Are you looking to complement your undergraduate studies with a business-focused Masters degree that will enhance your employability? The MSc Business with Human Resource Management will help you to develop a broad range of business skills whilst developing your understanding of specialist modules covering principles, values and approaches in Human Resource Management (HRM), as well as organisational behaviour and practice.
This option offers the opportunity to spend three months gaining all-important work experience and employability skills in a professional work setting. You may be able to extend this over more than one semester in cases where it is adjacent to a vacation period. Support is provided to help source opportunities and to perfect the applicant CV but ultimately the onus is on the student to secure the internship position.
The Advanced Practice stage of the programme offers you the opportunity to undertake a 12-15 week internship or work in a group consultancy project in Human Resource Management (HRM), providing you with experience in the workplace environment or live business issues, both an excellent way to put your learning in to practice. A Masters with Advanced Practice will carry particular weight with employers. They’ll understand that you’ll have a deeper understanding of topics as well as more hands-on practical experience.
In the final semester, if you have completed an internship you will complete your research and write your dissertation. Every student has a personal research supervisor and will be required to submit an assessed research proposal prior to embarking on the dissertation itself. For those not undertaking an internship and depending on what grade you achieve on the consultancy project, you will undertake an applied management work investigation or dissertation in the final semester.
Advanced Practice stage
The Advanced Practice version of this course offers you a valuable opportunity to secure a work placement or complete a group consultancy project, giving you experience of the workplace environment or live business issues, and an excellent way to put your learning into practice. This stage of the programme will take place between your second and final semester, and is a semester long (15 weeks) in duration. Internships as part of the Advanced Practice stage may be paid or unpaid. The alternative consultancy module allows you to work in teams with a business organisation working on consultancy-based projects on real business scenarios. Whether you choose the internship or consultancy project you will successfully develop your business skills and further enhance your employability.
September starts
If you choose to start your Masters in September, your programme will last for up to 21 months. You will have a summer break after Semester 2, and commence your Advanced Practice stage in September.
January starts
If you choose to start your Masters with Advanced Practice in January, your programme will run for 16-18 months. You will commence the Advanced Practice stage of the programme in September, immediately after your second semester. Please note that there is no summer break included in this programme for those starting in January.
May starts
For those starting your Masters with Advanced Practice, you will start the Advanced Practice stage of the programme in January, straight after you have completed your second semester. Your programme will run for a total of 16-18 months. Please note that there is no summer break included in this programme for those starting in January.
The Advanced Practice programmes are structured as below:
| Sept-Jan | Jan-May | May-Sept | Sept-Jan | Jan-May | May-Sept | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September starts | Semester 1 | Semester 2 | Summer break | Masters Internship | Masters Dissertation | |
| Business Clinic PG Group Consultancy Project | Applied Management Work Investigation* | |||||
| January starts | Semester 1 | Semester 2 | Masters Internship | Masters Dissertation | ||
| Business Clinic PG Group Consultancy Project | Applied Management Work Investigation* | |||||
| May starts | Semester 1 | Semester 2 | Masters Internship | Masters Dissertation | ||
| Business Clinic PG Group Consultancy Project | Applied Management Work Investigation* |
*dependent on what grade you achieve in the Consultancy Project
Your tutors will use a variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars and workshops, totalling around 14 hours per week. As this is a Masters course there is a major element of independent learning and self-motivated reflection. You will be expected to engage in independent study involving directed and self-directed learning, around 44 hours per week.
Teaching is backed up by a well-designed support system that helps ensure a successful learning journey. We make sure that extensive feedback, from both tutors and peers, is built into the course.
Our assessment strategy is based on our understanding that everyone has different needs, strengths and enthusiasms. Assessment is based on coursework and an exam, and our methods will include essays, reports, group work, presentations, and the Masters dissertation or consultancy project.
Significant emphasis is placed on developing your ability to complete a Masters degree. As part of your induction you will be made fully familiar with the learning resources and support available to you. There will also be weekly academic support sessions designed to build your confidence and ability as a postgraduate learner. You will also be allocated an individual guidance tutor at induction. You will meet this tutor at regular intervals across your period of study.
Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is embedded throughout the course such as the ‘Blackboard’ eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists that will guide your preparation for seminars and independent research.
Our graduates typically go into professional and graduate management positions and, by the end of the course, you’ll be well-equipped to follow them. If you decide to start up your own business, it’s good to know that the combined turnover of our graduates’ start-up companies is higher than that of any other UK university. Whatever you decide to do, you will have the transferable skills that employers expect from a master’s graduate from Northumbria University London.
Upon successfully completing your course, you may undertake further professional development and training through Professional Pathways programmes. These are offered to our graduates for free, from our partner, QA. Find out more about Professional Pathways and your eligibility.
| Related reading |
Applicants should have the following:
If you don’t meet the academic requirements
Applicants who do not meet the academic requirements but who do have substantial experience of working in a business organisation and/or possess a relevant professional qualification will also be considered. If you are unsure if you meet the entry criteria, please contact us and our team will be able to advise you.
Alternatively, you may also be eligible for our Pre-Masters courses. These are programmes designed specifically for students who are looking to progress on to a Masters degree.
Students require IELTS 6.5 (or above) with no single element below 5.5 or equivalent.
If you have IELTS 5.5 – 6.0, you may be eligible to join our Pre-Sessional English before starting this programme.
Enquire nowAll modules are core
| HRM in Practice (20 credits) |
This module aims to develop your critical knowledge and understanding of how HRM can add value and enhance organisational effectiveness and sustainability, by exploring the effective integration of HRM with broader business and HR strategies, in order to facilitate the achievement of organisations strategic objectives.
You will be able to identify strategies for managing the shared and divergent interests of key stakeholders in HRM and understand how HRM can add value to individual and organisational objectives.
| Organisational Behaviour and Practice (20 credits) |
In this module you are introduced to a variety of approaches to organisational analysis, enabling you to challenge and critique, both organisational practice, and the theories, models and frameworks underpinning management, business and organisation. Mainstream views of organisational behaviour and practice are introduced, with progression to exploring alternative ways of ‘seeing’ organisation and organizing. This approach develops your critical thinking and draws on contemporary research to explore alternative ways of organizing.
The module introduces you to the most established paradigm perspective on organisation theory (Burrell and Morgan’s (1985), and thus allows an exploration of organisation behaviour and practice through the lens of mainstream and critical organisation theory.
| Dissertation Preparation and Research Methods (0 credits) |
In this module you will learn about a variety of different research methods. This will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills necessary for you to conduct research at Masters level and prepare you to complete a Masters dissertation or consultancy project. By the end of the module you will know how to apply both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques. In quantitative techniques you will learn about sampling, questionnaire design, statistical inference, and hypothesis testing while qualitative techniques covered will include methods such as interviewing and focus groups. Analysis methods such as content analysis and thematic analysis will also be covered. In addition, you will gain some understanding of research philosophy (positivism and interpretivism) and research ethics and you will be able to write a research proposal to bring these ideas together.
| Developing Global Management Competencies I (20 credits) |
This module is the first of two that prepares you to be highly employable by developing key hard and soft skills which have been identified by current research as those necessary for postgraduate students seeking work. The development of the module has been underpinned by Bird and Osland’s (2003) Global Competency Framework and will provide you with two discrete skills sets – emotional and cultural intelligence (soft skills) and business intelligence (hard skills).
| Developing Global Management Competencies II (20 credits) |
This module is the second of two that prepares you to be highly employable by developing key hard and soft skills which have been identified by current research as those necessary for postgraduate students seeking work. The development of the module has been underpinned by Bird and Osland’s (2003) Global Competency Framework and will provide you with two discrete skills sets – emotional and cultural intelligence (soft skills) and business intelligence (hard skills).
| Strategic Management for Competitive Advantage (40 credits) |
This module has been developed for those of you who have little or no prior business and management subject experience. The aim of the module is to introduce you to the main business functions – Finance, Marketing, HRM, Operations – and show how each can contribute to the competitive advantage of a firm and hence enable the firm to achieve its strategic objectives.
| Academic and Professional Development (0 credits) |
You will undertake a series support sessions across each of the three semesters of your study. This will involve an introduction to culture, PG learning in a UK University, expectations, programme specific sessions and activities to aid specific skill development and employability.
For students undertaking an internship
| Masters Internship (60 credits) |
Within this module, you will record your learning experience gained by undertaking a semester outside of the University as part of your Masters programme by means of Internship at an external organisation and it will enable you to assess the learning that has taken place in the University with a “real-world” business experience.
| The Newcastle Business School Masters Dissertation (60 credits) |
In this module you will gain an understanding of the academic skills that are required to produce a Masters Dissertation. By the end of the module you will have written a 3000 word dissertation proposal and a 15000 word Masters dissertation.
For students not undertaking an internship
| Business Clinic PG Group Consultancy Project (60 credits) |
As a student enrolled on one of the 2-year Advanced Practice Programmes you may undertake a group consultancy project within the first semester of your second years of Masters study (the alternative is an Internship). Through your work-based experience, you will develop abilities as a problem solver with valued investigative, theoretical and practical business skills. This work-based experience will last the length of the semester and involve the examination of a complex organisational problem or commercial opportunity.
By undertaking this module, you will have enhanced your individual skills, knowledge, effectiveness and employability by locating learning and development within a work-based context and will have critically reflected and evaluated upon organisational practices and the relation with academic theory.
Depending on what grade you achieve for the Consultancy Project, you will progress to one of the following modules:
| The Newcastle Business School Masters Dissertation (60 credits) |
In this module you will gain an understanding of the academic skills that are required to produce a Masters Dissertation. By the end of the module you will have written a 3000 word dissertation proposal and a 15000 word Masters dissertation.
| Applied Management Work Investigation (60 credits) |
You will undertake a group consultancy project within the Business Clinic during the first semester. Through your work-based experience, you will develop ability as a problem solver with valued investigative, theoretical and practical business skills. This will last the length of the semester and involve the examination of a complex organisational problem or commercial opportunity.
This second semester module will involve the development of the client oriented management report and presentation alongside an individual literature review and personal reflection.
Please note that your tuition fees do not include the cost of course books that you may choose to purchase, stationery, printing and photocopying, accommodation, living expenses, travel or any other extracurricular activities. As a Northumbria University London Campus student, you will have full access to our online digital library with over 400,000 e-books and 50,000 electronic journals.
The modules you will study do not require you to purchase additional textbooks although we recommend you allow an additional £150 for the duration of your studies should you choose to purchase any additional reading materials.
Depending on the country you are from, you may be eligible for a country bursary and/or scholarship when studying this Masters programme.
All of our scholarships and bursaries are automatically applied when we process your application and one of our team will be able to confirm your eligibility.
Scholarships and bursariesIf you need support to spread the cost of your tuition, you may be eligible for our payment plan.
Payment plansFor the Academic Year 2018/19, the Government will be providing a Postgraduate Loan (PGL) up to the value of £10,609 for UK and EU students. If you enter either full-time or part-time postgraduate study, you could be eligible to receive this funding.
Postgraduate LoanEnquire now to find out more information about the course, studying with us, the application process, and to ask any other questions you may have.
Enquire nowStudents can apply online for this course by clicking the button below.
Apply nowAlternatively, you can apply for this programme by downloading a PDF application form and emailing it to london.admissions@northumbria.ac.uk.
International students application form UK/EU students application formWe strongly recommend that you submit your application as early as possible to allow you to complete all of the preparations needed to study your programme. After receiving an offer it can take time to arrange your finances and apply for your visa (if required) and it is important that you arrive in good time to enrol onto your course. Please refer to the Dates and Fees page.
Supporting documents
For us to assess your application in a timely manner, it is important that you provide us with the following documents:
You can check more information on how to apply here, including guidelines for the application forms.
