Course Descriptions

HRM 532 Foundations of Human Resources
This required course explores the basic elements of personnel administration that includes an overview of human resource functions; recruitment, selection, staffing, and placement; job classification and wage and benefit systems; employee supervision, performance management, workplace health, safety and security, counseling, discipline, and grievance. The legal framework of human resource administration, workplace diversity, and approaches specific to union and nonunion environments is also covered. 
       
HRM 533 Employee Relations and Labor Management
The focal point of this foundation course is the historical development of labor unions in the United States, the evolution of the legal framework governing labor relations today, and the major elements of collective bargaining and dispute resolution techniques used in the private and public sectors.  A discussion of the future of organized labor concludes the course. 

HRM 537 Employee Learning and Professional/Career Development
This course provides an overview of employee learning methods, and includes design, development, and evaluation procedures in organizations. Emphasis is placed on how to perform a needs analysis, how to select the latest training technologies, and how to apply methodologies to maximize adult learning as well as organizational development. In addition, employee development strategies are reviewed—for instance, training generalist managers and specialists, how to foster an atmosphere conducive to continuous learning, and how to reward supervisors for encouraging and supporting employee development. 

HRM 538 Organizational Development and Change Management
This course will acquaint students with types of organizational change and the roles of human resources managers as change agents and internal consultants. Cases, group exercises, and class discussions are used to examine change methods, employees' reactions to change, facilitation techniques, and evaluation methods. Roles of leaders, managers, employees, and human resources professionals are considered. Targets of change include job designs, interpersonal relationships, downsizing/rightsizing and organizational structures. Quality improvement, employee involvement, and professional development are studied as examples of change strategies. Students learn how to help their co-workers cope, as well as how to become trusted business advisors within the organization. 
Prerequisite: HRM 532 Foundations of Human Resources.

HRM 541 Human Relations and Workforce Planning
This course focuses on improving the quality of work life for employees, as a value in itself and as an incentive to greater productivity and reduced turnover. Students will explore:  the importance of communication—orientation of new employees, formal and informal consultation, quality circles, billboards, news bulletins, etc., and exit interviews; providing opportunities for job enrichment and career development-career planning assistance, practitioner training, cross training, job rotation, job sharing and flex-time, enriching each job as the employee progresses; employee assistance programs-financial planning, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, retirement planning, educational assistance, summer jobs for kids, etc.; recreational programs—athletic teams, holiday and seasonal celebrations, community service participation and contests. All of these activities contribute to developing the joint participation of employees and management which is the hallmark of the well-managed corporation.

HRM 545 Employment Law and Policy
This course is designed to give business and HR professionals insight into and practical knowledge of the various legal issues that inform today's employer-employee relationships.  Topics will include workplace safety and health, ethics, managing diversity and hiring practices, formation of the employment contract, laws governing the work relationship, investigation protocols and risk-reduction techniques, viewed against a backdrop of emerging employment trends. Prerequisite: HRM 533 Employee Relations and Labor Management.

HRM 546 Job Evaluation, Compensation Systems, and Benefits
An advanced course providing students with both theory and specific knowledge of job evaluation and compensation systems. Topics include comparable worth and legal requirements: preparation of job evaluation and job design, fringe benefits, pensions, social security, theory of compensation systems as they relate to job satisfaction and employee morale; development of wage and salary surveys, internal and external equity pay scales, performance-based pay systems, and salary administration procedures. An analysis of incentives—bonuses, stock options, salary deferrals and special benefits—will complete the course.
Prerequisite: HRM 532 Foundations of Human Resources.

HRM 547 Performance Management in Organizations
This course provides insight to the importance of performance management and the behavior of individuals and teams in organizations. Emphasis will be placed on implications for effective human resource management, and the need to align organizational goals with performance management practices.  Approaches used to drive performance and analyze problems encountered in managing human resources will be discussed throughout the course. Additional topics include performance appraisal, individual and group decision-making skills, recruitment, selection, and employee orientation, employee ability, motivation and incentive systems, job satisfaction, retention, and employee engagement.

HRM 548 Diversity and Global Issues in the Workplace
This course examines contemporary practices and trends in the global marketplace. Topics include both the similarities and differences among people, organizations, and management across sectoral and national boundaries that must be a part of the knowledge base of tomorrow's human resource manager. Human resources from a global perspective, including issues for expatriates and repatriation, the European Union, health and safety, business ethics, employee benefits and unions will be covered.  Additional emphasis will be placed on understanding how differences among multi –national corporations, governmental regulatory agencies, public authorities, strategic alliances, political and cultural environments impact the management of human resources.
Prerequisite: HRM 532 Foundations of Human Resources.. Matriculation in the HRM program.

HRM 551 Business Acumen and Data Analytics for Effective HR Leadership 
For students working in human resources (HR) management or a related field, this course will provide an understanding of the importance of learning an organization's operations and functions as well as its competitive environment/landscape. The course will specifically review human resources data analytics, a key component to creating the case for human resources projects and other decisions they may have to make in the course of being a HR professional. Students will develop a comprehensive human resources business case.
Prerequisites: HRM 532 and 533. Matriculation in the HRM program.

HRM 552 The Strategic Organization: Communication and Employee Relationship Management 
This course provides insight into effective strategic approaches to communication and employee engagement. Students will learn the concepts of the strategic communication process and its role in business organizations. This course will examine the traits and skills needed for students to become a strategic communicator including understanding principles and concepts of effective communication, a high level of self-awareness, an ability to understand other people, a basic knowledge of the complexity of the communication process itself, and the ability to think critically—to analyze and evaluate situations and use that information to formulate effective communication strategies. Moreover,8this course will examine the Engagement Equation and will explain the driver of employee engagement, and how you can use improved engagement to execute strategy, reduce costs, and meet your organizational goals.
Prerequisites: HRM 532, HRM 533 and HRM 541. Matriculation in the HRM program.

HRM 553 HR Leadership, Performance Management and Organizational Effectiveness 
This course provides insight into effective leadership, performance management and organizational effectiveness in today's organizations. Students will learn how leaders motivate, influence, and navigate political environments. Leadership components that will be covered in the course will include the nature of leadership, contemporary situational theories of leadership and emerging leadership issues. In addition, students will learn what new emerging leaders need to know about the importance of performance management and aligning the organizational goals with performance management practices. This course will also set the stage for understanding the components of organizational effectiveness. Organizational effectiveness provides leaders with information for improving an organization’s operations and effectiveness, organizational structure and design, the culture of organizations, and organizational change and change management.
Prerequisites: HRM 532 and HRM 547. Matriculation in the HRM program.

HRM 554 The HR Leader as an Organizational Consultant 

This course is designed to equip business and HR professionals with the competencies to be an internal consultant within any organization. Students will learn to apply a structured approach to the consulting process and conduct appropriate interventions for designing, adapting, and improving business policies and practices. Focused on the major components of organization development and change management combined with consulting skills, the course addresses evaluating internal and external challenges to the organization; partnering effectively with leadership and business units; facilitating interpersonal processes; prioritizing multiple stakeholders; and being a value-added contributor in identifying appropriate business solutions which meet the needs of both internal and external customers. Students build their personal consulting skills toolkit, while learning how to add value and HR perspective to initiatives central to their organization’s success. 
Prerequisites: HRM 532 and  HRM 538. Matriculation in the HRM program.

HRM 595 Strategic Human Resources Master's Project
This is an advanced course, designed to examine and research new developments and professional concerns in human resource management. The course focuses on such topics as strategic human resource management, productivity in the American workplace; developing union/management cooperation for productivity; methods of employee learning in the workplace; metrics and measurement in human resources; and specialized needs of the new workforce in a high-tech and service economy.  Students will be guided through professionally oriented activities designed to provide them with culminating experiences that result in a research project and final paper. Topics will vary from semester to semester. Prerequisites: completion of 24 credits of HRM coursework.  Grade of B or better required for degree clearance. No transfer credit or substitutions.