Human Resource Management PGDip

• Overview

  In today’s global, fast-moving business environment it is often people that determine organisational success. Human Resources Management (HRM) is a strategic, business-focused approach to managing people. HR specialists help organisations to achieve success by providing knowledge and insight into a wide range of HRM activities including talent resourcing and selection, performance management, learning and development, change management and employee engagement. HR can be an exciting, rewarding and challenging career that can take you anywhere in the world.

  On successful completion of the PG Diploma in HRM, you are eligible to continue your studies on the MA HRM (top-up).

  Course

  Highlights

  • CIPD accreditation and membership on completion of the course.

  Apply Now Open Days

  
• Course Details

  The aim of this course is to develop you as an HR professional. You will be introduced to specialised knowledge and research evidence giving you an in depth understanding of successful people management in organisations. Perhaps more importantly, you will practice the tools and techniques of strategic and operational HRM giving you practical, insight-driven experience which will help further your career.

  The course modules are designed to provide you with expert knowledge of distinct HR subject areas combined with exposure to contemporary debates, policies and practices, keeping you at the forefront of developments in your field. You will develop an understanding of HRM within a range of organisational contexts, and you will be equipped with the analytical and diagnostic skills required of HR professionals in the workplace.

  In both years of study, at the end of the taught part of the course you will take part in off-site, two-day courses. These provide fantastic opportunities to consolidate and apply all the skills you have learned during the year in a relaxed and celebratory atmosphere with fellow students and tutors. The workshop and residential are an essential part of the course and the cost is included in the course fees.

  Partnerships and Accreditation

  If you are seeking a role in HR and professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) then this course is right for you. Our 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 course. 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 Milton Keynes/Bedfordshire websites.

  Methods of Learning

  The learning and teaching style on this course is designed to enable you to take responsibility for your own learning and skills development within a caring environment facilitated by high quality academic support from tutors. You will be introduced to the core course content through activities that can be taken in your own time, off campus. These activities will usually be facilitated through the University’s Virtual Learning Environment – a web-based portal where you will be able to participate in learning activities, online discussions, reading and reflection. During your sessions on campus, the emphasis will be on participative and interactive activities designed to develop your understanding through debate, discussion, role-play and participation in events such as guest speakers and a mock employment tribunal.

  This course usually has a diverse student group which provides a rich basis for sharing different experiences and thinking on organisational and people issues. Peer networking is encouraged so you can maximise your learning from the different student experiences that are shared throughout the course.

  Assessments

  The course uses a carefully balanced combination of in-course assignments designed to enrich your learning including business projects, reflective activities, group work, presentations and examinations.

  Module overview

  Year one

  HRM in Context: You will explore HRM in a business context to develop your understanding of the increasingly complex environments HR must work within, both inside and external to organisations. This module allows you to develop your analytical skills allowing you to make informed choices on which strategies may be most and least appropriate.

  Leading Managing and Developing People: You will analyse key factors in leading, managing and developing people for organisational success. Every organisation is made up of individuals whose behaviour, individually or collectively, will impact on its ability to succeed. Organisational performance can be enhanced and increased through the strategic management, leadership and development of people. This module enables you to gain an in-depth knowledge of HRM and HRD and explores major themes from the growing literature and research in this subject area.

  Investigating a Business Issue: You will investigate a live business issue from a HR perspective, locate the issue within the body of contemporary knowledge, collect and analyse data, derive supportable conclusions and make practical and recommendations for enhancement of current practice.

  Year 2

  Resourcing and Talent Management: You will evaluate strategies for resourcing and managing talent within the organisation. There is a focus on activities concerned with resourcing the organisation, the practical aspects of recruitment, selection, employee retention and dismissal. You will also explore the strategic aspects of planning an organisation’s long and short term human resource requirements. This module requires analysis of external labour markets and considerations of flexibility, as well as an understanding of how internal labour markets can become more productive and effective.

  Performance Management: You will investigate the management of employee performance within the organisation, exploring the evidence that people are a major source of competitive advantage and the challenge of how best to develop and manage people to maximize their performance. You will assess the major systems for enhancing the performance of employees at all levels and advise organisations on the most appropriate methods for managing performance.

  Learning and Talent Development: You will develop a critical understanding of the role and influence of a range of contextual factors associated with the design, delivery and evaluation of learning and development in a variety of organisational contexts. You will also explore and evaluate the contribution of learning and talent development strategies in meeting the ambitions and objectives of the organization and the individual. This is a seven week module.

  Employment Relations: You will develop and reflect upon your knowledge and understanding of Employment Relations from a number of different perspectives. The holistic significance of employment relations within an organisation is emphasised together with the importance of aligning HR policies with business strategy, change processes, employee voice and involvement practices. Good employee relations are important for an organisation’s success in the achievement of its business objectives and for gaining employee commitment to those objectives. Increasing legislation in this area has also brought pressure to develop appropriate managerial strategies to ensure employee commitment to organisational success. This is a seven week module.

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  Additional

  Information

  Schedule

  The PG Diploma HRM is offered as a two-year part-time course. In the first year, you will take two modules in Semester 1 and one module in Semester 2. In the second year you will take two modules in Semester 1 and two short modules in Semester 2.

  Most modules will require you to attend a three hour workshop per week or equivalent scheduled online activity. Class sessions will normally be on one afternoon/evening per week.

  To maximise your success on this course, we recommend that you spend approximately 12 hours a week per module in self-directed study to prepare for your sessions and complete your assignments.

• Careers and Events
  • Open Days

    Discover More

    Our Open Days offer you a fantastic opportunity to get a real taste of university life at Northampton and discover how studying here will be a life-changing experience.

    Each Open Day has a packed programme of subjects talks, advice sessions and activities designed to give you all the information you need about studying with us.

    To find out more about the day, please feel free to have a look at our Open Day Guide.

    
  • Student Story

    Syrita Foster

    “I started the Postgraduate Diploma in HRM to help me deliver an improved HR function to our organisation. I opted to study part time whilst working full time which was difficult at times, but it gave me the ability to manage my time like never before.  I knew that classroom based sessions were the right choice for me as I wanted to be able to learn from the experiences of other HR professionals.”

    “During the programme we learnt so much, not just from the lecturers and course content but also from each other. Completing this course has completely changed my way of working to be much more strategy and impact driven. The organisation I work for has seen an immediate benefit from each of the modules I have studied and they value my new approach to working. For me personally, the PG Dip HRM has opened up many more opportunities.”

    
  • Career

    Career Opportunities

    The PG Diploma in HRM 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.

    
• Requirements

  You will normally need to hold a recognised and relevant qualification at Level 5 or 6 for example BA (Hons) Human Resource Management or CIPD Intermediate level qualifications.

  It would be an advantage for applicants to have experience of working in a HR or general management role for at least a year.

  If you have extensive HR experience but lack qualifications, you may be invited to an interview with the Programme Leader to assess your suitability for entry to the course.

  For more more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.

  English Language Requirements

  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.

   

  Contacts

  Course enquiries
  study@northampton.ac.uk

  Application status enquiries
  admissions2019@northampton.ac.uk

  Current student enquiries
  SID@northampton.ac.uk

  International student enquiries
  international@northampton.ac.uk

  Enquire online
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  Applying for 2019
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  Office hours:
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  Fri: 9am – 4.30pm

  Phone Call

  0300 303 2772

  +44 (0)1604 892134

  +44 (0)1604 892546

• Course Content
  • Level 6

  To be eligible for the award you must successfully complete 120 credits. You can then take our Human Resource Management MA Top-up course to receive the full masters qualification.

  • HRM in Contexts (20 Credits)
    Module code: HRMM032

    Core Module Y
  • Leading, Managing and Developing People (20 Credits)
    Module code: HRMM033

    Core Module Y
  • Investigating a Business Issue (20 Credits)
    Module code: HRMM034

    Core Module Y
  • Resourcing and Talent Management (20 Credits)
    Module code: HRMM035

    Core Module Y
  • Performance Management (20 Credits)
    Module code: HRMM036

    Core Module Y
  • Employment Relations (10 Credits)
    Module code: HRMM051

    Core Module Y
  • Learning and Talent Development (10 Credits)
    Module code: HRMM052

    Core Module Y

  Module information is quoted for 19/20 entry. Please note that modules run subject to student numbers and staff availability, any changes will be communicated to applicants accordingly.

   

  Facilities &

  Special Features

  This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Europe’s largest professional body supporting and developing those responsible for the management and development of people within organisations. The PG Diploma HRM reflects and incorporates CIPD knowledge and competence requirements. Completing the PG Diploma HRM will provide you with the knowledge required for Chartered CIPD membership. If you have the relevant experience, on completion of the course, you can apply for CIPD membership based on your workplace activities and behaviours.

  On successful completion of the PG Diploma in HRM, you are eligible to continue your studies on the MA HRM (top-up).

• Further Studies
  • Postgraduate Opportunities

    Further your Study

    Take advantage of our postgraduate courses and top up your qualifcation to a full Masters degree.

    Human Resource Management MA

    
  • Research

    We are committed to delivering outstanding research that makes a difference to society. Our Research Institutes and Centres work closely with external partner organisations, locally, nationally and internationally. We produce internationally renowned and relevant research and disseminate knowledge on an international scale.

    Visit our Research Hub page for more information.

    
  • Business and Enterprise

    We are committed to supporting and encouraging business growth and we are involved in a variety of initiatives which seek to benefit the wider community as well as students and staff of the University.

    Discover what businesses we work with and what opportunities may be available to you on our Business and Enterprise pages.

    
• Fees & Funding
  • UK & EU

  19/20 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 19/20 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  Part Time: £2,430.00 (Year one 60 Credits) £2,430.00 (Year two 60 Credits)

  Year two fee may be subject to an inflationary increase for 20/21

  Additional Costs
  Core texts for each module will be identified if you wish to purchase these at your own expense, however, there will also be a limited supply of these available within the University library.

  If you do wish to purchase a core text, you may do so at a discounted cost (around £40) at the CIPD Online Bookstore.

  Please note that this course is not eligible for Postgraduate Loan funding. Please see our scholarships page for more information on the funding that may be available to you.

  18/19 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 18/19 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  Part Time: £2,385 (Year one 60 Credits) £2,385 (Year two 60 Credits)
  Year two fee may be subject to an inflationary increase for 19/20

  Scholarships

  Dr Mike Daniel Research Degree Scholarship

  The Dr Mike Daniel Research Degree Scholarship awards £500 to a postgraduate research degree student at the University of Northampton. Dr Mike Daniel was Pro…

  EU and International Scholarships

  A merit based scholarship of up to 30% or a £3,000 reduction in the cost of tuition fees for eligible students.

  TD Lewis Scholarship

  The T D Lewis Scholarship provides both undergraduate and postgraduate students with financial awards of up to £1,000.  This scholarship is awarded on educational excellence…

  The Chancellor's Fund

  The Chancellor’s Fund is a bi-annual fund providing students with awards of between £100 and £1,000. You must be a current student to apply. The…

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