Masters (MSc) in Human Resources (HR)
Best Universities in the World for Human Resources
If you’re passionate and enthusiastic about pursuing a career in HR, an MSc (Master of Science) in Human Resources (HR) may be an option to consider.
This specialised Master’s program prepares you for leadership roles involving strategic decision-making by providing you exposure to various aspects of human resource functional areas, business fundamentals and organisational development along with experiential learning opportunities including real world projects.
Why MSc in Human Resources (HR)
In today’s highly competitive and global work environment, the HR team is not just responsible for hiring, training, compensation and employee incentives but has a bigger and more demanding role to play to meet an organisation’s changing requirements.
An MSc in HR would equip you with the required skills and tools and also provide knowledge and insights into the various concepts and techniques, covering topics including organisational structure, working in cross-cultural environment, organisational growth, strategic HR management, business leadership, business ethics, labor relation.
In an international program, you’d get a chance to interact and learn from peers coming from varied backgrounds. You can tap into the school’s alumni network and make use of their career resources.
All this as well as the various networking opportunities that come your way can play a major role in helping you secure a job after you graduate.
MSc in HR course structure and duration
There are programs with one year duration while some may take longer – up to two years. Some schools also offer the option of full-time or part-time completion, either on-campus or online or a combination of the two.
Programs would have certain mandatory core courses and options for electives or concentrations. At some schools, the curriculum may include a dissertation / research project. There may also be an internship or opportunities where students get a chance to work with companies and solve their HR issues.
Following are examples of courses offered by schools – foundations of human resource management, organisational behaviour, employee relations, talent management, compensation practices & policies, workplace ethics, project management mastery in HR, legal issues in the workplace, HR analytics, leadership, groups and team dynamics to name a few.
Schools employ various teaching methods including lectures, seminars, case studies, case competitions, group projects and also provide practical learning opportunities including real-life consulting projects,.
Best universities for MSc in human resource management across the world
MSc in Human Resource Management in USA and Canada
| University / School name | Location | Program name | Program duration | Program tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Texas A&M University – Mays Business School | Texas, USA | Master of Science in Human Resource Management (MS-HRM) | 37-Credit Hours – 3 Semesters
1 professional summer internship |
$35,000 |
| 2. | Purdue University – Krannert School of Management | Indiana, USA | Master of Science in Human Resource Management (MSHRM) | 18 months full-time | Indiana residents: $33,612 Non-Indiana residents: $63,260 International: $63,696 |
| 3. | The Ohio State University – Fisher College of Business | Ohio, USA | Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM) | 43.5 credit hours, can be taken part-time or full-time (2-3 years duration) | Annual Ohio resident tuition and fees $17,587 Annual non-resident and international student tuition and fees $39,269 |
| 4. | Columbia University – School of Professional Studies | New York, USA | Master of Science in Human Capital Management (HCM) | Full-time 3 terms Part-time up to 6 terms Online |
Tuition Per Point: $2,118.00 |
| 5. | Cornell University – ILR School | New York, USA | Masters in Human Resource Studies (MILR) | 16 courses, 48 credit hours | $18,511 per semester ($37,022 per year) |
| 6. | NYU – School of Professional Studies | New York, USA | MS in Human Resource Management and Development (HRMD) | 42-credit | Tuition per 3 unit course $6,204 |
| 7. | Washington University in St. Louis | Missouri, USA | Master of Arts in Human Resources Management | – | $665-995 per credit |
| 8. | Georgetown University – School of Continuing Studies | Washington DC, USA | Master’s in Human Resources Management | 33 credits Full-time, part-time (on-campus and online format) 2-5 years |
$47,553 |
| 9. | University of Toronto – Faculty of Arts & Science | Toronto, Canada | Master of Industrial Relations and Human Resources (MIRHR) | Full-time 1 or 2 years Part-time 4 years |
Full-time 2 years: $12,300 per year Full-time 12 months: $17,640 Part-time 2 years: $4,059 per year Part-time 12 months: $5,661 per year |
| 10. | Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations | NYC, NJ, Philadelphia | Master’s in Human Resource Management (MHRM) | 12 courses – 36 credits 4 elective course – 12 credits |
New Jersey Residents (12 credits or more) $10,548 Out-of-state Residents (12 credits or more) $17,748 |
| 11. | York University – School of Human Resource Management | Toronto, Canada | Master of Human Resource Management | Full-time 2.5 years Part-time 1.5 years |
Domestic per year Part-time $4,048 Full-time $8,096 International yearly |
| 12. | University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management | Minneapolis, USA | Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations | Full-time, part-time | Residents $10,540 per semester Non-residents $17,490 per semester |
| ONLINE PROGRAMS | |||||
| 13. | University of Southern California – Bovard College | Master of Science in Human Resource Management | 1 or 2 year Online |
$48,072 | |
| 14. | Temple University – Fox School of Business | Master of Science in Human Resource Management | 30 – credit, 13 months Online available Part-time or full-time |
Tuition $1,114.00 per credit | |
MSc in Human Resource Management in UK and Europe
| University / School name | Location | Program name | Program duration | Program tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | University of Bath School of Management | England, UK | MSc in Human Resource Management and Consulting | One year full-time | Home/EU: £14,000 Overseas: £20,000 |
| 2. | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | London, UK | MSc Human Resources and Organisations | 12 months full-time, 24 months part-time |
UK/EU: £25,272 Overseas: £25,272 |
| 3. | Alliance Manchester Business School | Manchester, UK | MSc Human Resources and Industrial Relations | 12 months full-time | UK/EU students per year £12,000 International students per year £19,500 |
| 4. | UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School | Dublin, Ireland | MSc in Human Resource Management | 12 months full-time, 24 months part-time |
Fees Full-Time EU €14,460 Non-EU €19,900 Part-Time EU €7,855 per year Non-EU €9,950 per year |
| 5. | Erasmus University – Rotterdam School of Management | Netherlands | MSc Human Resource Management | 12 months full-time | €18,200 per year |
| 6. | Trinity College Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | MSc Human Resource Management | One year full-time | EU fees €14,500 Non-EU fees €19,500 |
| 7. | Grenoble Ecole De Management | Grenoble, France | MSc International Human Resource Management in the Digital Age | One year (on campus) + Final Management Project (can be completed remotely while working) | € 19,450 (Inclusive of Study Trip) |
| 8. | University of Strathclyde | Glasgow, Scotland, UK | MSc Human Resource Management | 12 months, full-time | Scotland/EU/Rest of UK £10,750 International £20,350 |
| 9. | Cranfield School of Management | Cranfield, England, UK | Management and Human Resource Management MSc | 12 months full-time | Home-EU fees £12,250 Overseas fees £21,500 |
Admission requirements for MSc in HR
Admission prerequisite
An undergraduate degree is essential. Some schools may have specific undergraduate requirement, for example, at the University of Bath School of Management, your undergraduate degree can be in any discipline however it must include a business, management, organisation or psychology content.
At Smurfit graduate school of Business, your undergraduate degree must be in Business/Commerce/Business Administration, Social Science, Psychology, Economics, Law, Accounting or a related area.
If you have a degree in an unrelated area, a minimum of three years work experience in Human Resource Management or employment relations is needed.
Since the admission prerequisites vary, be sure to check this section for each school you wish to apply to.
Here are the common application requirements
- Completed application form
- Resume
- Academic transcripts
- A personal statement / Application essays
- Three letters of recommendation
- GRE or GMAT test scores
- TOEFL / IELTS score for international students
Average salary after MSc in Human Resources (HR)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage in 2018 for human resources managers was $113,300. The employment opportunities are expected to grow at 7% in the next ten years which is higher than average for all occupations.
The placement outcome for MSc in HR for the well-known schools also looks impressive, with the average starting salary at Texas A&M University – Mays Business School (MS-HRM program for class of 2018) at $77,000 with 100% students securing full-time positions within a month of graduation. At Ohio Fisher, the median starting salary for MHRM graduates was $79,500 for 2019.
Here are some of the average salaries and job roles after MSc in Human Resources
| Designation | Average salary | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Human Resources (HR) Manager | $69,000 |
| 2. | Human Resources (HR) Business Partner | $76,000 |
| 3. | Human Resources (HR) Director | $94,000 |
| 4. | Vice President (VP), Human Resources (HR) | $141,000 |
| 5. | Director of Human Resources (HR) | $106,000 |
| 6. | Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) | $161,000 |
| 7. | Benefits Manager | $80,000 |
| 8. | Talent Acquisition Manager | $78,000 |
| 9. | Operations Manager | $71,000 |
| 10. | Senior Analyst, Compensation | $81,000 |
| 11. | Organizational Development Director | $116,000 |
| 12. | Talent Acquisition Director | $110,000 |
Source: PayScale
Also read
– Is an MBA in Human Resources (HR) worth it? and Best MBA in Human Resources (HR)
– Master in Human Resource Management
– Best online courses in Human Resource Management
– Vanderbilt MBA (Owen) in HR – Human Resource Management
– Second MBA from Switzerland with scholarship for HR consultant after 30