As companies continue to grow and expand, and new ones come into being in the growing economy, there is more need for human resources management professionals. These professionals work in most private and public organizations, and they handle the planning, directing and coordinating of administrative functions.
Most importantly, they oversee recruiting, interviewing and hiring of new staff. They also consult with upper level management on strategic planning, and are a link between management and employees.
These tasks are important because in a competitive economy, organizations want and need to attract, motivate and keep the most qualified and skilled employees. They want to match them to the work for which they are best suited.
Companies that have effective human resources departments develop and retain good, skilled employees, who add to the company’s bottom line.
To become a leader in human resources management, you should consider earning a master’s degree in human resources management.
Why Earn a Master’s in Human Resources Management?
The human resources field is expanding quickly as the economy continues to recover from the Great Recession. It is estimated that employment in this profession will expand by 9% by 2024, which is faster than the average for other occupations.
Human resources professionals will be needed more in the growing economy to ensure that companies are sticking to complex employment laws and regulations pertaining to safety and health, equal opportunity employment, wages, healthcare and retirement benefits.
Job opportunities also are growing in the management of companies and also in the enterprises industry. This should happen as organizations will continue to use contracting organizations to handle more of their HR functions.
Earning your master’s degree in human resources management can give you an advantage when it comes to hiring for HR management positions. This graduate degree will provide you with classes and skills in compensation and benefits; employee and labor relations; organizational change; HR management strategy; training and development; and HR project management.
Featured Human Resources Management Programs
Admission Requirements
To be admitted into an HR management master’s program will require a strong application and demonstrated successful experience in human resources. Typical requirements to be considered for admission include the following:
- 75 GPA or higher
- Updated resume with details noting your human resources accomplishments
- At least two professional or academic letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Undergraduate transcripts
Curriculum and Courses
Earning a master’s degree in human resources management will provide you with the vital tools to succeed in upper level management positions in HR. There are many quality, online HR management master’s programs available. We recommend the Master of Science in Human Resource Management from the Fox School of Business at Temple University.
This program has the following benefits:
- Completely online format with live web sessions every week with your classmates
- 30 credits that can be completed in under two years
- Flexibility to finish your degree in several years if you like
- Designed for the experienced HR professional, but also works well for those with other business experience who want to transition into HR
- Taught by the same professors who teach the campus HR management program
- There are no on campus residency components; the entire program may be completed online
- All courses have been certified to Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) standards
Required courses include:
- Introduction to Human Resources
- Organizational Change Management
- Human Resource Metrics and Statistical Research
- Benefits
- Organizational Training
- Compensation
- Employment Law
- Human Resource Technology Solutions
- Financial Management for Profit
- Workforce Planning
Note: After you complete your graduate degree, it is strongly recommended that you attain SHRM Certification through the Society for Human Resource Management. This highly respected human resources management organization administers the exam. It is four hours long and consists of 160 questions. This certification is common in the HR field and managers are expected to have SHRM certification.
You also should be looking for a master’s program in this field that is fully compliant with SHRM’s HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates.
Career Outcomes and Job Titles
Earning your master’s degree in human resources will qualify for many high ranking management positions, including:
- HR manager
- HR director
- HR business analyst
- Compensation and benefits manager
- Labor relations manager
- Human capital manager
- VP of human resources
- Staffing manager
- Recruiting manager
Some of the employment settings where you may work could include:
- Corporations in all industries
- Manufacturing
- Community colleges
- State, local or federal government
- Health care
- Public or private education
- Nonprofit organizations
- Consulting
Job and Salary Outlook
The job outlook generally in HR-related fields is excellent. Below are the most common types of jobs you could be working in:
- Human Resources Manager: Demand for HR managers will increase by 9% by 2024. It is thought that federal healthcare laws are changing, there will be more need for HR managers. They will be needed to ensure that the company is in full compliance with regulations. The median wage for HR managers in 2015 was $104,000.
- Compensation and Benefits Managers: These HR professionals plan, develop and oversee programs to determine what a company should pay its workers, and how they should be paid. They also plan, direct and coordinate retirement plans, health insurance plans and other benefits. Job growth in this role will be 6% by 2024, which is about average. While some companies will be outsourcing these roles to other companies, there still should be many lucrative opportunities in contracting companies for compensation and benefits managers. The median wage for these managers was $111,000 in 2015.
- Training and Development Managers: These professionals plan, direct and coordinate programs that will increase knowledge and skills for the workers in public and private organizations. They also will typically oversee a staff of training and development specialists. Training and development managers will see a 7% increase in job growth by 2024. This is about fast as average when compared with other occupations. It is thought that as technology grows and improves, there will be a strong need for employees to need continuous training to stay on top of all of the new technologies that can make them more productive. The median pay for these managers was $102,000 in 2015.
Scholarships and Grants
As you think about earning your master’s in human resources management, note that there are many scholarships and grants available that can ease the pain of paying for your education:
- SHRM Foundation Scholarships and Awards: This leading HR management association offers many scholarships each year for professionals who are earning their bachelor’s or master’s degree in human resources. Some of these include SHRM Foundation Give50 Academic Scholarship, the SHRM Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship, and the SHRM Foundation Graduate Scholarship.
- HR Leadership Awards of Greater Washington DC: This leading HR organization has several leadership and scholarship awards for students who are pursuing a career in HR. These award winners can be current HR professionals who are earning an advanced degree, professionals in another field who are moving into HR, or high school or undergraduate students who want a career in HR.
Resources
Be sure to review these human resources additional resources for more information about this career:
- The Society for Human Resource Management: This is the leading HR management organization in the US. It administers all SHRM certification examinations, which is the gold standard certification for HR professionals.
- National Human Resources Association: This leading association focuses on advancing individual career development, planning and leadership of HR professionals.
Additional Resources
- Why Choose a Masters in Organizational Development + Online Option
- 7 Best Paying MBA in Human Resources Careers
- Why Get a Masters in Human Services Degree? + No GRE Options
- Why Earn a Masters in Leadership?
- How to Get a Masters in Organizational Leadership + No GRE Options
- Things You Can Do with a Human Resource Management Degree
