Online, part-time
Global Human Resource Management MScBecome a confident HR leader and navigate global HR challenges with our fully online MSc.
Key information
Study mode: |
100% online |
Duration: |
2 years, part time |
Applications open: |
14 March 2024 |
Application deadline: |
23 August 2024 |
Next start date: |
23 September 2024 |
Intakes: |
January, April and September |
Tuition fees: |
£19,260 * These tuition fees may be subject to increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions. (funding options and instalments are available) |
Course overview
Our online Global HRM MSc equips you with skills to generate, critique and refine workforce strategies at individual, organisational, and international levels. It enables you to validate and enhance your existing knowledge and experience in areas such as employment relations, organisational behaviour, and contemporary HR practice.
Guided by our experts, you'll have the opportunity to apply what you learn to a research and consultancy project. This will mirror the challenges faced by HR directors and consultants.
Ready to join us in September 2024?
Apply nowWhy choose this online MSc?
Become a leading people professional
Our course is for both general and specialist HR managers. It prepares you for becoming a future top-table contributor.
Expertly-designed course content
Study a theory-driven, strategic and contemporary in outlook programme, 100% online giving you total flexibility.
Develop advanced workplace skills
Mirroring the workplace, you’ll have the opportunity to solve a real, complex HR issue posed by an employer.
Informed by King’s world-class research
Our HRM academics actively contribute to work and employment-related thought-leadership in the UK, and internationally.
What you'll study
Research-led and industry-driven, this course explores key areas such as developing strategic HR aims, maintaining well-being at work, and selecting, motivating and developing staff. The curriculum is designed to equip you with the core competencies, behaviours, expertise and specialist knowledge recommended by leading industry bodies.
These include the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). This includes leadership, talent management, consultation and communication, ethical practice, global and cultural effectiveness and inclusive working. It reflects the latest HR developments, such as the growing use of HR data and advanced analytics for strategic workforce planning.
Module overview
This online Global HRM MSc course is comprised of 10 modules, nine 15-credit core modules and one 45-credit core module (180 credits in total). All modules on the course are core and compulsory, and must be passed to complete the award. You’re required to take the following 10 core modules:
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.
Meet your Programme Director
Dr. Penny Simpson
Prior to her successful academic career, Penny gained substantial experience within the fast-paced world of banking, management consulting and private sector HR and organisational development.
In her teaching, she brings both academic and practitioner knowledge of people management, management of change, staff development, leadership, and organisational development. Additionally, she is well-versed in qualitative and quantitative research methods.
How you're assessed
Assessments are designed to test your knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of the topics discussed during the course, as well as your ability to analyse and apply specialist knowledge to practice. The assessment type may vary between modules.
However, they’re likely to include one or more of the following forms:
Written coursework
Written coursework
Online exams
Online exams
Group presentations
Group presentations
Entry requirements
A minimum high 2:1 (65%) honours degree in a social science-related area and at least three years’ relevant post-first-degree work experience.
Please note that if you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may still be considered. You’ll need to demonstrate significant relevant work experience or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a master’s or PGDip).
English language band: B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You’re usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed:
- An undergraduate degree (at least three years duration) within five years of the course start date.
- A postgraduate taught degree (at least one year) within five years of the course start date.
- A PhD in a majority English-speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
You'll need to submit a personal statement and two reference letters as part of your application.
You’ll also need to submit a copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
You’ll need to submit your CV as part of your application to highlight your experience.
Not sure if you meet the requirements, or if the course is right for you? Speak to our team to get tailored support:
Discuss my optionsCareer options in Global HR Management
Our Global HRM MSc enhances your expertise to lead workforces strategically and people management globally. The breadth and depth of knowledge and skills you gain are complemented by practical experience in the industry-led research and consultancy project.
This preparation positions you for senior roles in people management, international HRM, employee relations, business development, and global strategy. You’ll be able to demonstrate specialist knowledge of talent management, leadership, transformation management, workforce motivation and performance, responsible and sustainable HR, and data analytics.
Ready to join us in September 2024?
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