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Master’s Concentration

HR Employment Relations: Master’s Degree

Design and manage organizational programs and systems geared toward making a positive impact on the employee experience. Successful organizations often have a respectful employee-employer relationship, and HR professionals maintain and enhance those relationships. Learn to improve employee retention and high performance through compensation, total benefits, meeting organizational goals, and setting realistic performance expectations.

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Top-ranked, career-focused education in a flexible format.

At a Glance

Classes Begin
January 6

Term Length
10 Weeks

Master's Tuition
$835 per credit hour

Format
Evening or Online

Admission
No GRE or GMAT

Duration
As few as 18 months

Top-Ranked University

U.S. News & World Report Rankings

Brian Cicero

Connect with an Advisor

Skills You’ll Learn

Analyze the typical phases of an employee experience

Evaluate the compensation considerations and total benefits for employees

Identify, locate, and interpret laws and regulations relevant to the organization

Curriculum

Master of Science in Strategic Human Resources with a concentration in HR Employment Relations requires completion of 48 credit hours (12 courses).

5

Core Courses

4

Concentration Courses

3

Elective Courses

Core Courses

Learn the scope of activity, historical development, and future direction of the industry. These courses provide a foundation that you'll draw on throughout your concentration and elective courses. The capstone serves as the culminating academic experience in which you'll explore a problem of practice in your field of study.

Course Code Course Title
HRA 4130 Finance for HR Professionals
HRA 4140 HR as a Strategic Partner
HRA 4520 HR Change Management
HRA 4910 Research Practices and Applications
HRA 4901 Capstone Project 
OR
HRA 4902 Capstone Seminar
OR
HRA 4904 Interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar 
Concentration Courses

Focus on a specific professional area within the larger industry sector and master the skills needed to excel in that area.

Course Code Course Title
HRA 4600 Human Relations in Organizations
HRA 4610 Employee Compensation
HRA 4620 Employment Total Benefits
HRA 4630 Employment Law
Elective Courses
Course Code Course Title
HRA 4160 Human Resources in a Global Economy
HRA 4170 The Inclusive Organization
HRA 4180 Organizational Politics and the HR Professional
HRA 4270 Value and Impact of HR Interventions
HRA 4500 Organizational Leadership, Team Effectiveness, and Communications
HRA 4510 Organizational Lifecycles and HR Implications
HRA 4240 Human Resources Technology Solutions
ORL 4125 Evaluate and Sustain Change
ORL 4510 Building the 21st Century Organization
ORL 4500 Leadership Development
GS 4020 Culture, Identity, Power
ICT 4700 AI Concepts, Capabilities, and Tools
ICT 4705 AI Ethics, Policy, & Governance

Elective courses may be chosen from among non-core and concentration courses in the academic program, and you may also select courses in other University College graduate programs. Your academic advisor will help you select electives that align with your career and personal goals.

Featured Instructors

Sample Schedule

Plan out your schedule and determine your preferred timeline for completing your master's degree—finish in as few as 18 months or take up to five years.

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Interested in a graduate certificate?

Explore our four and six course graduate certificates in HR Employment Relations.

Take a Course Before You Apply

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We know how important it is to get started when you’re ready and that’s why you can enroll in a course before you officially apply.

Career Outcomes

Predicted outcomes for graduates of HR Employment Relations

Job growth for HR specialists will increase 10% throughout the next decade, as projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Developing employees and being involved in shaping an organization’s workforce takes knowledge in relationship building, strategy, budgets, and planning.

The Society of Human Resource Management anticipates an expanded job market for HR professionals, according to their Jobs Outlook Survey. HR jobs that deal directly with employees are expected to rise thanks to a growing U.S. economy.


Job Titles

Employee Relations Manager
Employment Specialist
HR Manager
Consultant

Total Rewards Manager

 

Human Resource Managers Salary: National Average

$110,120

(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Get Ahead with Career Services

 

One-on-one career coaching and mock interviews

 

Job database dedicated to DU students and alumni

 

Résumé and cover letter guidance

Hear from Our Students

Theme: Job Satisfaction

Strategic Human Resources

“I recently passed my SHRM-CP with very little time in the field. I feel like my first instincts are good because the foundation was laid with my education.”
—Shannon Harbison, graduate.

Flexible Online Classes

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We understand the demands of balancing work, friends and family, and school can be challenging. That's why at University College, you can complete your program entirely online. Our online learning platform makes it easy to work anywhere at any time.

Online Experience5

Accreditation & Associations

 

Higher Learning Commission logo


Higher Learning Commission

University College programs maintain the highest level of accreditation offered by The Higher Learning Commission, one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the federal government. The University of Denver and all of its academic programs are regionally accredited by this commission, and regional accreditation is the highest standard for universities in the United States.

 

Society for Human Resource Management

The MS in Strategic Human Resources offered through University College is formally acknowledged by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) as being aligned with its HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates through September 2023. As a university with a master's degree program aligned to SHRM's curriculum guidelines, students are eligible to apply for the SHRM-CP exam provided they meet SHRM's student eligibility requirements.

Human Resource Certification Institute

The University of Denver University College is an Approved Provider with the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). Each course in the Strategic Human Resource curriculum is approved for 48 recertification hours of General, Strategic, or International credit with HRCI. Upon successful completion of the course, human resource professionals may apply the credit earned towards their Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), or Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) certification. Looking for HRCI certification prep for PHR, SPHR, and aPHR? See offerings through the Center for Professional Development.

Take the Next Step

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