The human resource professional
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| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| Examination | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
This course develops the professional HR skills and expertise needed at both operational and strategic levels and in organisations where change and outsourcing are becoming the norm. These include practical, conceptual and critical skills – including those needed for effective continued professional development. You will address core HR areas (resourcing, employee relations, development, performance management and reward), setting these within wider organisational, professional, legal and ethical contexts, and considering how the HR profession is changing. You will also develop skills required to manage consultants, and to operate as an effective change agent and consultant yourself – activities which will feature in many HR careers.
Course content
The course is a core component in the MSc in Human Resource Management (F40). It is intended for practising HR professionals at, or aspiring to, senior levels. The course explores the nature of the professional HR role, and the challenges of managing professionals within an organisational context of continual change. It addresses both the traditional areas of HR activity, and the challenges posed by the increasing outsourcing of traditional HR activities and by the use of consultants and other contractors. The course concludes by developing the skills needed to function as a successful consultant – a role often required during a career as an HR professional. Themes running through the course include: the nature of specialist expertise, the legal context, ethics, change, and risk.
Vocational relevance
The course is specifically designed for those working in, or with experience of, an HR role, aiming to make them more effective in this role. It is not intended as a general interest course: if you lack an HR background you will have difficulty in completing assignments.
Entry
You should normally have completed the first stage of the MSc in Human Resource Management (F40) and Strategic human resource management (B827) (or the discontinued course B824). However experienced HR professionals may find it useful to study the course on a stand-alone basis as continuing professional development (CPD). If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Outside the UK
The course is written from a primarily UK/EU perspective. If you are working within other legislative frameworks you may find difficulty with some parts of the course.
Qualifications
B855 is a compulsory course in our
Some postgraduate qualifications allow study to be chosen from other subject areas. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
The course materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. The written course material is available in comb-bound format. Large print versions of the course materials can be provided on request. Other alternative formats of the course materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
You will need to make use of a personal computer and the internet. If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Course books, course reader, additional electronic materials.
Computing requirements
This course has online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will be allocated to a tutor who will provide support online and by telephone, grade and comment on your assignments, and facilitate your learning at day schools. Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
You will be required to keep a personal development file, part of which you will submit as your final assignment.
Professional recognition
MSc in Human Resource Management (F40) has been approved by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Holders of the MSc will be eligible for graduate membership of the Institute provided that their MSc includes Psychometrics: selection and assessment (D842) and the HR specific version of the final course, i.e BXH 830 rather than B830.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in May 2009. We expect it to be available once a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
A postgraduate course in Business and Management.
Study explained
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