MSc
International Human Resource Management
Gain a cross-cultural perspective on HR issues
Course Overview
Why take this course?
The globalisation of business means that the management of people has become an international activity. It cannot be assumed that what is effective in one country can be automatically transferred to another country, even when it is within the same organisation.
This course will enable you to manage people across borders and be fully informed on cross-cultural issues within international HR.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Learn in multi-national classes where you can benefit from the backgrounds, academic profiles and work experiences of other students
- Take part in skills development workshops where you will contribute to managerial and HR-based activities
- Participate in live web-based chat forums to discuss your work with lecturers and other students
What opportunities might it lead to?
We are an Accredited Centre for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). On completion, you will be eligible to seek Associate Membership of the CIPD and you may meet the criteria for Chartered Membership (depending on your previous experience). The CIPD is the world's largest internally-recognised Chartered HR and development professional body.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- business development and consultancy
- management
- recruitment
- personnel
- human resources
- training
My classmates are from a variety of backgrounds and cultures so I can learn from their experiences as well as their languages and cultures.
Chi-Hang Lau, business and management student 2013
Key Facts
- Duration
- 1 year full time
- Entry
An upper second-class honours degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications.
English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with a minimum score of 6.0 in all individual components, or equivalent.- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £7,500, International full-time students: £11,000 - this course is not available part time.
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- pbs.postgradadmissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 8200 - Department
- Portsmouth Business School
Structure & Teaching
The initial emphasis is on putting the foundations into place: developing understanding of the functions and tools of management such as finance, operations management and, of course, HRM. There is also the need to appreciate the importance of an organisation's external environment, which as the course highlights, is international. In addition, weekly tutorials will help you understand the requirements of studying in the UK at postgraduate level.
Here are the units you will study:
- Developing People for Business: This focuses initially on HR and professional skills including finance, statistics and information systems.HR skills include effective self-management, effective management in practice, influencing people and ethical practices. Following on from that, theoretical approaches to leadership, change management practice and culture are also considered.
- International Business Context: This unit provides you with an understanding of the internal and external contexts of contemporary organisations from an international perspective. It also looks at how globalisation affects organisations, and the management and regulation of work and employment relations.
- Managing Human Resources: This aims to develop your critical awareness of the conflicts and ambiguities associated with added value professional roles, ethics and legal compliance. You will explore the contribution made by the professional training and/or human resource development function to the efficient operation of an organisation.
- Strategic and International Human Resource Management: This initially considers the key theories underpinning business strategy and HRM in an international context. The unit considers how strategic human resource management can impact on the strategic processes driving organisations in an increasingly globalised environment. In the latter part of the unit the focus moves on to considering the relationship between strategic management and international HRM.
- Research Project: The dissertation should be of value to you in your career and therefore should be strategic in nature. Where appropriate, it could also be of significance to a sponsoring organisation. It should demonstrate the ability to integrate theory and practice, as well as your capacity to manage and present (in written form) a substantial piece of work-based, in-depth research. A supervisor will be allocated to guide you through the research.
Teaching and Assessment
Our learning approach is active, participative, reflective and student-centred. You will be encouraged to develop a strategic awareness and appreciate the role of the HR professional as a business partner. We combine a variety of teaching methods including seminars, lectures, case studies, class discussions and group work.
How are you assessed?
Assessment differs from unit to unit, but all consist of varying forms of coursework alongside a time-constrained assessment. You will also complete a 15,000 word dissertation on a topic of your choice.
Facilities & Features
Flexible Learning
Benefit from web, email or phone access to many of our facilities and services
Support
Tutors are available to support your studies via online tutorials, email and telephone conferencing
International Office
The International Office provides extensive support during your studies
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including thousands of online ejournals
Flexible Learning
You will benefit from web, email or phone access to many of our facilities and services. Our student website, LookUP, will be your one-stop shop for all news, information and links to other services, and 24/7 online access to the University Library’s vast electronic book, journal and database collections will help you find the right resources for your research.
Support
We aim to provide you with as much support as possible. There are tutors available to support your studies via online tutorials, email and telephone conferencing. The teaching team include staff actively engaged in Human Resource Management/Human Resource Development research and those with practitioner experience meaning you will have a broad network of support and guidance throughout your studies.
International Office
We are a very cosmopolitan community with more than 4,000 international and EU students from over 100 different countries. The role of the International Office is to provide you with extensive support to make your time here as stress-free and enjoyable as possible, enabling you to focus on your studies.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
Our course has been designed for those who want to develop their people management knowledge and skills either as HR specialists or as managers in companies that operate, or wish to operate, across international boundaries.
The international element of this Master’s course will give you a greater understanding of global business and will widen your horizons in terms of seeking work internationally. You can look forward to a fulfilling career working in a range of professional business roles including, human resources management and an array of management roles.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- benefits analyst
- human resource officer
- human resource systems manager
- personnel adviser
- recruitment consultant
- training and development coordinator
Career planning
One of the benefits of studying at Portsmouth is the support that we provide to our Master's and Research Degrees students in career planning. Our careers and recruitment service – Purple Door – can assist you in career research and finding employment opportunities. Help is also available if you wish to find a part-time job while studying your degree. We offer our postgraduate students and alumni one-to-one appointments with a careers adviser, or an online service for those not able to travel back to the University. Our alumni can call on our career services for five years after graduation.
In addition, regular employability events offer you the chance to meet employers, find out about different career sectors and improve your applications or CV. The Graduate Summer Programme provides a range of guidance and employability seminars and workshops.