Online

Schedule an appointment Call 877-308-9954

MASTER'S IN HUMAN RESOURCE (HR) MANAGEMENT ONLINE

Fast facts

Fact 1

Credit Hours

36

Fact 2

Per Credit

$730

Fact 3

Duration

2 yrs

Right column

Program Benefits

  • PHR/SPHR Certification Preparation
  • SHRM-Aligned Curriculum
  • Digital Badging and Graduate Certificates Available
FAQs
Apply Now

The online MA in Human Resource Management consists of 36 credit hours, or 12 courses of 3 credit hours each. Saint Mary's University M.A. in Human Resource Management curriculum is compliant with SHRM requirements.

Required Human Resource Management Courses (27 credit hours)

HRM 602 Human Resource Analytics (3 credits)

This course examines research design for organizational measurement and assessment. Assessment and evaluation tools are examined for hiring, performance management, career development, retention, and termination processes. An emphasis is on creating and implementing a human resource scorecard using predictive analytics.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Analyze how business and industry use measurement systems to enhance an organization’s competitive strategy, including reputation and brand enhancement.
  2. Distinguish among the following: information, experience, research, data, and evidence, based on research theory, design, and methodology models.
  3. Evaluate strategies for incorporating human resource metrics and benchmarking into an organization’s measure of business performance.
  4. Design and demonstrate assessment models for improvement of an organization’s performance, and for accountability and transparency.
  5. Design and implement balanced, HR, and organizational scorecards for human resource functions within an organization.

Prerequisite: HRM 601 Human Resource Management Strategy

HRM 604 Training and Development (3 credits)

This course examines recruitment, appraisal, development, and talent management strategies critical to a company's success. Concepts related to adult learning are also examined.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Design work processes, job roles/responsibilities, evaluations, and compensation strategies.
  2. Evaluate recruitment and interviewing strategies.
  3. Develop successful strategies for performance appraisal and management.
  4. Identify terms, theories, and components of human resource development (HRD), talent management, and career development, including succession planning.
  5. Construct a theoretically sound, practically-applied training and development plan for employees within an organization, focusing on the theories related to adult learning.

Prerequisite: HRM 601 Human Resource Management Strategy

HRM 606 Employment Law (3 credits)

This course examines employment law and its impact on business. It reviews employment law practices and trends, the statutory framework, major court cases, how the law of contract and tort apply to employment situations, and anti-discrimination laws.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Articulate legal definitions of and distinctions in the employer-employee relationship, including issues related to employment-at-will, independent contractors, and negligent hiring.
  2. Analyze discrimination issues likely to be faced by human resource managers in compliance with Title VII and resulting legislation and court rulings.
  3. Analyze state and federal issues addressed by business and industry, including fair labor standards, occupational safety and health, retirement income security, and employee right to privacy.
  4. Evaluate employee accommodation and leave issues resulting from state and federal legislation.
  5. Assess policies and procedures related to terminating employees, including mass layoffs and plant closings.

Prerequisite: HRM 601 Human Resource Management Strategy

HRM 609 Labor Relations (3 credits)

This course provides an in-depth study of the history of collective bargaining including how changes in product and service markets affect the way labor and management relate to each other. State and federal employment laws and their impact on labor-management cooperation are explored. Students trace how collective bargaining has adapted to economic, social, political, technical, and sector-specific needs. Various dispute resolution mechanisms and bargaining strategies are examined.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Explain the history, development, and role of the collective bargaining process and labor unions, including labor legislation, wage policy, labor contracts, and labor/management relationships.
  2. Evaluate the primary activities of labor relations: organizing, bargaining, contract administration, and dispute resolution.
  3. Describe the collective bargaining process, good faith bargaining, and the inclusion of mandatory and non-mandatory issues.
  4. Evaluate the strategies of both management and union organizations as they take part in the labor relations process, including managing union shops, right-to-work issues, and unfair labor practices.
  5. Contrast strikes, boycotts, work stoppages, and also the deauthorization and decertification of unions.

Prerequisite: HRM 601 Human Resource Management Strategy

HRM 611 Globalization and Diversity (3 credits)

This course examines the interplay of various factors associated with evaluating managers, employees, and customers from different cultures. Students explore the varied components of expatriate recruitment, selection, orientation, and training strategies. International labor standards and public policy issues associated with trade agreements are explored to determine their impact on organizational strategy.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Compare the U.S. and other developed capitalist countries in regard to the way workers are organized and the role of government.
  2. Develop staffing strategies for multinational organizations, including expatriate compensation, repatriation, and career pathing for returning expatriates.
  3. Assess the global legal environment including country-specific laws, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, immigration rules, and U.S. laws that apply outside the U.S.
  4. Appraise security issues associated with global human resources, such as data security, HR information systems, and employee privacy and safety issues.
  5. Articulate cultural sensitivity practices involved in managing a virtual workforce, valuing diversity within work teams, and appreciating the importance of cultural competence.

Prerequisite: HRM 601 Human Resource Management Strategy

HRM 613 Compensation and Benefits (3 credits)

This course analyzes theories of total reward systems, including compensation, benefits, retirement, other rewards, motivation, and equity theories. Contemporary issues associated with the design, financing, communication, education, and legal issues of total reward systems are examined. Public policy and legal/regulatory issues affecting compensation, healthcare, and pensions and their impact for employers and employees are also discussed.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Articulate the components of an organization’s compensation and benefit system.
  2. Analyze current and future trends in managing total rewards systems, including issues related to executive compensation.
  3. Design performance management and variable/incentive pay plans, identifying key success factors and legal requirements.
  4. Apply reward incentives, including compensation changes, in an equitable, ethical, and cost-effective manner.
  5. Select, develop, and evaluate benefit programs that comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations and meet employee needs.
  6. Plan training and communication with managers and employees on benefits programs and policies.
  7. Identify various benefit costing models and alternative funding techniques.

Prerequisite: HRM 601 Human Resource Management Strategy

HRM 614 Negotiating and Consulting (3 credits)

This course examines the concepts and the application of internal consulting in the human resources function of any organization. It draws from thought leaders in the practice and leverages real world situations. The goal is to equip human resource professionals to be strategic business partners. Also included are conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution methods.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Analyze the roles of the human resource professional as strategic business partner, change agent, and employee advocate.
  2. Design a collaborative engagement with an organizational manager using the key phases of internal consulting.
  3. Articulate the opportunities and problems with internal consulting, including the use of audit data and reports to inform business decisions, and the need for change management.
  4. Synthesize risk management components, including financial implications.
  5. Evaluate one’s strengths and development opportunities as a consultant and leader of special and cross-functional project teams.
  6. Identify alternative dispute resolution methods and propose when such methods might be used to resolve individual, departmental, or organizational conflict.

Prerequisite: HRM 601 Human Resource Management Strategy

HRM 689 Human Resource Management Capstone (3 credits)

This course focuses on integrating human resource management knowledge, skills, and tools developed in previous courses. It emphasizes critical analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of the theories and application of human resource management. The course culminates in a final project. Students are also prepared to begin the certification process for the Senior Professionalism in Human Resources (SPHR) exam.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Examine the business management and strategy of an organization to ensure that human resources supports organization goals through planning, providing the appropriate tools, and incorporating change initiatives.
  2. Create activities related to workforce planning, from the evaluating and recruitment stages through the exiting process.
  3. Defend the value of training, development, change, and performance management programs that ensure employees are ready to accomplish company goals.
  4. Appraise the use of total reward systems and employee relations programs to drive engagement, improving business results.
  5. Build positive employment relationships through workplace policies and dispute resolution systems.
  6. Assess company risks related to health, safety, security, legal noncompliance and poor human resources practices.

Prerequisite: Must be taken in student’s final semester

Required Management Courses (9 credit hours)

Students will take either GM623 Academic Research and Writing (3 credits) or MBA612 Executive Communication (3 credits)

GM 623 Academic Research and Writing (3 credits)

This course focuses on graduate academic writing skills, including voice and style, writing that incorporate source material, ethical use of source material, APA writing guidelines, and the revision process.  Students learn to locate and evaluate resources relevant to the research and writing process.

Upon completion of this course students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Develop a research question delineating the complexity of an issue.
  2. Use information from a variety of sources relevant to a question.
  3. Evaluate information for relevance and credibility.
  4. Analyze and synthesize content of scholarly sources.
  5. Present writing in an unbiased manner, representing diverse points of view on the topics.
  6. Incorporate source material into academic writing, including correct use of summary, paraphrase, and quotation, along with proper citation.
  7. Write clearly and concisely.
  8. Develop skills in rewriting, editing, and proofreading.

MBA 612 Executive Communication (3 credits)

This course gives students the opportunity to study effective organizational communication essential for executive and transformational leadership. Organizational communication structure, ethical communication styles, and executive summary techniques are examined. Strategies for effective leadership communication are explored at all levels of the organization.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Demonstrate effective executive communication techniques in presentation and written formats.
  2. Evaluate the ethical dimension of organizational communication.
  3. Apply communication theory to the analysis of case studies.
  4. Articulate an executive mission and vision.
  5. Analyze and compare organizational communication climates.

GM 675 Managerial Ethics and Issues (3 credits)

This course examines philosophical theories and ethical practices that can be used to resolve organizational dilemmas. The course emphasizes the role of managers to strengthen the ethical culture of the organization. Focus is given to application of ethical principles and models to deal with complex organizational issues. Students develop skills in values-based decision making built upon integrity and accountability.

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Identify and assess the extent of ethical issues that face organizations, communities and stakeholder groups.
  2. Recognize how ethical theories, principles, and models provide options for examining complex ethical issues.
  3. Analyze how organizational and cultural norms affect the ability of people within it to act ethically.
  4. Consider value-based decision making to select options that are congruent with business.
  5. Develop a framework for resolving complex ethical dilemmas.
  6. Apply ethical theories, models and principles.
  7. Analyze personal cultural identity, background, and biases and how they may influence interaction with diverse stakeholders.

GM 680 Leadership and Strategic Management (3 credits)

This course introduces selected models and practices in the exploration of what effective leadership is including understanding one’s own leadership style. The course also examines both the theory and application of strategic management tasks of leaders, including conducting a strategic analysis, developing a strategic plan, designing the organization, and implementing strategic change.

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Analyze personal leadership style in order to adapt and develop effective leadership behaviors.
  2. Apply the foundations of leadership and decision-making required when dealing with situations marked by change and transition.
  3. Apply one or more processes for developing a strategic plan.
  4. Identify the distinct challenges of strategic planning and strategic management.
  5. Evaluate an organization’s business model and develop of a set of action steps for improving its strategy.
  6. Identify and apply the steps required to lead change effectively.

Graduate Certificates

Credits from the following Saint Mary's graduate certificates can also be applied toward the M.A. in Human Resource Management degree program. Click the program name below to learn more.
 

Find out more about the curriculum of the online Master's in Human Resource Management at Saint Mary’s University. Call us at 877-308-9954 or request more information today.

Current Degree Requirements

For current degree requirements, visit the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Course Catalog.