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Human Resource Management with CIPD pathway
Management School,
Faculty of Social Sciences
You will learn about human resource issues such as; recruitment and retention, pay and remuneration, management styles and practice, corporate social responsibility, and diversity, performance management and wellbeing, along with a range of other topics.
Course description
Our Human Resource Management with CIPD pathway MSc is available in two formats:
- with accreditation from the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) - this course
- without accreditation - see MSc Human Resource Management
The CIPD-accredited pathway has a specific list of core modules and optional modules, while the non-accredited pathway contains a wider range of optional modules.
By undertaking an MSc in Human Resource Management you'll develop a detailed and thorough understanding of the role human resources play in modern organisations in the private, public and third sectors.
You will be taught by world-class researchers from across the Management School and will learn about a diverse range of topics including pay, performance management, recruitment and retention, strategic management, skills and workforce development, worker voice and representation, and international HRM. You'll also learn about how to conduct research which involves designing a research project, obtaining ethical approval, undertaking qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, and applying theoretical knowledge to empirical data.
The final element of the HRM MSc is the authoring of a substantive piece of independent research in the form of either a dissertation or a company project. The latter involves working with an organisation such as a private company, a public organisation or a charity to produce a piece of research in conjunction with them. Throughout your dissertation/company project, you will receive personalised supervision from an academic who will offer guidance on your project.
Upon graduation, you'll be equipped with the necessary knowledge and experience to succeed and flourish in human resources management, both in the UK and internationally.
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Modules
Core modules:
- Accounting and Financial Management
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This module is designed to provide knowledge and understanding of the roles of accounting and financial management in modern business organisations. The module will introduce students to the objectives, techniques and limitations of accounting for the purposes of external accountability and internal decision-making and control. The module will also introduce students to the objectives, techniques and limitations of financial investment appraisal and provision of financial resources.
15 credits - Managing People in Organisations
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This module aims to introduce students to the core aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM), using research-informed teaching to critically assess HR tools and techniques, engage with current debates in the field, and provide a reflective analysis of HRM today. Supporting aims of the module are to enable participants deepen their knowledge and understanding of HRM issues, to develop insights into the changing role of HRM practitioners in the context of ongoing organisational change, and to think about the issues involved in 'live' HRM problems in organisational contexts. The module covers some core building blocks in HRM to introduce concepts to students, moving on to examine some thematic themes, with the overall aim of introducing students to key issues and debates in HRM today. This module relates to the CIPD 'People Management and Development' standard.
15 credits - Professional Development
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This module is concerned with helping students develop generic management skills which can be applied within the context of specific HRM domains. It encourages students to reflect upon and account for how specific contexts influence how HR knowledge is applied and managed.
15 credits - Industrial Relations
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This module focuses the specific nature of the relationship centring on the employment contract, the different ways in which employees may voice their concerns, industrial disputes and mechanisms for dispute resolution, as well as topical issues.
15 credits - Strategic Management
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This unit introduces key theories of Stategic Management of business organisations; those concerned with strategy design and development, techniques and frameworks for crafting strategic options, competitive challenges of a global market environment, implementation of strategy and change. This theoretical understanding will then be illustrated and examined by reference to the way particular companies in contrasting industries have designed and executed their strategies.Particular attention will be devoted to expose students to many facets of strategy formulation/analysis and strategy implementation issues.
15 credits - Employee and Organizational Development
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This module investigates the theory and practical operation of training and development initiatives from the individual, group and organisational perspective. The focus of the module is on learning and the whole process from needs analysis to evaluation will be covered. Methods and tools for learning and development will be critically analysed and their impact on employee and organisational outcomes assessed.
15 credits - International Human Resource Studies
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This module investigates labour market trends and human resource practices within diverse political, economic, social and regulatory contexts. In addition to analysing the impacts of globalisation, international institutions and national governments on employment policy and regulation, it also examines the human resource practices of particular foreign direct investors, multinational corporations, and public sector organisations in the majority and minority world (Global South/ODA recipients and Global North). Particular attention is accorded to trends in the deployment of people across the world of work, and to how HR can be utilised within different cultural contexts.
15 credits - Employee Performance Management
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This module investigates the practical operation of different forms of performance management, their implementation, their change and their impact upon the individual with specific reference to motivation theory and reward management. It considers how recent social, economic and technological changes might be impacting upon the members of organizations and giving rise to new modalities of performance management as managers attempt to cope with increasing levels of uncertainty.
15 credits - HRM Skills Sessions
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The Skills Sessions provide students with practical advice and insights relating to the management of people at work. The sessions are delivered by experienced practitioners who will share their knowledge and experiences with students. Students will build on the knowledge they acquire in the core MSc HRM modules by examining the practical realities of HRM and Employment Relations. Each session consists of an introduction to the topic, followed by individual or group-based activities
- Research Methods
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The unit provides an introduction to a wide range of research methods used in management research. It prepares students for their dissertation by helping them to make an informed choice of objectives and methods (design, data collection and analysis) for thier own research. It also prepared students to review the literature and critically evaluate the methods used by others, to consider ethical issues around research and to prepare a plan for their dissertation research.
15 credits - Management Project
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This unit requires the student to pursue a study of a topic appropriate to the field of human resource management. The topic chosen by the student must receive approval from a supervisor on behalf of the Management School. A dissertation written by the student should be delivered to the School at the conclusion of the study. The study, and the resulting dissertation, may take the form of issue-centred academic research or of an applied human resource management problem-solving exercise. In either case, it requires the student to apply critical analysis, to set the topic within the context of appropriate human resource management literature, conduct empirical research and consider the implications for human resource praxis at the relevant level of analysis.
45 credits
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.
Open days
An open day gives you the best opportunity to hear first-hand from our current students and staff about our courses.
Duration
1 year full-time
Teaching
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Case studies
- Group work for collaborative learning
- Web-based discussion groups
Assessment
- Individual assignments
- Group projects
- End-of-semester examinations
- Dissertation
School
Management School
We are a leading management school with Triple Crown accreditation (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS). These awards have been achieved through the outstanding quality of our programmes, research output, support for students and alumni, and links with industry. We have a world-class reputation for high quality teaching, ground-breaking research and cutting-edge thinking.
You’ll be part of a dynamic and engaging management school that puts you and your future at the heart of everything it does. We balance a rigorous academic foundation with practical skills to ensure you are ready for the world of work.
We want you to develop skills so you can apply course content in a company setting. Our close links with organisations keep us in tune with the changing demands of the workplace. We know what employers are looking for.
You'll learn from experts - many are former industry professionals and they work closely with businesses. Because our academics are world-leading researchers, your education will draw on the most current management theories.
We want you to engage with the academic content, be conscientious and take an independent approach to study. We want you to be informed, innovative and proactive and do everything we can to support and enhance your career, steering you in the right direction with all the knowledge and skills you require.
You'll benefit from tailored on-site and online professional careers support, dedicated skills sessions and events with experts from world-leading organisations and professional bodies. These activities will help guide your personal and professional development to help you secure your dream placement, internship or graduate role.
Student profiles
Entry requirements
Minimum 2:1 undergraduate honours degree in any subject.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 (with 6 in each component) or University equivalent
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school/department.
Fees and funding
Alumni discount
Save up to £2,500 on your course fees
Are you a Sheffield graduate? You could save up to £2,500 on your postgraduate taught course fees, subject to eligibility.
Apply
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Contact
Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.
Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.