Clare Allen
Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Mgmt & OB
level:PG;top_up:false;international:true;foundation:false;clearing:false;full_time:true;part_time:true;start_month:September;location:Waterside
Human Resource Management MA
Key Facts
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Duration
Full Time: 1 year
Part Time: 2 years -
Level
Master'sPG MA
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Full Time: £8,500
Part Time (Year One): £2,835
Part Time (Year Two): £5,670 -
£17,495
Updated 04/11/2025
Updated 04/11/2025
Get in touch
UK STUDENTS ENQUIRIES
study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ENQUIRIES
Overview
The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the professional HR and people development body.
The MA HRM with placement opportunity helps to improve employability skills.
Practical and varied assignments include presentations, case studies, mock employment tribunals and preparing blogs for professional audiences.
Different routes of study include full-time, part-time and placement options.
Our recent webinar with the Course Leader explores the topic ‘will my future manager be a robot?’ so you can discover for yourself how this MA is ensuring the content is keeping updated with advances in AI and technology. We also discuss the course in more detail including the modules, structure and assessment.
Highlights
- Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
- An academic work placement opportunity at the level you are studying helps to improve employability skills.
- Practical and varied assignments including presentations, case studies, mock employment tribunals and preparing blogs for professional audiences.
- Full-time, part-time and placement options are available.
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Entry Requirements
If you hold a first or second-class honours degree from a British university, or equivalent qualification, and have relevant HRM or business management experience, you will be eligible to apply for this course.
It is an advantage for applicants to have had experience working in a Human Resources or a business management role for at least a year – the MA in Human Resource Management explores strategic HRM as a core business function and familiarisation with the world of work is helpful.
Where you do not hold a recognised business, commerce or related qualification but offer a strong application and /or evidence (ideally 2 years +) of working in HR, you may be invited to a short, informal discussion with the course Leader. This does not guarantee the offer of a place but allows us to manage your expectations of what you will study.
All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:
- Minimum standard – IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) for study at postgraduate level.
For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.
What You'll Learn
Whether you already work in HR, have taken a career break and want to return, or are beginning your HR career, our MA Human Resource Management course will improve your knowledge, skills and opportunities.
You will explore concepts of strategic HR and apply them to real-world challenges, designing insightful and evidence-based solutions to support organisations and the people working in them.
You will receive exceptional personalised support throughout your learning including one-to-one assessment support, a personal tutor and a dissertation supervisor.
Compulsory Modules
The purpose of this module is to provide learners with the opportunity to undertake independent research and related research methods trainingThe module reflects the types of project which students will undertake with an emphasis on work-related or applied research and the contrasting research paradigms that may be followed.
The purpose of this module is to enable learners to analyse the environmental forces impacting upon organisations and the effect on the management of people and organisational strategyLearners will develop an understanding of the ways that organisations respond to environmental forces and the constraints and challenges facing HR professionals.
The purpose of this module is to enable learners to diagnose, analyse and identify solutions for problems associated with the leadership, management and development of people within a variety of organisational contexts.
The purpose of this module is to enable learners to critically appraise the international context of strategic Human Resource Management, exploring the implications of the globalisation and internationalisation of business for HR strategy and practice within organisations operating across national boundaries.
The purpose of this module is to enable learners to develop a critical understanding of practical, strategic and theoretical aspects of resourcing and developing employeesLearning activities will equip students to design, deliver and evaluate resourcing and development practices which contribute to organisational effectiveness and align with relevant contextual factors.
The purpose of this module is to enable learners to develop a critical understanding of employment law and employee relations responses to mitigate organisational risk and support organisational performanceLearning activities will equip students with the skills needed to develop these processes and practically handle employee relations issues.
Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 25/26. The modules relating to the academic year 26/27 will be available from June 2026.
Our MA Human Resource Management Postgraduate Diploma is accredited by the CIPD and has been specifically designed to allow HR professionals to enhance their career options and progress into senior roles. Studying this course will give you an advantage with employers, who often look for employees that have professional qualifications and membership. As a HRM student you will become part of this professional body and on completion of the programme will be become an Associate Member CIPD with the potential to upgrade your status to Chartered Member CIPD.
Please note you will need to enrol as a CIPD student member and will need to remain a member throughout the duration of your masters in HR. The CIPD subscription fee is payable directly to CIPD and is not included in your course fee. For more information on the fees please refer to the CIPD website. Student membership of CIPD gives you access to top quality research, factsheets and other resources that will help you with your studies.
You will be encouraged to join, support and participate in local CIPD branch activities. These are the Northampton and Milton Keynes/Bedfordshire groups. Although you will, officially, be a member of only one CIPD group, you are welcome to attend any of the group meetings some of which will be delivered by Northants branch as part of the programme.
For more information on the local branch see the Northampton or Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes websites.
How will I be taught?
Weekly workshops take place on campus with additional online and self-directed study required. You will usually attend campus two afternoons a week – there are no online classes. Classes are small, informal and interactive.
What sort of assessments will I do?
The good news is that there are no exams! We offer varied assessments including practical and varied assessments including group and individual presentations, case studies, publishing professional blogs, business reports, a mock employment tribunal and essays.
How will I be assessed?
The MA Human Resource Management course uses a carefully balanced combination of in-course assignments designed to enrich your learning including business projects, practical HR activities, reflective activities, group work presentations and examinations. The 13,000-word Dissertation is a major component of this course and allows you to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and insight in your chosen topic area.
What is the schedule like for this course?
The MA HRM is offered on a full-time (one year) and part-time (two years) basis. Full-time students will take three modules in Semester 1 and three modules including Research Methods and Dissertation in Semesters 2 and 3.
Part-time students will take two modules in Semester 1 and one module in Semester 2 in their first year. In the second year, you will take two modules in Semester 1 and one module in Semester 2. The Research Methods and Dissertation module will run over the whole of Year Two.
Most modules will require you to attend a two or three-hour workshop per week or equivalent scheduled online activity. For full-time students, class sessions will normally be delivered over two afternoons/evenings each week. For part-time students, class sessions will normally be delivered one afternoon/evening per week.
To maximise your chances of success, we recommend you spend approximately 12 hours a week per module in self-directed study time to prepare for the sessions and complete your assignments.
What are the flexible options for study?
We offer the course full-time for one year, part-time over two years or as a placement option which is full-time in year one and then placement in year two.
If you already have HR qualifications and 120 credits, you may be eligible for our MA HRM top-up – which is by distance learning only.
How does the placement work?
Students on the MA HRM with placement will study alongside full-time and part-time students in year one. They will also complete a module on employability skills to prepare them for applying for a placement. In year two the placement will be undertaken and complete the 60-credit Work Based Project.
Does the University guarantee a placement?
The university does not guarantee a placement, students will apply with our support and gain their placement. Ideally, this should be in a graduate-level HR role, but general business roles are also acceptable. The placement can be anywhere in the UK.
What if I am not successful in finding a placement?
Don’t worry! If you do not find a placement you can still complete the MA HRM by dissertation rather than the Work Based Project.
Fees and Funding
2025/26 Tuition Fees
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 25/26 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
- UK Full Time: £8,500
- UK Part Time*: £2,835 in Year One (60 credits), £5,670 in Year Two (120 credits)
- International Full Time: £17,495
*Part-time year two fees may be subject to an inflationary increase in future years. Please note that the maximum period of study allowed for part-time courses is two years.
You are required to join the CIPD as a student member (currently a one-off joining fee of £40 and membership fee of £141 for 18 months). Please see the CIPD website for further details.
For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.
For more information about possible funding options, please visit our Fees and Funding pages.
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 2024/25 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
- UK Full Time: £8,250
- UK Part Time*: £2,760 in Year One (60 credits), £5,520 in Year Two (120 credits)
- International Full Time: £16,995
*Part-time year two fees may be subject to an inflationary increase in future years. Please note that the maximum period of study allowed for part-time courses is two years.
Staff
Careers and Employability
A master’s in Human Resources opens the way for a career in HRM/HRD. The programme provides opportunities for you to develop enhanced, specialist, higher level knowledge, skills and leadership capabilities and equips you with enhanced career pathways in the HRM/HRD field within different organisational contexts.
