Why study Business and Human Resource Management

Dr Martin Brock is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the University’s Faculty of Business and Law. In this blog, he explains why studying Business and Human Resource Management will give you a head start in your career. 

People are vital to a business and as a Business and Human Resource Management graduate, you’ll be instrumental in helping your company build and develop their workforce. You’ll draft policies that address key modern workplace issues such as flexible working, remote working and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

The effective management of people is central to any good business strategy and getting the human side of business right leads to competitive advantage. 

What are the benefits of this degree? 

This course gives you the best of both worlds – the opportunity to develop essential business knowledge and the specialist skills in people management and recruitment that employers value. It covers the whole life of an organisation so you’ll develop expertise in recruitment, while developing a holistic knowledge of how businesses operate. 

We are one of the few universities that offer this degree at undergraduate level, so you get the opportunity to develop specialist skills early on in your academic career.

You’ll also be taught by experts with entrepreneurial, academic and industry experience who are responsible for writing some of the leading human resource management textbooks. 

What are the career prospects?

There is a lot of evidence to show that careers in Human Resource Management are particularly resilient because they deal with the people management side of an organisation – an area that is difficult to automate.

There are tremendous earning opportunities available. You can work in almost any sector, whether that’s manufacturing, banking, sport, technology or the arts. It’s a versatile qualification as all sorts of different businesses need effective people management.

A career in this area can take you in many directions and open up a number of varied career routes, such as workplace training and development, employment law, managing EDI or talent management. 

Is the course accredited?

The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and teaches you the essential knowledge and skills required to apply for Associate Membership of the CIPD when you graduate. 

This membership will give you access to additional human resources research, conferences, training and development. It will raise your professional profile and give you an advantage when looking for your first job, as CIPD accreditation is sought-after by employers. This means you’re likely to earn more money and have more job options than your non-accredited peers.

Are you right for the course? 

This course allows you to acquire both professional and academic knowledge, so we’re looking for people who are intellectually curious and want to challenge themselves.  We want to foster a diverse and inclusive culture and are keen to recruit people who are eager to make a difference to organisations by bringing their expertise into the workplace.