MSc — 2026 entry Human Resources Management

The module explores the employment relationship from a socio-economic perspective. It is one of the specialist units on the programme and analyses the relationship at the heart of the employment connection. It gives a broad appreciation of the role of the human resources professional and the line manager in managing employment relations. Our focus is on the dynamic and varied nature of the employment relationship, focusing on the role of management, employees, and the state in both national and international perspectives. The module is broadly divided into three sections: (1) Contemporary Employment Relations actors, (2) comparative and international Contemporary Employment Relations and (3) applied Contemporary Employment Relations issues.

This module is designed to appeal to a range of students who may be considering a managerial HRM career. The unit is designated as core by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) making its successful completion a prerequisite for those seeking chartered membership. It is intended to provide students with a holistic understanding of the requirements for the successful management of people in an organization, with an emphasis on leadership and developmental opportunities. It is intended that this module will support students to develop a body of knowledge leading them to become effective managers as well as HR specialists. Hence the aims and objectives of HRM/HRD work, equality and diversity, business ethics, flexible working patterns, employee engagement and the effective management of change are studied.

In this module, we will describe and explain the environmental context of the practice of HRM. Specifically, we will explore, identify, and understand organizational responses to the business environment. A primary organizational response to managing uncertainty inherent in the business environment is the adoption and implementation of a competitive or business strategy. From an HR perspective, this entails the adoption of a strategic perspective to the management of employees in order to create the human resource capability to implement this business strategy and ultimately create sustained competitive advantage. The module is therefore intended to provide students with a holistic understanding of the changing organizational contexts that have significant effect on the HR function. Topics covered include the global economy, political, social, legal, demographic and technological developments as they define the competitive environment of organisations and their implications for the HR function. The module is therefore designed to equip a range of students who are seeking to develop a career in HR with the knowledge, competencies, and analytical skills to pursue a career in HR up to a senior managerial role.

The module introduces and explores key methods of research methods and analytics for HR. The course provides an intermediate grounding in a broad variety of methodological and analytical ‘tools’ for application to common HR and business issues. It provides an applied grounding in methods and the research process for the MANM357 Applied Research Dissertation module, where students explore an HR issue from a business perspective in greater detail. The course is very applied and hands-on with practical lab-based sessions in every session. It takes a ‘tool-box’ approach to the core analytical techniques based upon an intuitive understanding of them with a rule-based approach to their application. At the end of the course, students complete a structured assignment on how to apply principles of research and analytical techniques to a business issue from an HR perspective.

MANM006 provides students with an introduction to human resource development (HRD).  It explores the topic from a variety of perspectives through the use of relevant theories, current research and business and organizational practice.  The module is aligned closely with the core text book which has been written specifically for this module and in alignment with the CIPD curriculum and learning outcomes: Sadler-Smith, E  (2022) Human Resource Development: From Theory into Practice.  London: SAGE.

In this module we introduce some of the most significant areas of human resource management responsibility. Anyone seeking to develop a career in HR, in the UK or globally will find it to be both interesting and essential to their professional development. It will also be of interest to anyone with an interest in the management of people or who anticipates building a generalist management career. Our focus is on how organisations achieve the most fundamental HRM aim of mobilizing a workforce. In order to function effectively, all employers need to always ensure that they have the right people in the right jobs. Increasingly they are also drawing on other sources of skills and expertise accessed from a wider network of people with whom they maintain some form of contractual relationship. It is with the business of staffing an organisation effectively that this module is concerned.

This module is intended to provide the students with an understanding of the principles of Employment Law and to develop the ability to apply the relevant legal principles in the context of Human resource management. The focus is on developing the necessary legal understanding and skills to be able to advise an employer on the impact of HR decisions and the relevant organisational response to deal with issues in the workplace.

An applied research dissertation is a core part and the final aspect of MSc programme, enabling students to develop an independent piece of work in subject area that is particularly interesting to them, supervised by a member of faculty. The dissertation must comprise: An academic dissertation: identifying an applied topic of interest, identifying a gap in the literature, and developing and carrying our research to investigate or examine that gap. Primary research: data collection and analysis (use of secondary data or other sources of data must be approved by you supervisors). Fieldwork: research carried out in an organizational setting. Practically relevant implications: addressing either a research gap that has clear implications for management practice.

This module is designated as Core by The Chartered Institute of Development (CIPD) making its successful completion a prerequisite for those seeking Chartered Membership. This assessment method will ensure alignment with other Universities and other providers of the CIPD advanced level qualification.

This module is designed to appeal to a range of students who may be considering a managerial HRM career. The unit is designated as core by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) making its successful completion a prerequisite for those seeking chartered membership. It is intended to provide students with a holistic understanding of the requirements for the successful management of people in an organization, with an emphasis on leadership and developmental opportunities. It is intended that this module will support students to develop a body of knowledge leading them to become effective managers as well as HR specialists. Hence the aims and objectives of HRM/HRD work, equality and diversity, business ethics, flexible working patterns, employee engagement and the effective management of change are studied.

In this module, we will describe and explain the environmental context of the practice of HRM. Specifically, we will explore, identify, and understand organizational responses to the business environment. A primary organizational response to managing uncertainty inherent in the business environment is the adoption and implementation of a competitive or business strategy. From an HR perspective, this entails the adoption of a strategic perspective to the management of employees in order to create the human resource capability to implement this business strategy and ultimately create sustained competitive advantage. The module is therefore intended to provide students with a holistic understanding of the changing organizational contexts that have significant effect on the HR function. Topics covered include the global economy, political, social, legal, demographic and technological developments as they define the competitive environment of organisations and their implications for the HR function. The module is therefore designed to equip a range of students who are seeking to develop a career in HR with the knowledge, competencies, and analytical skills to pursue a career in HR up to a senior managerial role.

In this module we introduce some of the most significant areas of human resource management responsibility. Anyone seeking to develop a career in HR, in the UK or globally will find it to be both interesting and essential to their professional development. It will also be of interest to anyone with an interest in the management of people or who anticipates building a generalist management career. Our focus is on how organisations achieve the most fundamental HRM aim of mobilizing a workforce. In order to function effectively, all employers need to always ensure that they have the right people in the right jobs. Increasingly they are also drawing on other sources of skills and expertise accessed from a wider network of people with whom they maintain some form of contractual relationship. It is with the business of staffing an organisation effectively that this module is concerned.

This module is intended to provide the students with an understanding of the principles of Employment Law and to develop the ability to apply the relevant legal principles in the context of Human resource management. The focus is on developing the necessary legal understanding and skills to be able to advise an employer on the impact of HR decisions and the relevant organisational response to deal with issues in the workplace.

The module explores the employment relationship from a socio-economic perspective. It is one of the specialist units on the programme and analyses the relationship at the heart of the employment connection. It gives a broad appreciation of the role of the human resources professional and the line manager in managing employment relations. Our focus is on the dynamic and varied nature of the employment relationship, focusing on the role of management, employees, and the state in both national and international perspectives. The module is broadly divided into three sections: (1) Contemporary Employment Relations actors, (2) comparative and international Contemporary Employment Relations and (3) applied Contemporary Employment Relations issues.

The module introduces and explores key methods of research methods and analytics for HR. The course provides an intermediate grounding in a broad variety of methodological and analytical ‘tools’ for application to common HR and business issues. It provides an applied grounding in methods and the research process for the MANM357 Applied Research Dissertation module, where students explore an HR issue from a business perspective in greater detail. The course is very applied and hands-on with practical lab-based sessions in every session. It takes a ‘tool-box’ approach to the core analytical techniques based upon an intuitive understanding of them with a rule-based approach to their application. At the end of the course, students complete a structured assignment on how to apply principles of research and analytical techniques to a business issue from an HR perspective.

MANM006 provides students with an introduction to human resource development (HRD).  It explores the topic from a variety of perspectives through the use of relevant theories, current research and business and organizational practice.  The module is aligned closely with the core text book which has been written specifically for this module and in alignment with the CIPD curriculum and learning outcomes: Sadler-Smith, E  (2022) Human Resource Development: From Theory into Practice.  London: SAGE.

An applied research dissertation is a core part and the final aspect of MSc programme, enabling students to develop an independent piece of work in subject area that is particularly interesting to them, supervised by a member of faculty. The dissertation must comprise: An academic dissertation: identifying an applied topic of interest, identifying a gap in the literature, and developing and carrying our research to investigate or examine that gap. Primary research: data collection and analysis (use of secondary data or other sources of data must be approved by you supervisors). Fieldwork: research carried out in an organizational setting. Practically relevant implications: addressing either a research gap that has clear implications for management practice.

This module is designated as Core by The Chartered Institute of Development (CIPD) making its successful completion a prerequisite for those seeking Chartered Membership. This assessment method will ensure alignment with other Universities and other providers of the CIPD advanced level qualification.