Human Resource Management (HRM) Heriot-Watt University

Overview

Our MSc Human Resource Management provides you with the crucial insights, skills, and knowledge to develop sustainable and socially responsible HR practices for managing people. You’ll gain a critical understanding of the core theories, principles and concepts that underpin contemporary organisation practice and explore socially responsible and sustainable models of human resource management (HRM). You’ll gain a critical awareness of the current and emerging issues in research and knowledge creation and gain the skills to develop original, creative solutions in response to these problems. The MSc will provide you with the skills to apply your knowledge and understanding to professional practice and solve contemporary organisational problems.   

Beyond subject knowledge and skills, you’ll gain key transferrable skills which will aid you throughout your professional career. You’ll be able to make formal presentations about specialised topics to audiences with a variety of levels of expertise, effectively communicate using both written and verbal means to a range of audiences and undertake critical evaluations of a wide range of written, numerical and graphical data. This invaluable skillset will make you highly sought after upon graduation.   

You’ll have the opportunity to specialise and choose an optional course – from team craft, managing diversity in business, and psychology of leadership – to customise your learning and develop your specific interest. Your human resource management dissertation will allow you to further build on these subject interests, by presenting you the opportunity to carry out an original research project at the forefront of knowledge. The knowledge base, subject and transferable skills you will gain will prepare you for lifelong learning and personal development.   

You’ll focus on real-world problems and explore ways human resource management can help us address them. The career-focused master’s degree provides you with the practical knowledge and skills necessary for the workplace. You’ll explore a range of organisational contexts and practices which will set you up for a professional HR career. 

The programme is accredited and approved by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, which enhances career opportunities, networking, and events. Reflecting HRM's strategic role, the programme focuses on how HRM professionals can create a positive work environment, make informed decisions, and learn skills to be influential in an HR role at both strategic and operational levels. 

Your Student Experience

Our Expertise

 Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active academics whose work covers four key areas:  

• Employment, Work and the Professions  
• Logistics and Sustainability  
• Networks and Enterprise Excellence  
• Social and Economic Data Analysis  

Your Learning Environment

 The MSc Human Resource Management programme is taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials, allowing you to get to know and build relationships with the teaching staff, academics and your peers. You will be assessed by coursework, exams, and your dissertation, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme.   

Outside of the classroom, you can join Heriot-Watt’s Business Society which holds regular social events and provides networking opportunities and insights into relevant career prospects.  

Customise Your Learning

Accreditation

Our MSc in Human Resource Management is aligned to the CIPD Profession Map and to the core knowledge and behaviour standards for a level of CIPD membership. Upon successfully completing this programme, you will achieve a CIPD membership outcome, a visible demonstration of your experience and expertise in the people profession.