• Postgraduate

Human Resource Management MA

Overview

Overview

This Masters in human resources is designed to meet the career development needs of human resource (HR) managers, advisers and administrators.

You will benefit from the support of our highly qualified teaching staff, whose HR expertise includes logistics, finance, tourism, IT, manufacturing and leadership. Their knowledge is extensive, current and, most importantly, is transferred to you throughout the course.

To facilitate your professional development, the course closely follows the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) postgraduate syllabus structure and meets the Advanced Level knowledge requirements for entry into their professional membership grade.

Duration

Please note the duration of this Human Resource Management Masters is 15 months. The core modules will be taught over 12 months/two semesters as per most Masters courses. Thereafter, the course has an extra three months for you to complete the Consultancy Project.

Extended Masters and Enhanced Extended Masters options

If you have an undergraduate degree but do not meet the entry criteria for this course, you may qualify for our Extended Masters or Enhanced Extended Masters courses.

These courses feature four specially designed modules which will improve your academic and English skills. Once completed you can progress directly onto the regular Masters course. See below for more information.

BSc (Hons) Human Resource Management at UWL video - thumbnail

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Human Resource Management with us?

Why study Human Resource Management with us?

What our students say…

I thoroughly enjoyed my two years on the MA Human Resource Management course. It has taught me a lot about HRM and has given me new insights into the discipline. I was a bit apprehensive before joining the course as I didn't have a HR background, but I have been able to expand upon existing skills and it has enhanced my knowledge and developed my leadership skills.

Crystal Cardoza
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This course is designed to meet the development needs of hr managers, advisers and administrators
Work on a consultancy project for a real organisation
Graphic advising on-site Macs and PC Labs
study full time or part time
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

On this Masters in human resource management (HRM) we will encourage you to take a critical perspective on current theory and practice. You will learn to analyse complex problems and come up with creative solutions, and you will develop the skills you need to conduct research on the latest issues in HRM.

You will learn through a number of methods. The students on this course bring a wide variety of backgrounds, academic achievements, and knowledge and experience of HRM with them. This provides a real opportunity for everyone on the course to learn with and from each other. You will use an Individual Learning Plan from the start of the course, which will help support your progress. 

In the final stage of your course, you will work on a consultancy project for a real organisation with a particular HRM challenge that needs a remedy. This will be your opportunity to apply your critical thinking, research, analysis and teamwork skills in a professional environment. It will add considerably to your learning experience and demonstrate the extent of your capabilities.

Extended Masters and Enhanced Extended Masters

Our Extended Masters and Enhanced Extended Masters courses are intended for students who already have an undergraduate degree but don't meet the entry requirements to study for a Masters degree.

Over a full-time semester, you will study four modules specially designed to improve your academic and English language skills:

  • Advanced Study Skills
  • Critical Thinking, Analysis and Evaluation
  • Statistics
  • English (Business English on the Enhanced course)

Once completed, you will progress directly onto the core Masters course.

What's the difference between an Extended Masters and an Enhanced Extended Masters? The Enhanced Extended Masters is similar to the Extended Masters but with a greater focus on improving your English skills. It also includes a Business English module which will allow you to gain a full understanding of this critical subject area.

For more information on our Extended Masters and Enhanced Extended Masters, please visit our Extended Masters courses page.

Compulsory modules

  • Strategic People Management and Planning

    This module aims to enable you to:

    1. Gain advanced knowledge and understanding of business context and how people practice should be aligned with the business strategy to ensure the organisation sustainability and performance.

    2. Explore the different approaches to Strategic People Management and how these influence the operational strategies within organisations.

    3. Develop workforce plans to support organisational effectiveness in the delivery of key business strategies and plans.

    4. Develop people management policies and procedures that will bring about effective organisational performance.

  • Advanced Employment Law and Relations

    The purpose of this module is to provide you with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to brief organisations on the consequences of current and future developments in employment law, and to give up-to-date, timely and accurate advice concerning the practical application of legal principles at work in different jurisdictions.

  • People Resourcing and Talent Management

    During this module you will explore the mainstream activities of the HR practitioner, including human resource and talent planning, job design, recruitment and selection, performance appraisal and management, and employee release.

  • Strategic Learning and Talent Development

    The aims of this module are to:

    1. To develop a critical understanding of the potential and limitations of the contribution of learning and talent development policies and strategies to formulating and achieving objectives at national, organisational, group and individual levels.

    2. To enable the development of intellectual, social, professional and personal skills to perform effectively in associated professional roles.

    3. To reflect critically on theory and practice from an ethical and professional standpoint, explore the implications for professional practice, and provides opportunities for applied learning and continuous professional development.

    The study of this module will also encourage and enable you to gain new skills and core behaviours in line with the CIPD Profession Map to support your development as a People Practitioner.

  • Managing People Practice Across Cultures

    This module is designed to achieve the following aims;

    • Provide you with critical knowledge of the theoretical framework of contemporary organisations and their business environments.

    • Provide advanced knowledge on the contemporary nature of work and how different forms of work patterns within organisations support the delivery of organisation strategies and their resulting impact on organisational performance.

    • Provide advanced knowledge and insight into the role of managers and people practitioners within organisations and their multiple business environments.

    • Increase your knowledge of the complexities of managing across cultures within the context of people management practices.

    • You will also gain knowledge and insight on why key people strategies such as wellbeing, inclusion and diversity support organisations in attaining competitive advantage globally.

  • Personal Effectiveness and Leadership

    The module is primarily concerned with the development of your leadership skills and other core behaviours/skills in line with the CIPD Profession Map. In particular, we will support you, as part of your growth as a people practitioner to develop and improve a range of definable skills and behaviours that are important to successful people management and practice.

  • Research Methods and the use of Technology for Business Effectiveness

    This module aims to enable you to;

    1. Develop an evidence-based approach to people practice underpinned by the use of data

    2. Develop insight focus and key competencies based on problem-solving people issues within the workplace.

    3. Gain an in-depth understanding of the psychology behind people behaviour to support evidence-based practice.

    The study of this module will also encourage and enable you to gain new skills and core behaviours in line with the CIPD Profession Map to support your development as a People Practitioner.

  • Consultancy Project for People Practitioners

    This module aims to enable you to:

    1. Design and develop an empirical investigation, on a specific, current people management issue, within an organisation and make costed recommendations sensitive to the personal, economic, political and social consequences as part of evidence-based practice.

    2. As People Practitioners and in line with the CIPD Profession Map, reflect and demonstrate your ability to critically review, analyse, evaluate and communicate your own experience in its professional, social, personal and programme context including how you manage your learning.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You should have:

  • Graduate with a minimum of 2.2 from a UK university or equivalent
  • CIPD level 5 qualifications – with a minimum of 2 years HR or management Experience
  • Without Degree – a minimum of 5 years HR or management experience

Graduates without any HR or managerial experience and non-graduates with the above-specified experience will be assessed through a written piece of work and an interview at which they will be assessed on their ability to do the course.

6.5 IELTS or above

You need to meet our English language requirement of 6.5 overall score for IELTS, with a minimum of 5.5 for each of the 4 individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening). Visit our English language requirements page for information on other English language tests we accept.

You also need academic qualifications at the same level as UK applicants. In some countries where teaching is in English, we may accept local qualifications. Check for local equivalents.

We offer pre-sessional English language courses if you do not meet these requirements. Find out more about our English Language courses.

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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The fee above is the cost per year of your course.

If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year. If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect tuition fees and the fees listed for courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year are subject to change.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

If you are studying a Masters course you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan, this may help contribute towards your course fees and living costs.

Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as disabled students or those with dependants.

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries, including awards for specific subjects. Awards for business students are also on offer. 

{{ formatCurrencyValue(currentVariantData.field_p_cv_int_main_fee.name) }} per year

The fee above is the cost per year of your course.

If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year. If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect tuition fees and the fees listed for courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year are subject to change.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships. 

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

 

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Tejinder Singh

Tejinder Pal Singh

I started my career as a graduate trainee and have accumulated over 43 years of managerial and teaching experience in HRM and Organisational Behaviour. Currently I am head of Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Change at the University of West London for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in human resource management (HRM) and MBA. I am also head of UK Academic Partnerships.

I worked for 20 years as a senior manager (HRM) in the steel industry in the area of training and development, performance management and HR strategy and as a management consultant to a variety of public sector and private sector companies. My area of interest is performance management, change management and organisational development. I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

I started my career as a graduate trainee and have accumulated over 43 years of managerial and teaching experience in HRM and Organisational Behaviour. Currently I am head of Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Change at the University of West London for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in human resource management (HRM) and MBA. I am also head of UK Academic Partnerships.

I worked for 20 years as a senior manager (HRM) in the steel industry in the area of training and development, performance management and HR strategy and as a management consultant to a variety of public sector and private sector companies. My area of interest is performance management, change management and organisational development. I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A female presenting to a group of people

I thoroughly enjoyed my two years on the MA Human Resource Management course. It has taught me a lot about HRM and has given me new insights into the discipline. I was a bit apprehensive before joining the course as I didn't have a HR background, but I have been able to expand upon existing skills and it has enhanced my knowledge and developed my leadership skills.

Crystal Cardoza

When you pass the course, you will be able to apply for individual Chartered Membership of the CIPD. This grade of membership is regarded as essential if you want to move into HR management and consultancy. 

Once you graduate you could go on to work as a:

  • human resources officer
  • office manager
  • occupational psychologist
  • training and development officer

You may also want to progress onto a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Please see our full list of courses for more information.

How to apply

How to apply

Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2022 and 2023 - Based on an average of all 27 questions. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.