MSc International Human Resource Management

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Course overview

This Masters degree prepares students to work as Human Resource Management (HRM) professionals or people managers within international organisations.

Students studying this Masters course will receive a grounding in international HRM, focusing on the development of a strategic function within global organisations. As well as developing a comparative awareness of the various elements of HRM practice, notably: training and development; recruitment and selection; and performance management, students will also be equipped with a range of analytical, diagnostic and facilitative tools to support their future careers.

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How we teach you

A holistic approach

Effective leadership requires more than first-class business acumen. It also requires a degree of self-awareness and sensitivity. Henley is renowned for its well-researched, professional approach to this aspect of business education and all our postgraduate courses examine this aspect of leadership. This creates emotionally intelligent graduates who can be fully effective in their chosen careers.

How you will learn

Henley enjoys a strong reputation for the practical application of business ideas and concepts. We are underpinned by academic excellence and the strength of our research. We offer high-quality technical skills training as well as a deep understanding of the importance of personal development for leaders. This is a thread that is woven through all of our Masters programmes.

Our Masters programmes feature a mix of core and optional modules, tailoring your degree towards your needs and career ambitions. You will complete up to 10 taught modules during your programme, totalling 180 credits. One module usually equates to 20 credits or 10 hours of work per week. Your week will include lectures, tutorials, workshops and personal study, with each accounting for 25% of your time on average. This provides you with the opportunity to discuss and explore the material in depth with your lecturers and fellow students.

You will be introduced to the latest thinking and research findings then have the opportunity to challenge those that have created it. You will also explore real-world issues, tackle current business challenges, and interact with guest lectures and speakers from industry. This gives you the opportunity to test, extend and refine your knowledge and skills with confidence.

How we assess you

You will learn and be assessed through a wide variety of teaching methods depending on your chosen postgraduate course. These include online materials, guest lectures, group assignments, case studies, field visits, dealing room simulations, presentations, applied projects, consultancy work and examinations.

On average examinations of core modules form between 15 - 50% of the assessed work. The remaining comes from coursework, including a written dissertation or project depending on your chosen programme. The exam period falls between April and June in the summer term.

Ongoing support

While postgraduate students are self-motivated and determined individuals, study at this level can present additional pressures which we take seriously. Lecturers are available to discuss module content and you can meet with your academic tutor to discuss any additional issues. Support staff are available to help with any questions or issues that may arise during your time at Henley.

How to apply

Apply for 2021 entry now

There are two different application processes: apply online and apply by post.

The quickest and easiest way to apply for our Masters courses is through the University of Reading’s online application service.

This allows you to complete your application information, attach electronic copies of your academic transcripts, certificates and other supporting information. It also provides a facility for an email request to be sent to your referees. This enables the referees to send your supporting references directly to us.

Apply online

Apply online now using the University of Reading's online application system.

Apply by post

If you are unable to apply online you can request a paper application form by telephoning +44(0) 118 378 5289. Alternatively, you can apply by writing to the Admissions Office, University of Reading, Miller Building, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AB, UK.

When to apply

We operate a rolling admissions system and it is recommended that you apply early to secure your place. There is no specific deadline and applications will be considered until the programme is full. However, to allow us time to process your application we recommend that you apply by the following dates:

  • UK/EU applicants: by 1 August
  • International applicants: by 1 June

After you apply

You will receive a confirmation email when we receive your application form. Your application is then reviewed by a member of staff. Successful applicants will receive a formal offer letter outlining any necessary entry cri­teria you will need to meet and you will be asked to confirm your acceptance of this offer.

If you require a Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for your visa, details will be sent by email once all conditions of the offer have been met.

Throughout the admissions process we will keep you updated with key information via email. We also provide opportunities to interact with faculty and staff online.

Find us on Facebook and keep up-to-date with news and events at Henley or ask us a question. In addition, you can speak to a current student, our students are always happy to share their Henley experience.

Meet Us

If you are unable to attend a postgraduate event please get in touch with our team. We will be happy to speak to you by telephone, Skype or through our Live Chat system (during UK office hours: 9 - 5 pm).

Our contact details are: postgraduate@henley.ac.uk or telephone: +44 (0) 118 378 7593.

Please see our list of world fairs below where you can meet a Henley representative.

UK

  • Virtual Masters Visit Day

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EUROPE

  • Virtual Masters Visit Day

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ASIA

  • QS World Grad School Tour Online – Vietnam & Thailand

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  • QS World Grad School Tour Online – Indonesia

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  • Virtual Masters Visit Day

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  • QS World Grad School Tour Online - Japan

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  • QS World Grad School Tour Online - Philippines

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INDIA & THE MIDDLE EAST

  • Virtual Masters Visit Day

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AFRICA

  • Virtual Masters Visit Day

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AMERICAS

  • Virtual Masters Visit Day

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Faculty & Staff

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Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact us by email at postgraduate@henley.ac.uk or by phone on +44 (0)118 378 7593.

Important Information

Duration: 12 months full-time

Starts: September 2021

Assessment: Exams, applied project and individual and group assignments

Henley's Reputation:

  • Consistently maintain highest standards and with an excellent networking potential of over 80,000 Henley alumni members in 150 countries
  • High calibre students: always oversubscribed, 1,000 ambitious new Masters students join Henley each year
  • Award winning campus: beautiful, green, 134 hectares, with state of the art facilities
  • World-leading faculty: widely published, frequently asked for expert comment by media and to speak at events

Henley is proud to be part of the University of Reading. The University is ranked within the top 250 universities worldwide*. Additionally, 98% of the research is rated as being of international standard.

*Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018 and QS World University Rankings 2018.

Course modules

The module descriptions set out on this page are correct for modules being taught in the current academic year. Optional module listings are indicative and may be subject to change

Modules Credits

Compulsory Modules:

This module aims to introduce students to the core concepts and models underlying contemporary strategic management, their theoretical and empirical foundations, their limitations, the arguments surrounding them and their practical application to real issues facing real companies. This module provides students with an understanding of the conceptual and analytical tools of strategic management and economics.

  • Theories, frameworks and introduction
  • Internal resources and competencies of firms
  • External environment in which firms operate
  • The process of internationalisation
  • Globalisation and regional integration
  • Collaborative behaviour and strategic alliances
  • Integration/responsiveness framework and strategy

See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

This module aims to help students get the most from the learning opportunities offered during their MSc course. It provides students with an understanding of what is required to perform well in essays, dissertations, projects, report writing and examinations at the University of Reading. It develops students’ awareness of the appropriate use of methodology, theory, data, literature reviews and original research for a Masters dissertation or project.
  • Essay and exam skills
  • Learning styles
  • Literature review
  • Selecting an appropriate methodology
  • Good research practice
  • Specific research methods
  • MSc dissertation and project

See Full Description
0 [0 ECTS credits]

This course is about how organisations behave and how people behave in organisational settings. It is both practically useful and intellectually challenging. The module will explore three distinct bodies of knowledge: firstly, your informal and tacit knowledge of organisations gained from everyday life; secondly, the mainstream approaches to organisational behaviour (OB) and management studies; and finally, alternative, critical approaches drawn from OB and the wider social sciences.

Topics include:

  • Motivational theory
  • Critical approaches to motivation and work
  • Technology and progress
  • Varieties of authority
  • Power in organisations
  • Bureaucratic rationality
  • Post-bureaucracy: real or imagined?
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

This module gives an overview of the principles of human resource management (HRM) and the evolution of the HR function. It provides a grounding in the key constructs and principles in HRM so that these may examined from a comparative perspective in MMM079 or from a critical perspective in MMM048 (Managing People and Organisations). It considers approaches to HR strategy, as well as key HR processes.

  • Principles, definitions and origins of HRM; approaches to HRM strategy; the HR value proposition
  • Principles and practice of resourcing, recruitment and selection
  • Linking principles of motivation to HR practices
  • Principles and practice of managing performance
  • Principles and practice of reward management
  • Principles of development
  • Ethics, work–life balance and principles of welfare
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

This module aims to introduce students to the key concepts required for understanding comparative human resource management, in order to explore the practice of managing human resources within international businesses. Students will gain an awareness of, and reflect upon, the variations in the practice of managing human resources in different countries and cultures.

  • Development of cultural awareness through practical experience of, and reflection upon, working in cross-cultural teams
  • Convergence vs divergence in HRM practices
  • Cross-cultural perspectives on HRM
  • Institutional perspectives on HRM
  • Case study examples from different countries
  • Comparative HRM practices
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

This module aims to prepare students to work internationally in an HR or management role where transformational and change programmes will be a part of organisational life and their remit. It also aims to develop relevant skills and to encourage a reflective approach to their own personal development as a change manager and internal consultant.

  • Introduction to organisational, HR and individual transformation and development; external and internal factors driving change
  • Change models in context and the role of the change facilitator
  • Individual factors for change and internal consultancy skills
  • The impact of organisational culture, values and ethics in managing change
  • Linking strategy, leadership, engagement and commitment
  • Planning and communicating change
  • Implementing and sustaining change
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

This module aims to provide students with a broad understanding of the choices made by multinational organisations with regard to managing their employees across different countries by introducing key concepts, theories and contemporary practices. It also aims to develop skills required to work in the international context through practical group work in multi-cultural teams.

  • Global challenges and international human resource management (HRM) strategy
  • Global corporate culture in multinational enterprises (MNEs)
  • Global staffing and global talent management
  • Managing expatriation
  • Developing global leaders
  • Diffusion of HRM practices in MNEs
  • Managing global HR function in MNEs
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

This module aims to foster a critical awareness of organisational design (OD) issues to enable informed decision-making in the workplace. The course will highlight contemporary thinking, which places greater emphasis on a more adaptive, emergent process of organising to suit complex changing circumstances within an international context. Theory and practice of contemporary organising are examined for their links with organisational performance.

  • The structural perspective: hierarchy and traditional design choices
  • The relational perspective: groups and teams
  • The relational perspective: networks and virtual organising
  • The information perspective: the role of information and ITC in OD
  • Designing across borders
  • Re-designing organisations: change and OD approaches
  • Re-designing and downsizing organisations
  • Designing the post-industrial organisation
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

This module aims to provide students with an opportunity to define and execute an independent piece of research in international human resource management on an approved topic of their choice. Under the guidance of a supervisor, the module also aims to develop student’s ability to research, problem-solve, learn independently and make effective use of their time and the resources available.

  • Introductory session setting out the requirements of the project
  • Lectures on study skills, covering key approaches and methods for the project
  • Review of previous project reports
  • Three face-to-face supervision meetings
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

Optional Modules

Students must choose 20 credits of option modules so as to complete a total of 180 credits.

Students may choose to substitute MMM082 (Project in International Human Resource Management, 20 credits) with a dissertation MMM089 worth 40 credits, plus no optional module.

This module aims to provide a basic set of frameworks, concepts and theories from international trade, international business, and economic geography to analyse international environments and their impact on multinational firms. It addresses questions of contemporary capitalism, discusses global value chains, and conveys in-depth understanding of various business environments, such as the European Union and the rise of emerging markets.
  • Globalisation and the new competitive realities
  • Institutions, policies and national/regional competitiveness
  • Technological shifts and national innovation systems
  • Global value chains and production networks
  • Geopolitical economy and ‘varieties of capitalism’
  • The business environments of the European Union, North America, Japan and emerging markets (e.g. China)

See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

The internet has created significant new opportunities for organisations to reach and build relationships with customers. At the same time, many firms struggle with making a successful transition from offline to online marketing. This module provides knowledge of the key tools required to implement a successful digital marketing strategy. This includes search engine marketing, social media and web analytics.

  • Digital marketing in context
  • Search engine marketing
  • Web analytics
  • Mobile and email marketing
  • Optimising for search engines
  • Effective user experience
  • Consumer privacy and regulation
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]

This module aims to provide a foundation in international corporate social responsibility. It draws on the key theories and literature regarding applied ethics and international firm responsibility as they relate to organisational and related management practices. It aims to develop the analytical and discussion skills required for understanding and decision-making, thus enabling international management to engage ethically and responsibly with shareholders and stakeholders.

  • International corporate social responsibility (CSR) – basic theory frameworks and critical current perspectives
  • CSR and globalisation
  • Responsibility and multinational enterprises (MNEs)
  • Normative and descriptive ethical theories – judging and acting ethically in international contexts
  • Responsible corporate governance
  • Socially responsible investment (SRI)
See Full Description
20 [10 ECTS credits]
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Fees & funding

UK/HomeInternational
2021 Entry£13,600£22,500

UK/Home Postgraduate Loans

Loans of up to £11,222 are available to eligible students studying for postgraduate Masters courses from the 2021-2022 Academic year. In general, students need to be domiciled in England.

You can apply for a loan through the UK Government website. You can read more about the scheme on the Student Loans Company website or on these two UK Government sites: Introduction of loans for postgraduate students and Government response to the Consultation on Support for Postgraduate Study.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

Entry Requirement Criteria
Undergraduate degree Minimum 2:1 or the equivalent from an Internationally recognised university
Degree discipline Any discipline

See  country and region-specific information and entry requirements for International applicants  or please contact us with any questions.

English Language Requirements

Studying in a second language can be challenging. If your English language ability is below the minimum requirement, we may ask for evidence of proficiency. Alternatively, we may ask you to attend an English language course before you begin your studies with us.

  • We require an International English Language Test Scores (IELTS) score of 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in any sub-skills.
  • We now accept Duolingo scores for 2021 entry. Students are required to have a score of 120 with no subscore less than 95 (with recommendation to take 2 week pre-enrolment support course). With a Pre-sessional English Course we offer: 115 plus 6 week Course, or 110 plus 9 week Course.

Our  International Study and Language Institute  (ISLI) offers a comprehensive range of  Pre-sessional English (PSE) courses.  We encourage all students who have not lived or studied in an English-speaking country before to register for one. Students completing pre-sessional courses would be allowed entry onto their chosen programme after achieving an overall score of 6.5  with scores of no less than 5.5 in each of the four sub-skills.

Equivalent English Language Qualifications will also be accepted. If you require specific advice on your qualification please contact our admissions office directly by e-mail or telephone on +44 118-378-5289.

UK visa requirements

  • If you are not a national of the UK, you may need to obtain a UK visa. This visa will allow you to live and study in the UK. See the  UK Border Agency website. Contact the University's International Office with any questions:  intoff@reading.ac.uk.

New Graduate Route

From the summer of 2021, the UK's new Graduate Route post-study work visa allows you to apply to stay in the UK for up to two years after you graduate, with the opportunity to undertake skilled work. Visit the University website for the latest information.

Careers

How can Henley Careers work with you?

We have an award-winning careers team that will support you through your postgraduate studies and four years after graduation.

Here is how Henley Careers can help you:

  • Careers Consultant appointments: Our Careers Consultant are here to help and support you with any careers related concern that you might have. Whether it’s CV advice, practicing for an interview, providing feedback if applications aren't successful or support planning your career goals. We are here to help empower you to progress in your career.
  • Events: Henley Careers organise numerous events aimed to help you build your confidence, develop the skills employers are looking for. Additionally, network with employers and expand your industry knowledge.
  • Alumni support: You can continue to book one-to-one appointments with your Careers Consultant and use our online resources. For up to four years after graduating we’re here to help and support in your career.
  • Career Smart: Get a head start in securing a graduate job by taking part in our online course, Career Smart. You can expect to learn about the graduate recruitment cycle in the UK. As well as where to look and how to start applying to jobs, and the different roles available to you.

For more information please see our Careers page.

Continuing your career

Our International Human Resource Management graduates follow a variety of paths upon graduation. Some enter (or return to) traditional HRM roles with the benefit of CIPD membership. Typical career paths include roles in learning and development or recruitment. The programme is relevant to students seeking senior managerial positions in international organisations with responsibility for the management of people.

CIPD logoOur graduates tell us that our postgraduate degree gives them the key skills required to build a career in HRM and the opportunity for CIPD membership.

Accreditation Information

The programme is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Successful students currently in CIPD student membership will also qualify to achieve professional associate status (Assoc. CIPD) at the end of their studies.

Professional accreditation

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the world’s largest Chartered HR development professional body. It has members from over 120 countries worldwide. Henley is delighted that its Masters programme in International HRM has been approved for membership of the CIPD. As this Masters degree provides the skills and knowledge necessary for professional membership of the CIPD. Therefore providing an excellent opportunity for students who wish to work within the HR function.

CIPD_App_Centre_logo_Purple_Large_RGB.jpg

For more information on how this Masters degree can help lead to professional recognition from CIPD please contact pgmanagement@henley.ac.uk.

Speak to a student

Our students and alumni are always keen to share their Henley experience. Whether you are a prospective applicant or already applied to a Masters programme at Henley Business School. You can ask questions to a current student by clicking the “Chat to our students” button bellow.

When contacting one of our students, please introduce yourself and the Masters programme you have applied for.

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