Online, part-time

Global Human Resource Management MSc

Hi. I'm Dr Penny Simpson, the Programme Director for the Global Human Resource Management MSc at King's College London.

This course is unique in its comprehensive approach, combining cutting edge research with practical real world applications.

Our curriculum is meticulously crafted to prepare you for the challenges of modern management in a global context and is designed to empower professionals in navigating today's dynamic and interconnected business landscape.

Our programme is perfect for HR professionals aiming to advance their careers, as well as senior managers looking to integrate HR expertise into strategic decision making.

It is also ideal for those wanting to transition into the HR field, bringing valuable skills from other disciplines.

The programme consists of ten core modules, each designed to deepen your understanding of key HR concepts and practices.

Modules like human resource management in practice and global and comparative HRM provide you with a solid foundation in managing HR functions across diverse cultural and institutional landscapes.

Hi. I'm Dr An Nguyen, and I'm the Deputy Programme Director for the MSc programme. Our HR data analytics module is designed to equip you with the skills to leverage data for informed decision making, an increasingly vital competence in today's data driven work place. This expertise not only enhances your analytical skills, but also your ability to communicate insights effectively to stakeholders.

I'm Professor Michael Clinton, one of the academic leaders on this programme.

Our online platform provides a flexible learning environment, allowing you to study at your own pace while balancing professional and personal commitments.

Our interactive virtual classrooms and group projects offer a rich, collaborative learning experience.

We understand that studying online can present unique challenges.

That's why we offer robust support services including academic advising, career coaching, and access to a vast range of online resources.

Our goal is to ensure that you are fully supported throughout your learning journey. One of the core strengths of our programme is its emphasis on developing a global mindset.

In today's interconnected world, understanding different cultural contexts and international HR practices is crucial.

Being part of this programme means you will join a diverse and vibrant community of professionals from around the world. This not only enriches the learning experience, but also offers invaluable networking opportunities that can lead to international career prospects.

Our modules on leadership and change, strategic and contemporary HRM, and responsible HR practice and sustainability distinguish this programme by not only covering foundational HR topics, but also current global trends and challenges. We aim to develop your strategic thinking, leadership, and problem solving skills essential for high level HR roles.

This programme prepares you for a range of advanced roles, including HR manager, consultant or director.

The skills you acquire such as cross cultural communication and adaptive problem solving will set you apart in this competitive global job market.

Graduates from our programme are well prepared to take on leadership roles in HRM.

Whether you are looking to advance within your current organisation, switch industries, or start a new career in HR, our comprehensive curriculum and the skills that you developed here will open doors to a wide range of opportunities.

Studying online with King's means you gain a world class education from a globally recognised institution, all from the comfort of your preferred place of study. You'll also join a prestigious network of King's alumni, opening doors to opportunities worldwide.

Get in touch with us to find out more about the programme and start your journey with King's College London, where your future in global human resource management begins.

In this module, you’ll be introduced to the core domains of HRM in practice including employee resourcing, employee reward, training and development, talent management, performance management and employee engagement. You’ll also explore the strategic role of the HR function and examine HRM from an international perspective, considering a range of dilemmas faced by HRM practitioners and line managers.

You’ll examine these topics from a critical, evidence-based perspective and apply relevant theories to understanding practical HRM situations. The module is also designed to help you develop key people management skills and competencies required in a global context. 

In this module, you’ll address issues on employee motivation, performance, and wellbeing. You’ll cover theories and human resources management practices for employee motivation, performance, and wellbeing.  

Specifically, you’ll cover principles and practices for performance management, including job analysis, performance measurement, evaluations, and feedback. You’ll be introduced to motivation theories, including reinforcement theory, need theory, self-determination theory, expectancy theory, goal-setting theory, and equity theory, to understand the motivational mechanism behind work performance from different angles.  

Meanwhile, you’ll also discuss motivation practices, such as compensations, rewards, and job design, for how managers and organisations can shape employee motivation, performance, and wellbeing.  

Finally, you’ll address two important topics on employee wellbeing, workplace stress and work-life balance, by discussing theories and human resource management practices on stress management and flexible work arrangement.  

You’ll have opportunities to apply what you learn to analyse cases reflecting real-world managerial issues from different angles, including different stakeholders' perspectives. You’ll also be offered activities to reflect on your work experiences and apply the knowledge learnt from the module to your work contexts. 

In this module, you’ll gain a critical perspective on the employment relationship, including how it's inherently conflictual, with tensions between managers and workers. You'll discover that the employment relationship encompasses different actors, including trade unions, governments, managers, and employees. You’ll also learn that across different countries and contexts, different institutions impact the employment relationship and its actors, and this has implications for inequality.  

You’ll cover the unequal employment relationship and the role of industrial relations and institutions in relation to work and organisations. You’ll develop an understanding of how this impacts diversity and inclusion, wage inequality, job quality and skills. You’ll look at macro perspectives and how these impact the workplace.

You’ll gain a critical appraisal and an appreciation of a sociological perspective that tackles inequality, along with an understanding of how micro-HR initiatives can alleviate some inequalities. Therefore, you’ll see how different theories, cases and evidence relate to employment relations. 

In this module, you’ll be introduced to the use of data analytics in global HRM. You’ll focus on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks presented by data analytics, including ethical implications of these practices. You’ll learn how to carry out quantitative and qualitative analyses, how to interpret the outputs from these processes, and how to effectively communicate the findings to key stakeholders in order to positively impact organisational decision-making, strategy development and policy implementation. The module is designed to develop key skills in contemporary digital technologies, analysis, and communication. 

The global context of HRM challenges us to consider how national culture and regional institutions shape management practices, employment opportunities and work-related experiences. It further offers unique sets of opportunities and constraints for multinational corporations (MNCs) for running their business and managing international human resources.  

This module is designed to help you understand how, and to what extent, national institutional characteristics shape the design and impact of HRM-related policies and practices. You’ll analyse MNC's international strategies, the role of culture and institutions in HR-related variations between countries, and the impact of globalisation on workers around the world. 

In this module, you’ll be introduced to both research methods and consultancy skills which can then be used to analyse and resolve management and HRM problems and explore business opportunities. The emphasis will be on evidence-based and problem-based learning. With research methods, you’ll be introduced to, and expected to apply, a range of research methodologies and methods.  

This module will also critique different frameworks of consultancy. You’ll be introduced to consultancy theory and tools and expected to develop process awareness, understanding and consulting skills through various practical activities and applications. 

In this module, you’ll focus on the role of leadership in organisational change management. You’ll first cover theories and perspectives of leadership, including trait, behavioural, contextual, and relational perspectives, approaching leadership from different angles.  

Next, you’ll discuss organisational change from a process perspective. You’ll be introduced to a process model of change and use this as a framework to discuss the importance of stakeholder management, communication, reactions to change, learning and culture, and employee proactivity in the change process.  

You’ll examine the role of leadership in change under each topic of change management. You’ll be provided opportunities to apply the knowledge learned from the module to analyse cases reflecting real-world issues in organisational change management across different business and geographical settings. You’ll also be offered activities to reflect on your work experiences and apply the knowledge learned from the module to your work contexts. 

In this module, you’ll examine strategic and contemporary HRM that is applicable to a global context. You’ll consider Strategic HRM as compared with more operational HRM and critically consider the strategic role of HRM in addressing current organisational challenges and dilemmas.  

You’ll examine strategic and contemporary HRM from a critical, evidence-based perspective and apply relevant theories to understanding practical Global HRM situations. The module is also designed to promote your global mindset, with the development of a range of key people management skills and competencies required in a national and international context. 

In this module, you’ll explore Responsible HR and Sustainability to develop your insight into the important internal and external contribution that HR can make.

In addition to considering the employee and organisational perspective, you’ll locate HRM within its broader societal and environmental context. Examining challenges from a critical and strategic, evidence-based perspective you’ll apply relevant concepts and theories to build your skills to ensure that you’re well placed to lead the way in enhancing Global HRM, for example with promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and Green HR.   

The module is designed to develop your global mindset and key people management skills and competencies required in a global context, including ethical decision making, adaptive communication, and problem-solving. 

This practice-based module gives you the opportunity to undertake research into, and consultancy on, a specific HRM organisational problem. It’s designed to give you experience in defining and researching a specific academic topic in HRM, building on subject knowledge and professional insights and skills gained through taught modules.

You’ll apply methodological principles and consulting skills developed on the Research and Consulting Skills in HRM module. This will involve original research, the application of research techniques (including quantitative or qualitative approaches), the use of intervention styles in consultancy, and evidence of problem-solving skills to address the business issue with actionable recommendations. The module requires you to apply a global mindset.