Course overview

The Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management is a vocationally focused part-time programme designed for the needs of HR practitioners who want to consolidate their skills and knowledge with a professionally-recognised qualification. The course is also offered as a collaborative programme through Chichester College.

Once you have successfully completed this course, you can then progress to the Master's top-up which comprises a seven-day block release programme followed by a dissertation. For those who prefer to study full-time, we also offer MSc Human Resource Management which combines the PgD and MSc over a period 14 months. Your choice of dissertation topic will determine whether you will be awarded the MSc Human Resource Management or MSc Human Resource Development.

The Postgraduate Diploma provides you with the generalist grounding needed to operate as an HR professional, whilst the Master's degree equips you to operate effectively at a strategic HR level.

Professional accreditation

The University of Portsmouth is an Accredited Centre for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). On successful completion of the PgD HRM, students will have gained all the knowledge indicators required for the CIPD postgraduate Level 7 Professional Map. You will then be eligible to seek Associate Membership of the CIPD.

Find out more

For further information, please contact our Admissions Team (details below). For guidance about tuition fees please visit our course fee pages. 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.

Course content

On this programme you will study the following subjects in Year one:

• Leadership Skills and Management (Assessment – portfolio and examination)
• Resourcing, Learning and Talent Management (Assessment – presentation, essay and coursework)

In Year two the following subjects are taught:

• Managing Human Resources and Employment Relationships in Context (Assessment – coursework and examination)
• The Human Resource Practitioner and the Global Perspective (Assessment – 7,000-word report and additional coursework)

Classes in both years are held one afternoon/evening a week (confirmation of which days are available on request).

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. A combination of teaching methods is adopted. Students are expected to make an active contribution to class discussions, as well as make presentations through both team and individual effort. Assignment requirements are specific to each unit, but generally are associated with a piece of coursework and a time-constrained assessment.

Career prospects

In addition to developing knowledge and understanding of HR strategy and practice, skills development workshops are integrated into the course. Student-centred learning activities relating to both human resource and managerial related activities form the basis for the units, which enable the enhancement of a range of people management and HR specific skills. Reflections upon personal competence and competence development further equip students with the ability to make an active contribution to business performance.

Our programme helps to develop professional expertise within the HR field and enhance professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Facilities and features

As you would expect from a large and vibrant Business School, we offer modern facilities, a Virtual Learning Environment and support to help the busy working professional to manage the work/life and study balance. Above all you will find that our approach to learning is friendly, supportive and participative. You will attend lectures in the purpose-built Richmond Building, where an attractive Postgraduate Centre is located.

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. 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 PgDip 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