Overview
HR masters UK. MA Human Resource Management at Durham University: 6 assessed courses, 180 credits and 1,800 notional learning hours, at 10 hours per credit. The hours on each course add up to that total. Seminars run online. A Durham collegiate campus route is published separately from this online award. This award is the university's own. It is not a CIPD or SHRM credential.
MA Human Resource Management is taught as one award, not a list of unrelated modules. The published length is 18 months, and the credit total is 180. Students move from The employment record through The employment record; Hiring and a fair process; Performance and conduct; Pay, absence, and data; Policy and the limit of the award; Capstone: people file, and finish on Capstone: people file.
Each course has a question, a method, and a submission. In this field, students diagnose one organisation and carry a decision through to a recommendation. Reading is a case, a short financial extract, and a stakeholder note. The artefact a marker expects is a consulting brief a manager could use.
The award is built so that a graduate can do the following in practice: Produce a professional file in Human Resource Management Choose a method and write what the evidence cannot support Keep a record a third party can review
Teaching assumes the student can read a source, attempt a problem before the seminar, and revise after feedback. Attendance at live seminars is part of the design. The capstone or final course must use the methods of the earlier courses; a project that ignores them does not pass.
The pages for each course name the topics that are examined. Those topics are the syllabus. A brochure line is not a substitute for them.
Each credit is 10 notional learning hours. The courses add up to 180 credits and 1,800 hours. This award is the university's own. It is not a CIPD or SHRM credential.
Who This Programme Is For
- ✦People already working around Human Resource Management
- ✦Career-changers who can study without leaving their city
- ✦Teams who need a file they can review, not a slogan
Faculty spotlight
Durham University supervises the courses and the final assessed file. Supervision is assigned from the school that owns the award.
Programme Structure & Delivery
Coursework
Interactive modules, weekly readings, recorded and live seminars, and collaborative discussions with peers worldwide.
Assessment
Module assignments, proctored examinations, and capstone projects designed to demonstrate mastery of the field.
Learning Outcomes
- ✦Produce a professional file in Human Resource Management
- ✦Choose a method and write what the evidence cannot support
- ✦Keep a record a third party can review
- ✦State the limit of the award
- ✦Submit the final project inside the published hours
Career Pathways
- ✦HR advisor
- ✦People coordinator
- ✦Employee-relations officer
- ✦Workforce analyst
- ✦HR business partner
Assessment
Modules are assessed through a published mix of coursework, applied projects, and examinations. Exam windows are announced in advance so students in other time zones are not forced into overnight sittings. Alternative arrangements are available where documented.
Curriculum
Stage 1 — 900 hours
STKTF01The employment record- STKTF01-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — The employment record
- STKTF01-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — The employment record
- STKTF01-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — The employment record
- STKTF01-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — The employment record
- STKTF01-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — The employment record
- STKTF01-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — The employment record
30 creditsSUES802Hiring and a fair process- SUES802-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Hiring and a fair process
- SUES802-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Hiring and a fair process
- SUES802-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Hiring and a fair process
- SUES802-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Hiring and a fair process
- SUES802-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Hiring and a fair process
- SUES802-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Hiring and a fair process
30 creditsSU4SM03Performance and conduct- SU4SM03-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Performance and conduct
- SU4SM03-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Performance and conduct
- SU4SM03-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Performance and conduct
- SU4SM03-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Performance and conduct
- SU4SM03-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Performance and conduct
- SU4SM03-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Performance and conduct
30 creditsStage 2 — 900 hours
SUYRF04Pay, absence, and data- SUYRF04-M1 · The question, the unit of analysis, and data quality — Pay, absence, and data
- SUYRF04-M2 · Features, baselines, and error — Pay, absence, and data
- SUYRF04-M3 · Validation, leakage, and what the model must not decide — Pay, absence, and data
- SUYRF04-M4 · Monitoring, drift, and human review — Pay, absence, and data
- SUYRF04-M5 · Interpretation for a non-technical decision maker — Pay, absence, and data
- SUYRF04-M6 · A supervised project with method, result, and limitation — Pay, absence, and data
30 creditsSUORU05Policy and the limit of the award- SUORU05-M1 · Forum, rule, and parties — Policy and the limit of the award
- SUORU05-M2 · Claim, counterclaim, and the facts that would change the result — Policy and the limit of the award
- SUORU05-M3 · A clause, briefing, or policy note for a named audience — Policy and the limit of the award
- SUORU05-M4 · Sources, revision, and the strength of the authority — Policy and the limit of the award
- SUORU05-M5 · Institutions and the limit of the award — Policy and the limit of the award
- SUORU05-M6 · A supervised paper: question, sources, argument, and defence — Policy and the limit of the award
30 creditsSVIQN06Capstone: people file- SVIQN06-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Capstone: people file
- SVIQN06-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Capstone: people file
- SVIQN06-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Capstone: people file
- SVIQN06-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Capstone: people file
- SVIQN06-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Capstone: people file
- SVIQN06-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Capstone: people file
30 creditsAdmission requirements
Academic entry
- A bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, or equivalent professional standing considered by admissions
Documents
- A statement of about 500 words on why this award fits your work
- Two references, academic or professional
- A CV
Programme questions
How long is the MA Human Resource Management?+
The published duration is 18 months. Teaching language: English. Actual time-to-complete depends on mode and any recognised prior learning.
Can I study this from my country?+
This is a fully online award. You study from your country. No student visa and no campus relocation are required.
What does it cost?+
Degree tuition for this award is published as £0 / tuition-free on the online pathway. Examination or administrative fees may apply at checkout — never an annual tuition invoice. Check the Fees page for any extras.
What are the entry requirements?+
Requirements are grouped on this page (academic, English, documents). Equivalent qualifications are considered. English may be waived after prior English-medium study.
How is the programme assessed?+
Assessment is typically a mix of coursework, projects, and examinations. Doctoral awards include a thesis or dissertation and an oral examination. Details sit in the programme specification and module outlines.
Will this award be recognised where I live?+
Recognition of the award for local employment, professional licence, or ministry attestation is decided by your employer or regulator. Durham University publishes verification pages for certificates. We do not claim automatic equivalence in every country.
How do I apply?+
Start an application on this website. Progress is saved from the first step. Admissions: admissions@durhm.co.uk.
