Course Overview and Aims
The course aims to develop critical, competent and reflective practitioners who can perform effectively within a range of business contexts and
demonstrate the capabilities required for professionals in the field of Human Resource Management. It seeks to facilitate the knowledge and understanding of a broad range of HR, managerial and business principles and practices, as well as the development of related skills and competencies. The aims of the course reflect the external reference points and QAA and benchmark in business and management. Further the course aims are consistent with the overall aims of the Faculty’s postgraduate scheme.
Leeds Beckett University (previously Leeds Metropolitan and Leeds Polytechnic) has successfully offered courses of study in personnel
management and human resource management for over forty years. A long and close relationship has existed between the university and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the UK professional body for those working in the management and development of people. The quality of provision has been recognised by the CIPD through awarding the University the status of an ‘approved centre’.
The provision has provided the opportunity for students to obtain a qualification, which is in continual demand by employers, and needed by professionals to enter, and/or to progress in the HR profession.
Postgraduate Employability and Professional Context
The course prepares students to undertake a career in Human Resource Management be it at a practitioner level or research-led. It is mapped in accordance with the QAA’s external reference points and H7 benchmark
statements in business and management. It aims to develop critical thinking and understanding of organisations and their changing external context that support the development and implementation of creative and strategic HR solutions to drive sustained organisational performance.
36 The Dissertation requires students to investigate a HR related business issue and
critically apply concepts to working practices with justified recommendations.
In particular, the following skills are developed: research, critical thinking and evaluation, presentation, independent learning, employability.
Course Learning Outcomes
Please link to “Key Concepts” in the Postgraduate Course Development Principles document
1. Demonstrate a critical, ethical and reflective approach to their professional practice.
2. Evaluate, synthesise and apply advanced and contemporary themes and techniques to a range of complex and open-ended issues, problems and situations in the field of people management and development.
3. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the corporate perspective of personnel and development in a business context.
4. Apply with a degree of creativity and sophistication; intellectual, transferable and subject/ professional skills to a range of complex and open-ended business problems and situations.
5. Evaluate and apply with due regard to ethical and professional
consideration, research methodologies and subject analysis relevant to areas of study.
6. Make informed judgements from investigation and analysis in the absence of complete data.
7. Learn independently and interdependently accepting responsibility for subsequent career and continuing professional development.
8. Illustrate originality in the analysis of theory and in the construction and analysis of research findings through the production of a significant piece of high level independent work (Dissertation). Normally, the focus of the work will feature a critical analysis of strategic aspects of human resource management and development whilst providing an ability to
37 choose a relevant research subject that adds positively to the pool of established research into current HR related business issues
Course Structure Level 7
The aims of the course are consistent with the overarching aims of The University’s Academic Principles & Regulations and internal quality assurance infrastructure which has been informed by the following:-
The QAA Code of Practice and specifically ‘The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (January 2011)’.
The QAA ‘Subject Benchmarks for Masters Awards in Business and Management’ (2007 & 2010)
The University's review and revision of its own regulatory framework.
The purpose of The University’s Academic Principles & Regulations and internal quality assurance infrastructure is to provide a facilitative framework within which courses:
Provide a coherent, flexible and supportive learning environment which enables students to develop their intellectual and professional potential, for effective performance.
Build on prior learning and experience to enhance career opportunities through further study, self-development and continuous professional development.
Provide an advanced and relevant curriculum suitable to the needs of the students and to the needs of the wider
business world for exceptional levels of performance.
Foster the development of: transferable, personal,
38 intellectual, and professional skills and competencies.
Develop an analytical and critical assessment of existing knowledge and emerging research findings.
This course has been designed to meet the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Benchmark standards for Master's degrees in business and management, 2007
Section 5.2 states that once they are in professional practice, master's graduates should be able to:
consistently apply their knowledge and subject-specific and wider intellectual skills
deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to a range of audiences
be proactive in recognising the need for change and have the ability to manage change
be adaptable, and show originality, insight, and critical and reflective abilities which can all be brought to bear upon problem situations
make decisions in complex and unpredictable situations
evaluate and integrate theory and practice in a wide range of situations
be self-directed and able to act autonomously in planning and implementing projects at professional levels
take responsibility for continuing to develop their own knowledge and skills
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is derived from the University requirements for a balance of assessment methods across the course. The purpose of the Assessment Strategy is to enable students to demonstrate that they have fulfilled the objectives and learning outcomes of the programme of study and achieved the standard required for the award of MAHRM. Assessment will be designed to ensure that students can demonstrate a thorough critical and analytical understanding of theoretical knowledge, concepts and current practice and that a range of generic personal and core personnel skills have been developed throughout the course.
The strategy enables the modules to determine an appropriate assessment method for the nature of learning on the module.
39 Dissertation
Students undertake an independent research led dissertation requiring in the earlier parts of the course, a research proposal and an ethics release form.
Programme Structure
MA HRM
Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 3
Research methods workshops
Resulting in your Dissertation Proposal + Dissertation (60 credits)