Masters Degrees for HR Professionals
Overview:
There are several options for advanced education in Human Resources:
The most common is the Masters of Human Resource Management (HRM) or Human Resource Development (HRD). Masters degrees in Human Resources generally take two years and include a mix of required courses such as general HR, compensation basics, statistics and employment law and electives such as international HR, HR strategy and organizational psychology. Many HR Masters programs offer joint courses with related departments such as business, law, and psychology. You can also receive a Masters degree in Labor Relations, or a specialization in Labor Relations, which involves deeper learning in union law, negotiation and collective bargaining.
Another popular option with HR professionals is a Master’s degree in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology. Industrial-Organizational psychologists (called I-O psychologists) are behavioral scientists specializing in human behavior in the work place. I-O psychologists apply research to the practice areas of human resources and may work as external or in-house consultants on a number of projects. Most masters programs in I-O psychology last two years, and include a combination of academic theory and practical work through internships.
There has been an increasing trend of MBAs in HR. MBAs bring a unique approach to human resources that is attractive to employers. If you have an MBA and are an HR practitioner, you undoubtedly have more credibility when positioning yourself for jobs in strategy, compensation, and executive management. Most top MBA programs offer courses in organizational behavior and many have a specialization in human resource management.
A note on Joint Degrees: Many HR professionals have benefits from the interdisciplinary perspective on join degree programs. Joint degree programs usually involve meeting the requirements of each program but can usually be completed in less time than it would take to complete both programs. You can explore options such as MHRM/MBA and MHRM/JD joint degrees.
Practical tip on Masters degrees in HR: For most Masters degrees in Human Resources, it is not necessary to have an undergraduate degree in human resources. Common undergraduate majors are psychology, business administration, and communications.
