Human Resource Management and Development MA (CIPD Accredited)

This module aims to encourage you to develop a strong sense of self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses as a manager and/or colleague. It seeks to develop your professional practice and its application in ways which ensure successful people management, development practice and effective leadership.

This module explores the role of HR Analytics in providing an organisation with insights for effectively managing and leading employees, so that business goals can be reached quickly and efficiently. You will critically analyse the concept of insight driven people management and development and its connection to the meaningful analysis of organisational data. You will critically evaluate the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data relating to people management and development. You will explore the use of metrics and other measures and the context in which they are used. Also, you will explore how metric and analytics are used to maximise return on the skills and abilities of employees. You will have the opportunity to develop ethical and sustainable measurement practices suitable for both challenging economic circumstances and organisational growth situations.

This module will enable you to promote and deliver people management and development activities to strengthen business performance. You will develop the confidence to build leadership and management skills, create a good place to work, encourage collaboration and promote organisational authenticity. The module will consider how the changing employment landscape is influencing the impact which people management and development activities have on a business.

This module provides the knowledge and critical understanding of reward management and you will critically evaluate current reward theories and practices. You will develop the skills required to research and analyse reward within an organisational context, and to present findings and recommendations to senior management. The module aims to give you credibility in the subject of reward, so you can join, or progress further, in the HR profession.

The module will develop your ability to analyse an organisation’s objectives and human resources to determine what performance management (PM) strategy would be appropriate and what processes would best suit the environment in which they operate. You will evaluate PM practice, in particular the setting of objectives and the process of giving feedback. You will be able to explain and evaluate the different techniques used in PM and their connection to learning and development and performance related pay. The module aims to develop the knowledge and skills required to conduct a successful performance interview both from a manager and employee point of view. You will gain credibility in the subject of PM, so that you can join, or progress further in the HR profession.

The main aim of this module is to explore the practical and aspects of recruitment, selection, employee retention and dismissal, and equip you with the knowledge and skills required for resourcing and talent management within a global context. The module will also discuss diversity management, employer branding, work–life balance initiatives and innovative approaches to job design, in the context of resourcing and talent management. The module will enable you to reflect critically on theory and practice from an ethical and professional standpoint and will provide opportunities for applied learning and continuous professional development.

The aim of this module is to enable you to develop a critical understanding of the complexities and contested nature of leadership and management and the contextual opportunities for development. The module focuses is on the development of leadership and management in facilitating organisational, team and individual change and growth. The module encompasses the development of leadership and management at all levels and draws on the established body of knowledge and theory in both leadership and management and learning and development. The module requires learners to reflect critically on theory and practice from an ethical and professional standpoint and provides opportunities for applied learning and continuous professional development.

This module will enable you to demonstrate a critical awareness of people management and development strategies, business orientation, and how research can add value through critically reviewing current people management and development theory and practice. In order to achieve this, it is this module's purpose to develop your ability to identify and undertake a live empirical piece of research into complex business issue from a people management and development perspective that will inform both current theory and practice. Through a comprehensive review of the literature, you will: locate, discuss and critically evaluate their research within current literature, collect and analyse data, critically review their findings in relation to the literature, develop conclusions and make practical and actionable recommendations. The applied nature of the dissertation requires a critical approach, academic research and business report writing skills. It also requires you to reflect on the implications for professional practice from an ethical, professional and continuous professional development standpoint. You will identify and undertake empirical research into complex business issues from a people management and development perspective and produce a 15,000 word report.

This module will enable you to demonstrate a critical awareness of people management and development strategies. You will understand how research can add value to business, by critically reviewing current people management and development practice. You will identify and undertake empirical research into complex business issues from a people management and development perspective, and produce a 7000 word report.

Throughout the course, there's a strong emphasis on developing the ability to apply theory to practice. Your learning will be developed through interactive lectures, directed reading, online activities, debates, case studies, visiting speakers, group work, tutor and student-led in-class activities, action learning sets and, peer and tutor feedback

To enhance your development, guest lecturers will provide alternative perspectives, opinions, and personal experiences that will reinforce learning. There will also be a two day learning enrichment workshop where students will engage in role play, debate, team games, presentations and peer discussions that are aligned to CIPD standards.

In class, you could expect to engage in case studies, debates and student-led appraisal interviews. Some modules may require you to take part in group and individual activities and self-direct study.

You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience. Your personal tutor will support you with help and advice throughout your studies.

In a typical year, you’ll spend about 1200 hours on your course.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.

Timetable

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study. We aim to make your timetable available at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Typical weekly breakdown

A typical week looks like this:

For placement, there may be additional hours.

Learning terms

On-campus: This includes tutor-led sessions such as seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations as well as student-led sessions for work in small groups.

Online learning: This is teaching that is delivered online using tools like Skype or Zoom, as well as work that you do yourself using online teaching resources.

Independent study: This is the work you will do in your own time including reading and research.

Part-time study

You can also study this course part-time.

You will be studying at our leafy north London campus in Hendon.

We have a strong support network online and on campus to help you develop your academic skills. We offer one-to-one and group sessions to develop your learning skills together with academic support from our library, IT teams and learning experts.

You will be assessed in a variety of ways, individual coursework (business reports and essays), portfolios, group work and/or presentations.

All formative assessment is course work only (no exams) and a dissertation, which is a compulsory component of the MA.