MSc Human Resource Management

The MSc programme prepares students for a range of HR-related roles in management and research. From whatever your starting point, you will be well-positioned to advance your career with the potential to gain employment and promotion in the HR-related field. Depending on experience, you can secure employment in a range of roles starting from an HR Admin/Officer role to roles that are more senior such as an HR analyst, HR Advisor, HR Generalist, HR Manager, HR Business Partner, HR and Culture

Advisor/ Manager. You can choose to pursue HR specialist roles such as Recruitment/ Talent Manager, Recruitment Consultant, Learning and Development Advisor/ Manager, Reward and Benefits Advisor/ Manager, Project Manager, HR Performance and Data Analyst, Career Advisor as well as positions in consultancy, trade unions and academic and policy research across all sectors.

Recent graduates of the programme have gained employment in a range of organisations from various sectors, including First Derivatives, Moy Park Group, Power NI, Zurich Insurance, Energia, Inspire Well Being, Health and Social Care NI/ NHS, Baker McKenzie, Allen and Overy, Fin Tru, A&L Goodbody, Crane Co., Finnebrogue and many others.

Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus, Graduate Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes, alongside sterling integration with business experts help our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.

This course is offered on both a full time and part time basis. The programme consists of the following eight taught modules (each worth 15 CATS) and a final dissertation/ consultancy project (worth 60 CATS). Currently, each 15 cat module has a 3 hour class timetabled each week for 10 weeks each semester.

Semester One

Human Resource Management Theory and Strategy (Part time Year 1): Explores the latest strategic approaches and techniques HR professionals are taking in order to align specific people management practices with the business strategy.

Managing Employment Relations (Part time Year 1): Evaluates wider empirical trends in employment relations approaches, evaluates the basis of conflict in organisations and explores the rights and obligations imposed by employment law.

Performance and Reward Management (Part time Year 2): Examines contrasting models and methods and assesses how these are applied in different business environments.

HRM Analytics (Part time Year 2): Uses leading software tools to carry out HR analytics, including descriptive, visual, and prescriptive analytics to understand the wider organisational implications for people management approaches.

Semester Two

Resourcing and Talent Management (Part time Year 1): Explores organisational responses to changing labour markets, and examines how organisations acquire and retain the necessary skills, attitudes and experience to meet business objectives.

Leading Organisational Change (Part time Year 1): Provide learners with the knowledge and understanding about why and how organisations change, the impact of change on people within the organisation, and the role of HRM in leading and building capabilities for change.

Research Methods for Business (Part time Year 2): Introduces research methodologies, processes and techniques required for carrying out an independent and original research project or a consultancy project.

Human Capital Development (Part time Year 2): Evaluates the existing context and practice relating to the design and undertaking of training and development initiatives within firms.

Summer Semester

Summer Semester

Final Dissertation; or Consultancy Based Report (Part time Year 2) *

*The dissertation normally involves the investigation and analysis of a HRM-related issue within organisations and provides you with an opportunity for an applied and in-depth study of organisations and the management of work. A Consultancy Project involves working with a client organisation to make recommendations for solving a pre-set consulting problem, challenge or issue in the field of HR.

Learning and Teaching

Learning opportunities associated with this course are outlined below:

Learning and Teaching Methods

Delivery of each module is supported and administered via a dedicated module page on QUB’s virtual learning environment, Canvas. Each module is also attached to a dedicated MS Teams page to enhance connectivity between and among students and lecturers.

The structure of the timetabled classes vary across modules and sessions according to the nature of the module, the learning objectives of the session and how the module co-ordinator complements their face-to-face delivery with online content and other workshops or seminars from industry experts. Learning from our experiences of teaching online throughout COVID-19 restrictions, the programme team have developed flexible and innovative approaches to teaching and learning which are being carried through to our ongoing delivery on this programme.

This may involve adopting a ‘flipped classroom’ approach where lecturers provide introductory content on the modules’ key topics via online videos, directed readings or online exercises that are hosted on Canvas. In this case, you will engage with this content independently in preparation for an interactive session where you have the opportunity to apply your knowledge and understanding using case study exercises, relevant research reports, other group discussions or collaborative tasks.

Not only does this approach enable you to develop their knowledge and understanding of theory and how it applies to practice, but by drawing from real work examples, you are also encouraged to critically reflect on the various skills, capabilities and behaviour standards that are exhibited in the case and which impact decision making within the workplace.

Other modules may adopt a workshop or more practical approach to their teaching delivery. For example, the HRM analytics module involves a series of practical classes where students use leading software to work through analytics problems relating to HRM. Resourcing and Talent Management have focused workshops on how to approach interviewing and selection, allowing students to develop and reflect on the skills required to conduct interviews effectively. The Managing Employment Relations module adopts a specific structure involving ‘mini sessions’ that firstly introduces key thematic issues in the relevant area, then reviews a case study (usually a video) relevant to that theme and how it is applied to contemporary real-world practice, before finally discussing relevant case law and setting individual and group exercises discussing how you would respond to certain employment relations problems in the workplace.

You will benefit from the School’s wide ranging industry networks and its links with the William J. Clinton Leadership Institute, also based at Riddel Hall.

Your learning will also benefit from the diversity of academic backgrounds, experiences and national cultures that make up the class. This creates an exciting and stimulating social and learning environment and is particularly beneficial for working in HRM given that diversity and inclusion are key priorities for the profession.

Assessment

Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:

Each module is usually assessed by two pieces of assessment and may comprise of both individual and group based assessments. The programme uses a diverse set of assessments including individual essays, case study analysis and reports, group presentations (live in-person, live online or recorded online), poster presentations, analytics reports, research reports, critical reflections on skills and capabilities, oral examinations, variations of people or strategic plans, etc.

All assessments are reviewed by Internal moderators and External Examiners to ensure they assess appropriately the module’s learning outcomes and that they are comparable to a postgraduate standard.

All assessments are evaluated against set criteria at a postgraduate level and moderated both internally and externally to ensure consistency in marking. The programme’s assessment schedule is planned at the outset of the semester to ensure deadlines are spread out appropriately over semester to avoid overburdening students at any one time.

At the beginning of the programme students are made aware of the assessment expectations and deadlines, and how modules and their assessments interlink. You are expected to submit your assignments through Canvas using the embedded Turnitin tool. Lecturers assess submissions online using the tools available through Canvas.

The programme will cumulate in the assessment of the dissertation or consultancy project.

Prizes and Awards

Legal Island sponsor an end of year prize for the Best Overall MSc HRM student.