Course specification and structure
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PDHUMRMD - Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management

Course Specification


Validation status Validated
Highest award Postgraduate Diploma Level Masters
Possible interim awards Postgraduate Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate, Advanced Diploma in Professional Development
Total credits for course 120
Awarding institution London Metropolitan University
Teaching institutions London Metropolitan University
School Guildhall School of Business and Law
Subject Area Business and Management
Attendance options
Option Minimum duration Maximum duration
Full-time 12 MONTHS  
Part-time 18 MONTHS  
Course leader  

About the course and its strategy towards teaching and learning and towards blended learning/e-learning

The course is developed to engage our wide range of students from diverse individual, working and professional backgrounds and is designed to appeal to differing student learning needs and styles and to encourage development in students’ approaches to learning at both an individual and collaborative level.

We recognise that one of the key resources are the academic staff and how they utilise their scholarship and research to enhance student learning, undertake research activity and produce research publications, professional training, consultancy and other third-stream activity. Our courses benefit from the research activity conducted by staff which helps to inform our teaching. Many of our staff are recognised as experts in their respective fields. This research activity generates an active research culture in which you are exposed to the latest developments and cutting edge ideas through the course, by opportunities to attend regular research seminars and by stimulating ideas for your own management research report.

Each module consists of a mixture of scheduled classes, guided learning, and self-directed learning. Teaching and learning is undertaken through lectures, seminars, discussions, group activities, workshops, projects and self-managed study. A wide range of delivery and assessment is incorporated to encourage this and particularly within a framework of digital literacy. The University’s online learning platform is used for all modules to give full access to the range of teaching materials, including class-based materials, links to academic and professional sources of knowledge and skills development, additional and supplementary reading and viewing, as well as online blogs, forums and collaborative learning and exchange arenas. Additional online access to materials, including journals, industry materials and governmental reports is available through the University’s library and online access. This is reflected in the classroom and online experiences encouraged and required and in the range of assessment detailed below in section two of the specification.

Course aims

This course aims to:

  1. Provide the opportunity for postgraduate education which benefits individuals across a wide range of occupations concerned with human resource management, by enabling them to relate their practical experience to relevant theoretical and empirical research-based ideas and concepts.
  2. Enhance students’ critical awareness of current issues and strategic developments in human resource management taking account of the nature and significance of national and international contexts e.g. employment systems, public policy, labour markets and organisational practice.
  3. Offer a broad education whilst also allowing students to specialise in areas of occupational and academic interest (through both choice of designates and the management research report).
  4. Stimulate conceptual understanding that enables students to critically evaluate current research, scholarship and practitioner debates in the field of human resource and employment management and development, and to evaluate methodologies, developing critiques of them and, where appropriate proposing new developments in knowledge and understanding.
  5. Enable students to design and conduct their own research.
  6. Develop students’ skills in interpersonal relationships in the work context and facilitate critical self-reflection and ongoing appraisal on the knowledge and skills gained and the implications for career development and progression.
  7. Provide an opportunity for applicants to gain appropriate professional qualifications within the field of human resource management.

Course learning outcomes

On completion of the course, students will:

  1. Have acquired an understanding of the historical, cultural, economic, legal, social and political factors which affect ‘stakeholders’ attitudes, expectations, behaviour and strategies within a range of human resource and employment contexts;
  2. Be able to utilise an appropriate range of theoretical and analytical perspectives and techniques in the investigation and analysis of employment and human resource issues and problems;
  3. Be able to recognise and explain the environment and context in which human resource and employment management decisions are made and identify the practical implications of implementing policies and strategies in the human resource and employment management areas taking account of key actors, environment and context;
  4. Be able to investigate and analyse complex employment and human resource management problems by undertaking competent empirical research drawing upon relevant current bodies of knowledge and appropriate research tools;
  5. Analyse strategic and operational issues within organisations, and devise appropriate proposals and solutions to alleviate and resolve issues in organisational and employment contexts, using as appropriate accepted best practice within the people management field;
  6. Demonstrate specialist knowledge and research skills in order to produce an academically sound and professionally relevant management research report based on independent, original study and research;
  7. Have developed general study skills (problem solving, group work, communication, presentation etc.) and be able to assess their own personal, professional and scholarly development needs and implement person¬al, professional and scholarly development plans;
  8. Be able to contribute to debates on human resource management through appropriate scholarly/practitioner presentation, discussion and writing.

Course learning outcomes / Module cross reference

- Develop and articulate an informed and cogent perspective on current and emerging initiatives in the field of employment and people management:

Contextualising Management
Leading, Managing and Developing People
HRM: Resourcing and Talent Management
Learning and Talent Development
Managing Employment Relations in Contemporary Organisations
Employment Law and Practice
Employee Engagement
Consultancy, Change and Professional Development
Reflective Practitioner

- Recognise and account for the nature of the roles and functions of human resource practitioners, together with those of other managers at both operational and strategic levels and develop strategies for maximising personal effectiveness in such a specialist role:

Contextualising Management
Leading, Managing and Developing People
HRM: Resourcing and Talent Management
Learning and Talent Development
Managing Employment Relations in Contemporary Organisations
Employment Law and Practice
Employee Engagement
Consultancy, Change and Professional Development
Reflective Practitioner

- Demonstrate the ability to analyse situations in complex organisational and wider employment contexts, using a range of conceptual frameworks and applying appropriate techniques for problem analysis and resolution:

Contextualising Management
Leading, Managing and Developing People
HRM: Resourcing and Talent Management
Learning and Talent Development
Managing Employment Relations in Contemporary Organisations
Employment Law and Practice
Employee Engagement
Consultancy, Change and Professional Development
Reflective Practitioner

- Devise appropriate proposals to alleviate and resolve issues in organisational and employment contexts, using as appropriate accepted best practice within the people management field:

Contextualising Management
Leading, Managing and Developing People
HRM: Resourcing and Talent Management
Learning and Talent Development
Managing Employment Relations in Contemporary Organisations
Employment Law and Practice
Employee Engagement
Consultancy, Change and Professional Development
Reflective Practitioner

- Apply specific techniques and skills to analyse organisational and employment situations, in the planning of solutions to issues and in the presentation of proposals to key decision-makers:

Contextualising Management
Leading, Managing and Developing People
HRM: Resourcing and Talent Management
Learning and Talent Development
Managing Employment Relations in Contemporary Organisations
Employment Law and Practice
Employee Engagement
Consultancy, Change and Professional Development
Reflective Practitioner

- Work with others, individually and in groups, and at various levels in the application of people management approaches for handling employment-related problems:

Contextualising Management
Leading, Managing and Developing People
HRM: Resourcing and Talent Management
Learning and Talent Development
Managing Employment Relations in Contemporary Organisations
Employment Law and Practice
Employee Engagement
Consultancy, Change and Professional Development
Reflective Practitioner

- Develop and maintain a programme of continuing education, training and development for the student’s own professional career progression:

Contextualising Management

Leading, Managing and Developing People
Learning and Talent Development
Consultancy, Change and Professional Development
Reflective Practitioner

Principle QAA benchmark statements

Business & Management

Assessment strategy

The course is assessed formatively and summatively using blended learning as a starting point. Therefore assessment encourages engagement in digital literacy objectives as well as a range of assessment including the formal examinations for two core modules required by the CIPD. Additional approaches to assessment are informed by an understanding of building from one assignment whose formative feedback leads to development of a subsequent assignment, usually but not exclusively within the module. Methods include reports, essays, reflective portfolios, case studies, group presentations, individual blogs and the preparation of research proposals and the management research report.

Organised work experience, work based learning, sandwich year or year abroad

Students are normally required to carry out primary research, ideally in an organisation with which they are familiar and to which they have arranged access. However, this research is embedded in the existing module structure and is not a separate feature of the programme. The required research and preparation of a management research report must meet CIPD’s requirements including the production of recommendations, a costed action plan and a reflective statement on their learning. Where significant problems arise in gaining appropriate access to an organisation on which to base the management research report, it may be possible with agreement by the module leader to conduct desk-based research, for example the analysis of WERS data.

Modules required for interim awards

Contextualising management, Leading, managing and developing people, Research methods in HRM and Management research report are core to gaining the PG Diploma in HRM and must be combined with two 20 credit options (from Section 27) to gain the required 120 credits.

Students may gain a PG Certificate in Human Resource Management with 60 credits (modules from Section 27).

CIPD approved as follows:

Students must have gained the PG Diploma in Human Resource Management and have joined CIPD to achieve Associate CIPD membership with recognition of the knowledge requirements needed for upgrading to Chartered membership status.

Arrangements for promoting reflective learning and personal development

The course follows CIPD requirements for the maintenance of reflection and personal development planning. It also includes a reflective skills based portfolio, also requiring continuing professional development and personal development planning. The management research report requires a section on personal reflection.

Arrangements on the course for careers education, information and guidance

Career opportunities are often afforded to existing students from alumni of the course and these are announced to current students online. The expertise and professional experience of the range of tutors teaching on the course are available to students and are taken up particularly by students making career decisions and when researching in their own organisations. This is supplemented by the University’s own careers advice service, which organises job and volunteering fairs and other networking events. We also run a series of guest lectures with industry speakers.

Other external links providing expertise and experience

There are many invited practitioners and academics on our guest lecture programme, from our visiting professors, consultants, HR and legal experts. The University and the postgraduate HRM programmes have close links with the Branch network of the CIPD and we host introductory, specialist knowledge and prize-giving sessions throughout the year. We also have a CIPD Professional Adviser who is available to give advice on CIPD upgrading.

Professional Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) accreditations & exemptions

You will need to join the CIPD when you begin your course. Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll gain Associate Membership of the CIPD.

Depending on your professional experience, you’ll also be able to apply for professional upgrading to achieve Chartered Membership or Fellowship. Our dedicated CIPD professional adviser will be available to guide you on your application to upgrade to Chartered status.

Upgrading to Chartered Membership or Chartered Fellowship of the CIPD enables you to use the designatory letters CMCIPD or CFCIPD, further enhancing your employability.

Career opportunities

Completing the Human Resource Management PG Dip will give you a significant career advantage. On the strength of their Management Research Reports, our graduates have gained full-time posts from their placements in financial services, leisure and tourism and major international charities.

Many have also gained significant promotions for instance in the health sector, while alumni in higher education have significantly developed their careers and entered roles such as Head of HR.

In the private sector, students have moved from general administrative and PA positions to heading strategic HR project team initiatives. Others have moved up into international HR management positions for global companies.

Entry requirements

You will be required to have:

  • a bachelor’s degree (2.2) in any subject or a three-year diploma in business that includes good grades in HR subjects

You may be considered if you have a Higher National Diploma (HND) / Higher National Certificate (HNC), the IPD Certificate in Personnel/Human Resource Practice (CHRP/CPP) or the CIPD Certificate in Learning and Development/Training Practice (CL&DP/CTP).

In certain circumstances, you may be considered if you have significant HR experience at a senior level. Interviews are generally required for non-standard entry, and your IELTS results must be a minimum of 6.

In order to obtain the CIPD’s Advanced Level Diploma, you’ll need to apply for membership of the CIPD as soon as you join the course.

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Tier 4 student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

Official use and codes

Approved to run from 2013/14 Specification version 1 Specification status Validated
Original validation date 01 Sep 2013 Last validation date 01 Sep 2013  
Sources of funding HE FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND
JACS codes 100085 (human resource management): 100%
Route code HUMRMD

Course Structure

Stage 1 Level 07 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
HR7134 Contextualising Management Core 20 NORTH SPR WED PM
HR7135 Leading, Managing and Developing People Core 20 NORTH AUT THU PM
HR7155 Research Methods in Human Resource Management Core 20        
HR7160 Management Research Report Core 20 NORTH AUT THU EV
          NORTH SPR THU EV
BL7106 Employment Law and Practice Option 20 NORTH AUT WED EV
          NORTH SPR WED EV
HR7060 Employee Engagement Option 20 NORTH AUT MON PM
HR7146 Managing Employment Relations in Contemporary O... Option 20 NORTH SPR MON PM
HR7159 Resourcing and Developing Talent Option 20 NORTH AUT TUE AM

Stage 1 Level 07 January start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
HR7134 Contextualising Management Core 20 NORTH SPR WED PM
HR7135 Leading, Managing and Developing People Core 20        
HR7155 Research Methods in Human Resource Management Core 20        
HR7160 Management Research Report Core 20 NORTH SPR THU EV
BL7106 Employment Law and Practice Option 20 NORTH SPR WED EV
HR7060 Employee Engagement Option 20        
HR7146 Managing Employment Relations in Contemporary O... Option 20 NORTH SPR MON PM
HR7159 Resourcing and Developing Talent Option 20