Course overview

The internationalisation (or 'globalisation' as it is more usually called) of business and of other organisations 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.

Our International HRM programme has been designed to meet the requirements of those, including recent graduates, who want to develop their 'people management' knowledge and skills either as HR specialists or as line managers with significant responsibility for the management of people in companies that operate, or wish to operate, across international boundaries.

On successful completion of the programme, there is an optional opportunity to seek professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The CIPD is the world's largest internally-recognised Chartered HR and development professional body.

Find out more

We are always happy to answer any queries that you have or tell you even more about the course and studying in Portsmouth. Please visit our International Office web pages for details of our international recruitment agents and when you can meet University staff in your country. We also hold regular postgraduate and part-time open evenings at which you can see our facilities, enjoy a guest lecture and meet the academics and current students over drinks and canapés. Applicants will be interested to know that each year Portsmouth Business School offers a number of scholarships for self-funding students.

Course content

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 programme highlights, is international. In addition, weekly tutorials will help you understand the requirements of studying in the UK at postgraduate level.

• Developing People for Business 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 provides you with an understanding of the internal and external contexts of contemporary organisations from an international perspective. It also looks at how globalisiation affects organisations, and the management and regulation of work and employment relations.
• Managing Human Resources aims to develop your critical awareness of the conflicts and ambiguities associated with added value professional roles, ethics and legal compliance. You wille xplore 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 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

This is a full-time programme and you will be expected to attend for two terms of taught study (the autumn term runs from October to January and the spring term from January to March) and then submit the Research Project by the following September.

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. A combination of teaching methods is adopted. You are expected to make an active contribution to class discussions, as well as make presentations through both team and individual effort.

Assessment will take the form of coursework assignments and/or examinations. Assignment requirements are specific to each unit, but generally are associated with a piece of coursework and a time-constrained assessment.

Career prospects

Our programme has been designed to meet the requirements of those, including recent graduates, who want to develop their ‘people management’ knowledge and skills either as HR specialists or as line managers with significant responsibility for the management of people in companies that operate, or wish to operate, across international boundaries.

The student profile is extensive, with students representing a range of different nationalities, backgrounds, academic profiles and work experiences. The international element of this Master’s degree will give you a greater understanding of global business and will widen your horizons in terms of seeking work internationally.

Graduates can look forward to a fulfilling career working in a range of professional business roles including, human resources management and a range of management roles.

Facilities and features

You will attend lectures in the purpose-built Richmond Building, where an attractive Postgraduate Centre is located. It offers a computer drop-in and resource centre containing a wireless network access area, as well as printing and photocopying facilities. The University Library is only a short walk away. Open from 8am until midnight every day in term-time, it provides a variety of information to help with study and research. Besides the law collection with key primary sources, journals and texts, there is also a European Documentation Centre and collection of Parliamentary Papers. The library has also heavily invested in the purchase of electronic sources. There are thousands of electronic journals available, which can be accessed across campus, from home or wherever there is an internet connection.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for MSc International Human Resource Management are shown above, for more detailed information please contact:

Department: Portsmouth Business School
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 8200
Email: pbs.postgradadmissions@port.ac.uk