Introduction
This course is designed for individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in management either in Human Resources or a related area. It will provide you with a rigorous and critical approach to human resource management strategies and practices, which you will assess from a range of theoretical and analytical perspectives. You will also consider them in terms of their social and economic context, examining their implications and impact for a range of stakeholders and interest groups.
This programme will provide you with a rigorous analytical approach to the subject, with a broad overview of the major areas of human resources and employment relations policy. You will examine how organisations learn, create and utilise the knowledge and respond to the competitive pressures in a globalising knowledge-based economy. The course will equip you with the skills and competencies to conduct advanced research into a wide range of management and organisational issues and enable you to improve your social, communications and presentational skills to operate in an effective and enlightened way as leaders and managers.
The programme builds on the School of Business and Management’s extensive expertise in the area, both in teaching and research. You will join an intellectually stimulating, friendly and supportive research environment and, through working closely with our expert and experienced academic staff, you will be in a viable position to realise your full potential.
Strong career prospects in management either within human resources or a related field by gaining a deep understanding of international human resources management, coupled with a practical set of skills.
Outstanding research; Royal Holloway sits in the top 25% of UK universities for research which is rated as ‘world-leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’.
Inspiring international community; 60% of our Management students come from overseas, with over 130 countries represented across the University.
From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience, and this is particularly the case as we continue to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as we can.
Course structure
Core Modules
This year we will be running the following insightful modules which are all mandatory:
Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Innovation
In this module you will develop an understanding of how knowledge creation and innovation are the foundations of social and economic progress. You will examine how organisations learn, create and utilise knowledge, and respond to the competitive pressures of a globalising knowledge-based economy. You will focus on the relationships between societal institutions and the micro-dynamics of organisational learning and innovation, developing a critical understanding of the theories and perspectives of organisational change and innovation, and their implications for change management practice. You will look at the issues facing firms in the knowledge-based economy and concepts of organisational learning and knowledge creation. You will consider the nature and process of organisational change, the role of change agents, and the complex dynamics of change management.
Human Resource Management in Global Contexts
In this module you will develop an understanding of the unique managerial challenges created by differences between, and within, countries for business operations. You will see how even within regions which have removed formal barriers to the flow of goods, finance, labour, and knowledge, a variety of differences (institutional, legal, cultural, identity, and so forth) remain. You will look at how these multi-level, multi-dimensional differences shape the contexts of ongoing transnational operation, and consider the nature of reorganisational programmes in tackling the issues faced when operating across borders.
Foundations of Employment Law
In this module you will critically evaluate national and regional differences in the regulation of labour and their implications for international human resource management practitioners. You will look at the nature of the employment contract, as well as specific areas such as discrimination, recruitment and termination law. You will also consider the transnational regulation of business practices, and adopt a broader conception of the 'human resource' by considering issues such as the regulation of economic migration, international labour standards, and human rights law.
Strategic Human Resource Management
In this module you will develop an understanding of theory, policy and practice in the field of strategic international human resource management. You will look at the major current themes and debates in the field, going beyond operational approaches to managing people, focussing on core international human resource issues and functions at the strategic level. You will consider the integration of organisational strategy and international human resources management, exploring how the issues and problems in managing a global workforce can be conceived strategically and operationalised through organisation practice.
Principles of Human Resource Management
In this module you will develop an understanding of the foundational issues and concepts in the theory and practice of human resource management. You will examine the nature of the employment relationship and the regulation of work and employment, and consider the relationship between human resourcing policies and economic/political environments, labour markets, product markets, forms of work organisation, and corporate performance.
Comparative Human Resource Management
In this module you will develop an understanding of some of the major areas of international human resource management and employment relations policy within multinational companies. You will look at the strategies and structures of large corporations, as well as competing arguments about the impact of national and regional differences on international human resource management. You will consider some of the principal national business systems that influence multinational decisions – including those of Germany, Japan, the UK and the USA – as well as the role of global labour regulation through agencies such as the International Labour Organisation.
Dissertation Preparation and Research Methods
In this module you will develop your analytical research skills so that you are better prepared for your dissertation project. You will look at approaches to management research and the assumptions upon which they are based, and consider how to critically evaluate primary and secondary data sources. You will examine how to choose appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methods for data collection and subsequent analysis, and how to conduct research in a systematic and critical reflective manner. You will also analyse the ethical implications of research investigations and their impact upon findings.
Dissertation
By the end of the dissertation, you should be able to plan and manage a project; define the aims of this project; identify the data sources and methods appropriate to conduct the project; identify the potential pitfalls to conducting such projects; execute the dissertation plan; and construct an effective argument with the dissertation.
Optional Modules
Optional Modules
All modules are core.
Teaching and assessment
Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, examinations and a dissertation.
Entry requirements
Entry criteria:
UK 2:2 (Honours) or equivalent.
Professional qualifications related to the field of International Human Resource Management and work experience in an associated area will be considered.
English language requirements:
IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in all subscores. For equivalencies, please see here.
If you require Royal Holloway to sponsor your study in the UK, your IELTS must be a UK government-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT).
Your future career
On graduating with a Masters degree in Human Resources Management from Royal Holloway you will be highly employable and have a variety of career paths in and around the area of human resources. You will be well prepared for a career in human resource management, management consultancy, public policy research, government advisory, the civil service, a think tank, an employers’ organisation or a trade union. This course also equips you with a solid foundation for PhD studies.
Our graduates have entered roles such as:
Researcher at Hays Specialist Recruitment
International Relocation Case Manager at IBM.
Fees and funding
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £11,900
EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £21,500
* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.** For EU nationals starting a degree in 2021/22, the UK Government has recently confirmed that you will not be eligible to pay the same fees as UK students. This means you will be classified as an international student. At Royal Holloway, we wish to support those students affected by this change in status through this transition. For eligible EU students starting their course with us in September 2021, we will award a fee reduction scholarship which brings your fee into line with the fee paid by UK students. This will apply for the duration of your course.
Read more about the programme here.
