PMGBHMRM - MA Global Human Resource Management

This course focuses on the issues and challenges facing practitioners in the Human Resource Management field.

The course material and orientation also reflect the most recent and emerging issues and challenges in the field of HRM. This makes it especially relevant to active HR practitioners.

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.

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 dissertation).

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 students to gain appropriate professional qualifications within the field of human resource management.

8) Enabling students to draw upon relevant, internationally valid theoretical and empirical research-based ideas and concepts, taking into consideration empirical examples of practice in the international context of Global HRM.

On completion of the course, students will be able to:
LO1. Demonstrate 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;

LO2. Utilise an appropriate range of theoretical and analytical perspectives and techniques in the investigation and analysis of employment and human resource issues and problems;

LO3. 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;

LO4. 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;

LO5. Demonstrate specialist knowledge, capabilities and research skills in order to produce: an academically sound and professionally relevant dissertation: or a portfolio based on independent, original study and research; or deliver consultancy;

LO6. Apply 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; and

LO7. Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline.

LO8. Draw upon relevant, internationally valid theoretical and empirical research-based ideas and concepts, taking into consideration empirical examples of practice in the international context of Global HRM.

Master's Degrees in Business and Management – June 2015.

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 reports, essays, reflective portfolios, case studies, group presentations, individual blogs and the preparation of research proposals. The dissertation is approx. 10,000 words (60 credits) and requires students to work with significant independence.

All modules on the course include significant formative assessment and feedback, aimed not simply at improving success on summative assessments, but also on achieving sustained iterative personal professional development.

As part of their dissertation, students are required to undertake research, present recommendations, a costed action plan and a reflective statement on their learning. Students are normally required to focus their dissertation on issues in the workplace and must gain access to an organisation in time to take the final module that requires them to work on their dissertation. It is anticipated that students should spend the equivalent of at least one day a week carrying out their research in the organisation. Where significant problems arise in gaining appropriate access to an organisation on which to base the dissertation, it may be possible with agreement by the module leader to conduct desk-based research, for example the analysis of WERS data.

The course achieved accreditation in May 2022 from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD). Provided they are members of the CIPD, all students who achieve the MA Global HRM will be able to apply for Associate Membership of the CIPD, a highly valuable lever to progression for HRM practitioners. Once their results are published, students need to contact the Course Leader with details of their CIPD membership number and date of birth. The Course Leader will then initiate the application process by passing on the results and related membership details to the CIPD using its bespoke online results system. The CIPD will then contact the students to progress the application.

The course is mapped to the Professional Map of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) and seeks to reflect that body’s commitment to the importance and promotion of reflective learning and personal development planning. The course includes a summatively assessed reflective skills-based portfolio in one of the core modules (HR7135). The course’s other modules each contain components aimed at both developing and applying reflection to enable continuing professional development and personal development planning. The dissertation requires a section on personal reflection. See also section 20 on buddying, mentoring and networking within our community.

The course is mapped to the Professional Map of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD). Students who achieve the MA Global HRM will be able to apply for Associate Membership of the CIPD, which is a highly valuable lever to progression for HRM practitioners.

In order to further facilitate professional development, students have the option of joining “GSBL HRM”. This is a linkedin based group set up by the Course Leader, which alumni and existing students of the HRM programme at GSBL (UG and PG) are exclusively entitled to join. The purpose of the group is to encourage valuable networking, buddying and mentoring across the programme and to facilitate the development of our own Community of Practice.

You will need to join the CIPD when you begin your course.

Upon successful completion of the MA, you’ll gain Associate Membership of the CIPD from which you can apply for professional upgrading linked to your professional experience to achieve Chartered Membership or Chartered Fellowship. Our dedicated CIPD professional adviser can 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 designate letters CMCIPD or CFCIPD respectively, further enhancing your employability.

The University has a high reputation for employability - 93% of our graduates are in work or further study within six months of graduating.

Complete our Global Human Resources Management MA and you'll possess a significant career advantage. Recent graduates have attained full-time positions from their placements in financial services, leisure and tourism, major international charities and the health sector.

Other graduates that have gone on to work in the private sector have moved from administrative and PA positions to being in charge of strategic HR projects. We also have graduates who have moved up into international HR management positions for global companies.

You will be required to have:

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

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 you join the course.