment to undertake Continuous Professional Development, both of which are essential in the modern professional workplace. The module also allows you to demonstrate knowledge and behaviours aligned to CIPD requirements.

Performance Management

This module provides learners with the knowledge and understanding of the role of performance management in supporting the strategic objectives of an organisation in different business environments.

Leading and Managing People

This module aims to provide learners with leadership skills together with knowledge and understanding of people management and development

Managing Employee Relations

This module aims to provide learners with an understanding of employment relations perspectives and debates. It will enable learners to understand, analyse and evaluate competing theories and perspectives associated with managing employment relations strategies and their outcomes. The module will also help learners understand the legal contexts and frameworks to better manage employment relationships.

Business Research Report/Dissertation

This is a major piece of self-directed investigative work focussing upon a current HRM subject, topic or issue chosen by the learner. As part of this module you will develop research skills and you will undertake the project under the supervision of a subject specialist.  

Throughout the HRM course, you will develop a portfolio to demonstrate your commitment to continuing professional development, culminating in the production of a business research report on an HR-related topic of your choice.

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

Full-time students spend approximately 12 hours per week in classes, which involves a blend of directed and independent study. Part-time students spend around six hours per week in classes, held on one afternoon and evening each week. Knowledge of the subject area is gained through lectures, tutorials, directed learning, independent study, and workplace engagement.

Assessment

You will be assessed via a mixture of examinations and assessed coursework in the form of essays, portfolios and projects, reports, case studies, presentations, design tasks and primary/secondary research. Informal assessment is incorporated into the learning process, and you will be given feedback during seminars encouraging reflective practice in formal assessments.

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

As well as giving you the chance to study for a role within HRM, the HRM masters confers CIPD membership which is often a requirement of appointment and/or promotion in the HR profession. By achieving this qualification students are demonstrating that they have the skills and drive to maximise their contribution to overall business performance and that they are committed to achieving the highest standard of professionalism within their career.

Possible career paths

USW's HRM masters has been working with part time students for over 15 years and so has developed a strong network of HR practitioners and managers in the locality from which our students can benefit. Our HRM USW Network brings together past students who contribute to the course through acting as guest speakers, offering work shadowing opportunities and possible internships.

Careers support

The University’s Career Services offers a range of advice and guidance to students, and references to the services available to all listed at southwales.ac.uk/careers will be added to the course website by default. However, if there are other important course or subject specific initiatives run at local a level, there is an opportunity to add further details here. Whether this includes connecting with professionals, industry experts or mentors, or strategies to enhance their competitiveness and aspirations in the job market, further details will provide prospects with the confidence, encouragement, and motivation to commit to applying. 

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 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing 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

£10,800

per year*
UK Full-time Fee

£10,800

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£16,900

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£16,900

per year*
UK Part-time Fee

£1,200

per 20 credits*

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.

Related Courses

Doctor of Business Administration - DBA Learn more
Human Resource Management - BA (Hons) Learn more

Next Steps

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