Professional Certificate in Human Resource Management - Learning Outcomes
Educational aims
The Postgraduate Certificate in Human Resource Management is designed for those working in, or closely with, human resources or related areas who wish to broaden and deepen their knowledge and develop their management and professional skills. While the academic level is masters, there is a strong practical and professional orientation to the curriculum. The programme will build on your bachelors degree and/or professional competencies, developing the specialist knowledge and skills needed for success as a human resources professional.
The programme has a strong emphasis on reflective practice, and one of the main aims is to develop a habit of critical reflection and continuing development, and the skills to do this effectively. This will enable you to respond flexibly and effectively to a rapidly developing profession, and the fast changing contexts you will encounter within organisations or as a consultant. You will be able to integrate new knowledge with experience and apply it to new situations. You will be able to challenge preconceptions and to remove some functional boundaries traditionally associated with human resource management, to handle complex situations holistically. You should also have particular strengths in analysing, synthesising and solving complex, unstructured business problems.
The courses studied form part of, and can be counted towards, the MSc in Human Resource Management, if you wish to continue studying. On passing the MSc you will be eligible for graduate membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), provided you have selected the CIPD-required courses.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
On successful completion of the certificate you will be able to:
- analyse and discuss the context of HR, with specific reference to current forms of work and employment, forms of commitment and flexibility, legal and political frameworks in the European Union and in selected states, and economic and institutional frameworks
- analyse and evaluate HR specialists’ contribution, their specific skills, and ethical and professional issues of concern to them
- demonstrate and evaluate practices concerning recruitment and selection, managing performance for added value, maximising employee contribution, managing learning processes, effective employment relations, resolving differences and gaining commitment, motivating staff and rewarding contributions, delivering equity and fairness
- explain strategy development, and discuss and evaluate the connection between business and HR strategy
- identify, describe, analyse and evaluate current strategic issues in HR
- discuss the impact of different organisational forms on HR policy and practice.
Cognitive skills
On successful completion of the certificate you will be able to:
- demonstrate a range of cognitive and intellectual skills, interpersonal awareness and interpersonal skills
- demonstrate critical thinking, and analytical and synthetic skills. This includes being able to identify relevant factors in a situation, identify assumptions in yourself and others, evaluate statements and claims in terms of evidence, detect false logic or reasoning, identify implicit values, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately
- diagnose problem situations and propose appropriate ways forward using relevant information and decision criteria; implement and evaluate actions.
Practical and/or professional skills
On successful completion of the certificate you will be able to:
- demonstrate and assess leadership in a professional context, by contributing and discussing relevant expertise, liaising with and assessing professional colleagues, and managing and evaluating a supporting team
- identify and discuss ethical implications of situations and decisions, and develop appropriate professional stances on these
- conduct internal research on HR-related problems at work, and communicate results effectively to colleagues
- build successful relationships with external providers of consultancy and other services
- act as an internal consultant on issues related to your specific professional expertise
- act as an external consultant on issues in which you have expertise
- demonstrate continuous learning through explicitly reflecting on professional experience.
Key skills
On successful completion of the certificate you will be able to:
- use communication and information technology
- listen, negotiate, persuade and influence, orally, in writing and electronically
- develop personal effectiveness continuously, improve self-awareness and self-management, become more aware of diversity in people and situations, and reflect on practice to develop work skills continuously.
Teaching, learning and assessment methods
You will study from specially written materials, have tutor support (face-to-face and online), and interact substantially with other students, through online discussion and day schools. You will develop as a reflective practitioner, keeping a personal development file throughout the courses making up the award.
There will be written assignments, mainly based on your own experience as a practitioner, through which you assess the applications of principles to relatively complex and realistic situations; and examinations to demonstrate your understanding of principles and relevant theories and their application to various situations.