A prime focus for the human resource management (HRM) major is to prepare students for a variety of professions related to human and social capital in business organizations. Program graduates will have general knowledge to qualify for entry-level positions in human resource departments with the potential for advancement in employee/labor relations, compensation management, training and development, or recruitment and hiring. Another option would be for a student to pursue graduate or professional education. While most students choose this major to become human resources professionals, others do so to better prepare themselves for careers in the general field of management. Students are prepared to become generalists in human resources or to specialize in areas such as organization change and development. Students also receive a well-rounded education in all business disciplines.
Human resource management has evolved over time from strictly an administrative role dealing with testing, record keeping, and evaluation to one where legalistic and visionary perspectives are important.
The major features courses such as Career Planning and Career Management; Compensation and Benefits; Employee and Labor Relations; Legal Issues in Human Resource Management; Performance Improvement and Employee Development; Strategic Human Resource Management; and Workforce Planning and Employment. Also, majors have the opportunity to delve deeper and more intensely into aspects of HRM through independent study and guided research with the faculty. Our faculty engage in cutting-edge research in many HRM topics including, leadership, workaholism, work-related addictions, substance abuse treatment for employees, and mental health in extreme working environments. Students may contact individual faculty members for details on their specialties.
