Gain crucial skills, knowledge and understanding to prepare for your career as an HR professional
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
Join us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.
Upcoming eventsThis course will introduce you to advanced concepts and techniques in the field of human resource management.
Our research-led teaching gives you access to the latest thinking in business leadership, employment relations, organisational growth and sustainability, and the societal impacts of emerging employment practices. You'll consider global and local perspectives, with a particular focus on how organisations can manage their employee resources to gain a competitive advantage.
You'll gain internationally-relevant skills that create career opportunities in consultancy, recruitment, training and other HR roles which facilitate global business.
This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). This is a guarantee of the quality of our programme.
While on this course you can register as a student member of CIPD (CIPD.org), which is the first step towards professional membership. A membership fee is payable if you choose to register.
Alongside your formal classes, we arrange an extensive programme of guest speakers. Visitors from large multinational companies, small businesses and public sector organisations lead discussions on issues linked to their own businesses or past experiences.
Your taught modules will give you a solid grasp of theory, current research and contemporary issues in human resource management, organisational behaviour, work and society, and employment relations on the world stage.
You'll also develop your independent research skills before focusing your efforts on a final 12,000-word dissertation.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
You'll write a 12,000-word dissertation, based on an independent research project. You'll investigate a human resource management issue and propose recommendations for tackling it.
You can choose to focus your research on a topic that interests you. It could be a chance to explore a previous topic in greater depth, or investigate an organisational challenge in an industry close to your heart. Recent titles include:
You'll work with a personal supervisor who will support and guide you. They'll help you develop research questions and identify methods and theories to investigate and analyse your topic.
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
I learned to focus on the essentials and to work more systematically in order to obtain high quality outputs within very limited time. I am now working as a market researcher collecting data and writing reports - just like I used to do when writing my Masters dissertation.Former student, MSc Human Resource Management
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £14,540 | £30,950 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
We offer a number of subject-specific funding opportunities for home and overseas students.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics and experienced HR practitioners who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
You'll be taught via a mix of lectures, seminars and practical workshops. We'll help you develop skills of research and investigation to support your independent learning.
Our tutors are subject experts in their respective fields and many have professional experience in HR management. Previous students have praised our staff for their professionalism, friendly and welcoming manner, and enthusiasm for their subject.
You will be based in the School for Business and Society on Campus West. Most of your teaching will take place in the Church Lane Building, with additional contact hours elsewhere on Campus East and Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Your modules are assessed with a mixture of exams, essays and presentations. You'll also complete formative assignments including presentations and literature reviews. You'll receive feedback on all the work you submit, helping you to understand your strengths and identify areas for improvement.
Your final assessment is a 12,000-word dissertation, which makes up a third of your overall grade.
Our specialist HR academics are supported by practitioners who work closely with professional bodies to ensure our courses reflect the needs of industry.
Our graduates are pursuing HR careers in a wide range of sectors and industries, in the UK and internationally. The understanding of human resource management that this course will give you is essential to businesses around the world.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent in a social science subject. Previous study in management is desirable but not essential. |
| International pre-masters programme | Pre-masters from our International Pathway College |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87, minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.
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