Master of Science in Human Resources Management (MSHRM) Course Descriptions

HRM-530 Human Resources Management (3 cr)
In the interest of policies and practices, which effectively employ an organization’s human resources toward the accomplishment of organization goals, this course focuses upon such processes central to human resource management (HRM), as staffing (including job analysis), employee training and development, appraisal and reward, and career planning. The functions of a human resource department are outlined, but the emphasis of the course is on every manager’s responsibilities in managing human resources staff reporting.

In discussion of the elements of the HRM process, the course will cover, through the use of case studies, exercises and articles, such issues as employee motivation, conflict resolution, performance management, negotiations, leadership, management and leadership styles, and labor relations.

Students who lack the prerequisite experience in an exempt-level[TESC1] position may substitute this course for experience with the approval of the director of the Graduate School.


HRM-540 Lifestyle Benefits and Compensation in the New Millennium (3 cr)
This course will focus upon the traditional benefit plans such as health, dental, retirement savings, annual merit increases and other mandated benefits that have accounted for close to 40 percent of every payroll dollar. The needs of today’s employees are explored. Lifestyle benefits such as telecommuting, flex-time, child care and exercise club memberships—that can make the difference between an organization that attracts mediocrity versus value-added talent—are also covered.

HRM-550 Strategic Recruiting, Retention and Succession Planning (3 cr)
This course will focus on how the best practices of strategic manpower planning, advanced compensation and reward systems, and developmental interventions all make for a foundation culminating in an “organization of choice” rather than an “organization of last resort.” Topics covered include the development of a qualified pool of candidates, labor force trends, long term strategic growth and retention.

HRM-560 Intellectual Capital and the Workplace Learner (3 cr)
The knowledge and skills of employees, no matter what the organization’s market niche, is constantly evolving. This course will discuss changes that are necessary to support strategic initiatives for the organization while developing and nurturing of new capabilities, knowledge and skills of employees. Interpersonal skills, team skills, consultative skills, coaching, leadership and risk taking are but a few of the topics covered as well as business acumen, strategic planning skills, change management, cross functional experience, technological mastery, global understanding and additional intellectual capital demands being placed upon our organization’s environments. This course will help human resource professionals with the understanding necessary to retool the present diversified workforce.

HRM-570 The Effectiveness of a Market Connected Culture (3 cr)
How a human resource team “connects” the external market to the internal infrastructure of an organization can ultimately mean the difference between overall organizational success and failure. This course will focus on managing and facilitating the culture of an organization requires defining in terms of organizational strategy and the voice of the customer. Culture management, setting the stage for change, formulating strategy, analyzing the need for change, and integrating and implementing the needed human capital of the organization in order to sustain a competitive advantage while adding value is covered in this course. This course will also address issues such as knowledge management, change management and capability building in order to create a culture connected to the market the organization serves.

HRM-600 Managing the Human Resources Enterprises (3 cr)
Managing the human resources enterprise operates on two levels. In this course students will learn how to model good leadership through the careful stewardship of human resource operations. Students all will extend the strategic view of leadership developed in other courses, identifying successful models of effective human resource operations and leadership.

HRM-610 Human Resources as a Strategic Partner (3 cr)
Earning a seat where human resources is part of the process of setting strategy and not just sitting at the sidelines is the goal of human resource professionals. In this course students will learn about the many roadblocks to becoming an organizational partner in the formulation and implementation of institutional strategy. Students will be introduced to the resulting frustration, resentment, confusion and possibly even a regression back to maintaining nothing more than an administrative function. Absorbing critical information from varying constituencies and the integration of critical information into a viable organization roadmap is covered

HRM-620 The Legal and Ethical Environment of Human Resources (3 cr)
This course covers legal compliance in corporate staffing, disparate impact and disparate treatment claims, and numerous federal statutes and guidelines such as the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1991, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967), the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), and Equal Employment Opportunity regulations. Approximately 25 percent of the course will be devoted to ethical challenges of the human resources professional, including conflicts between the human resources function and a separate Office of Ethics that might exist in the corporate environment. The course will stress the need for keeping employee ethical questions and concerns confidential as well as developing and putting into a practice a professional code of ethics for all employees. Additional topics covered in this course include affirmative action, seniority, sex discrimination, religious discrimination, retaliatory discharges and right to privacy in the workplace.