Human Resource Management - Admission with Credit (12 month fast-track route to the MA)

MA

Find out more about our courses by joining a live master’s webinar

Start dates: September 2024 / September 2025

Part time: 12 months

Location: Headington, Distance learning

Department(s): Oxford Brookes Business School

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Overview

It’s no secret that the working environment is changing at a lightning-fast pace. And human resource management has an essential role to play in tackling issues in organisations around the world – from remote working after the pandemic to finding talent during the global shortage.

This course is intended for people who already have a level 7 PG diploma (120 credits) from Oxford Brookes or another recognised institution. You might be an experienced HR professional, already working at a senior level and wanting to consolidate previous learning into an MA. This can be a personal achievement, a desire to strengthen your own research skills and conduct research in HR, or an opportunity to strengthen your CV.

You’ll research a topic of interest to you. This could be a theoretical study exploring an aspect of HR that you are interested in or it could be applied to an actual issue that you are currently working on in your workplace. Ignite your potential and contribute effectively to your workplace development.

Attend an open day or webinar Ask a question Order a prospectus

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Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • Flexible learning
    Study from wherever you are, and fit the degree around your work and home commitments.
  • Expert teaching
    Learn from highly capable research staff.
  • Support networks
    As well as receiving high levels of personal support, you can network with graduates and their employers at our Annual Postgraduate HR Research Conference  
  • No exams
    We’ve moved away from an exam assessment structure, so you’ll be graded on written assignments when studying Research Methods and an individual research project.
  • Grow your career
    Springboard your progression in the HR profession, with many graduates entering management or consultancy roles.

Course details

Course structure

We’ve designed this course to take you from postgraduate diploma (level 7, 120 credits) to a full MA award in human resource management.

The backbone of this degree is our module in critical investigation skills. Here you’ll deepen your organisational knowledge and research skills through an individual written assignment and portfolio. 

You’ll then combine theory, practice and critical reflection as you complete your research project. This is where you can focus on an area of human resource management that interests you. You could address broad issues in HRM or research a specific issue within an organisation.

You can opt to study online or a mix of online and in-person. Take part in group-based learning, virtual tutorials, discussion forums and find resources in our vast online library. You will also be able to participate in a range of classes at our Headington campus.

We care about your personal development and offer a supportive environment to learn in. Our student support coordinators will look out for you and your interests throughout your course.

Students presenting to class

Learning and teaching

You will study online and participate in individual and group-based learning, within a supportive online community. 

You will be provided with:  

  • highly structured, user-friendly written lecture and course materials
  • audio and video podcast materials recorded by course tutors
  • virtual tutorials, including in real time 
  • discussion forums - student and tutor led
  • up-to-date web technology for delivery methods
  • access to our online library.

You will participate in a range of classes at our Headington campus if you are studying through a combination of online and on-campus learning. 

You'll learn from teaching staff, drawn from our Department of Business and Management within the Business School. You will also learn from visiting speakers from business and industry, local government, consultancies and research bodies.

Assessment

Critical Investigation Skills will be assessed through and individual written assignment (3000 words) and an individual portfolio. The assessment for the Research Project will be a 15,000 word individual project and a 750 word individual reflective statement.

Study modules

Taught modules

Compulsory modules

  • Critical Investigation Skills

    This module provides students with a framework for understanding and researching organisations. Students encounter organisation theory and research methods, learn to deepen their organisational knowledge and develop valuable research skills. The module shows students a range of theoretical perspectives, providing critical awareness of the complexity of organisations & organisational processes.  Students are introduced to the stages of research, (research design, data collection and analysis methods, & research ethics).  Armed with knowledge of organisational theory and research methodologies, students develop a viable research proposal. In semester 2, students take part in a pilot project, which gives hands-on experience of ‘doing’ research. Based on this, students produce a reflective essay designed to inform their own research projects. Sessions on quantitative and qualitative data analysis, the use of computerised analysis packages, and dissertation writing complete the module.

Final project

Compulsory modules

  • Research Project

    The research project allows students to undertake a self-managed process of systematic enquiry within the domain of their Masters programme. It aims to generate high quality, rigorous and systematic applied research as part of which the students have reflected critically on the theoretical and philosophical assumptions underpinning the process alongside the ethics of undertaking management research.  The degree to which the project is ‘applied’ is flexible – from addressing a broad issue in HRM to researching a specific issue within an organisation.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Research

There are two research clusters in the International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies and the Centre for Diversity Policy Research and Practice which relate to this subject:

  • Work and Organisations
  • Management and Entrepreneurship Education.
Researcher explaining to a group

Careers

By the end of this CIPD-accredited course, you’ll be able to work as a more informed practitioner, ready to enhance your professional practice. You can apply your knowledge to your current role, to projects within a large organisation, or even a family business.

You’ll be confident carrying your ideas through and will be ready to lead innovative projects – shaping the future of the business and all its intricate procedures.

Our MA graduates report that the course has supported them to enter management and consultancy level roles. Now, where could this course take your career?

Entry requirements

International qualifications and equivalences

How to apply

Application process

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) part time
£2,750

Home (UK) distance learning
£2,750

International distance learning
£2,750

Home (UK) part time
£2,900

Home (UK) distance learning
£2,900

International distance learning
£2,900

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2024 / 25
Home (UK) part time
£2,750

Home (UK) distance learning
£2,750

International distance learning
£2,750

2025 / 26
Home (UK) part time
£2,900

Home (UK) distance learning
£2,900

International distance learning
£2,900

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.