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The Human Resources Department within a business is essential for managing people and implementing functions and activities.
Human resources is a research area that covers the concepts, philosophies, and methods of managing personnel in the workplace. It covers hiring, choosing, training and development, pay and benefits, working with others, performance evaluation, and legal compliance.
Additional Resources:
- The Most Affordable Master’s in Human Resources (HR) Graduate School Programs Online
- Best Online Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
- Best Online PhD in Human Resources
Overview
Online Master of Human Resources/Human Resources Management Programs are specifically designed for working adult students. The curriculum of an online HR degree is identical to an on-campus HR program. An online HR master’s program frequently includes a range of interactive components to encourage student interaction and cooperation.
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Methodology
When choosing an online degree program in Human Resources, it’s essential to consider your options carefully. Choosing the wrong program will drastically impact your career prospects, education experience, and overall satisfaction.
It took us several hours to research reputable Online Master’s In Human Resources programs! We made sure that certain criteria were met by each of the graduate programs that made it to our list:
- The Online Master’s in Human Resources delivered online or as a hybrid program, offers a curriculum that is identical to its on-campus program to ensure that online learners receive the same high-quality education.
- The Online Master’s in HR courses are up-to-date with the HR field, preparing students for a doctorate program or helping them advance in their careers.
- The program demonstrates academic leadership in Human Resources Management by ranking highly in listings and maintaining high student satisfaction and success rates,
- The faculty of the program should be well-established HR professionals.
- Various financial aid opportunities are offered to qualified master’s degree students to reduce educational costs.
- Several networking opportunities are available to both online and on-campus learners.
- Online students enjoy similar student services as their on-campus counterparts.
- The university must have obtained proper programmatic and regional accreditation.
Read our Methodology page and explore the details behind our ranking process.
10 Best Online Master’s in Human Resources Graduate Schools
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Online Master of Science – Human Resource Management
USC is a prestigious higher education institution recognized for its academic brilliance, extensive history, and active campus life. It’s also one of the best research colleges in the country. USC offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in many different sectors taught by esteemed professionals.
- USC Online offers a comprehensive MS in Human Resource Management designed to be completed entirely online, with no required on-campus intensives.
- This degree is designed for working HR professionals who want to advance their skill set for leadership and management positions.
- Students receive a comprehensive HR education covering business culture and employee motivation.
- Students can choose to pursue a one-year or two-year track.
- Students explore core HR management courses, including talent acquisition and retention, change management, and corporate culture.
Standout Features:
USC’s online human resources program is best enrolled by people looking for mid and senior-level employment in their current workplaces. It is also best for students who want to change careers in the human resources and leadership fields.
Did You Know?
USC is one of the institutions in the United States for research funding. The institution conducts ground-breaking research in several areas, including engineering, social sciences, and health sciences. The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education ranks USC as one of the top institutions for public and private universities.
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT
Online Master of Science – Human Resource Management
The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a well-known public research university with various programs and several distinguishing features. UConn places high importance on worldwide engagement and provides various study-abroad options, collaborations, and learning initiatives. Students can encounter diverse cultures, widen their minds, and gain a global perspective.
- Busy working adult students are best suited for UConn’s online master in human resource management flexible program.
- This is a 33-credit, non-thesis online master’s degree.
- Among the topics covered in classes are human resource management, career management, coaching others and improving oneself, interpersonal relations, ethical leadership, and talent management across the employee lifecycle.
- Students can complete the required hours in 20 months with the help of a supportive cohort-based community.
- Modern courses are taught in seven-week terms, created and directed by highly qualified professors.
- Graduates can pursue careers in Employment Law, Labor Relations, Marketing, Accounting, and others.
Standout Features:
Students can pursue a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources or the dual business degree option that combines an MBA with an MS in HRM. These offerings can be completed 100% online or in a hybrid learning format.
Did You Know?
UConn offers an Honors Program for academically driven students with better educational opportunities through smaller class sizes, specialized curriculum, research opportunities, and a close-knit community of like-minded people. The initiative encourages intellectual development and makes it easier for students to communicate with professors.
Florida International University
Miami, FL
Online Master of Science – Human Resource Management
FIU is situated in one of the busiest and top cities in the United States, allowing students to obtain several chances for internships, networking, and practical experience. FIU provides extensive career services to help students with career discovery, job placement, internships, and networking.
- FIU offers an online MS in Human Resource Management program through Alvah H. Chapman Jr. School of Business.
- Students enroll in a 38 credit hours program that top-tier graduate business and healthcare coursework.
- Students will enroll in two courses at a time, two of which will be offered in an 8-week format.
- Students benefit from its accelerated coursework that can be completed in 12 months.
- Students can either have an HR Internship or a Career Services Professional Development Seminar at the program’s conclusion.
- These courses cover reward systems management, labor issues and dispute resolution, high participation human resource management, employment law and HRM, and critical thinking in human resource management.
- All program participants are required to complete a 120-hour residence in Miami, Florida.
Standout Features:
FIU’s master’s in human resources online program allows students to earn their Lean Six Sigma Yellow and Green Belts and participate in various professional development workshops.
Did You Know?
FIU is known for having an entrepreneurial attitude and supporting new business endeavors. The institution has programs and services specifically designed to assist current students and graduates in pursuing their entrepreneurial endeavors, starting their own enterprises, and finding funding and mentorship possibilities.
Rutgers University
Piscataway, NJ
Online Professional Master’s in Human Resource Management
As a comprehensive university, Rutgers offers a wide variety of academic programs in many different fields. More than 150 undergraduate majors and more than 400 graduate programs, including well-known ones in business, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and health sciences, are available at the institution.
- The online Professional Master’s in Human Resource Management at Rutgers is tailored for applicants with 4+ years of experience as human resource managers or supervisors.
- The curriculum helps HR professionals pursue senior management positions.
- A full-time student can finish the online MHRM degree in as little as 18 months.
- For part-time students, there is no set minimum course load per semester.
- Students can enroll during the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.
- The core faculty are subject-matter specialists in the subjects they teach.
- The complete program curriculum, which consists of 8 core HR courses that must be taken, a capstone project, and 3 electives, has been established to ensure quality in instructional design.
Standout Features:
Along with the academic specialists providing the training, students can meet with seasoned classmates in their program cohort, expanding their professional networks and exchanging in-depth industry knowledge.
Did You Know?
In addition to its academics, Rutgers is widely known for its college football. It’s no wonder since Rutgers is the birthplace of college football. Rutgers and Princeton University squared off on November 6, 1869, in what is regarded as the first intercollegiate football game.
The University of Arizona Global Campus
Alameda, CA
Online Master of Human Resources Management
The University of Arizona is well-known for being one of the top land-grant universities in the United States. It was established in 1885 by a territory legislature act and was the first university in Arizona. ASU is renowned now for its entrepreneurial and innovative approach to higher education.
- The Forbes School of Business and Technology at UAGC offers one of the best online master’s degree programs in human resources.
- Students can enroll in one course at a time, allowing them to continue working full-time.
- This MHRM program aims to equip students with the necessary skills to keep professional firms competitive worldwide.
- There’s a $0 application fee.
- The program has received multiple awards from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
- This MHRM program can be completed in two years.
- Students explore courses that discuss the foundations of a standard transactional HR function and the financial, leadership, workforce planning, and change and strategic human resource management.
Standout Features:
The University of Arizona Global Campus is known for its accelerated offerings. UAGC’s online MHRM allows students to enroll in fast, accelerated 6-week courses and graduate in less than two years.
Did You Know?
The Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab is a private observatory owned by the University of Arizona. The largest revolving and polishing mirror in the world, with a staggering 8.4 meters in diameter, is located there. The mirror lab is an expert in creating big, accurate mirrors for astronomical telescopes, which allow astronomers to probe the depths of the cosmos.
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, NH
Online Master Science in Human Resources Management
Since its founding in 1932, the SNHU has evolved from a school of accounting and secretarial science into an organization offering over 200 programs, from certificates to doctoral-level degrees, in business, education, liberal arts, social sciences, and STEM.
- SNHU offers an online MS in Human Resources Management designed to prepare graduates for human resources jobs at the managerial level by teaching them problem-solving and decision-making techniques and management and ethical principles.
- The total number of credit hours needed for the MHRM is 36.
- Courses of the program explore topics in leadership, business, law, ethics, and other topics involved in managing an organization.
- It’s a career-focused program that focuses on the essential skills listed by SHRM, such as technology, hiring, and the changing nature of the workforce.
- Students will be required to finish a capstone project that can be used to prove the skills and knowledge they’ve gained throughout the program.
- The university provides students with 24/7 access to the online classroom.
Standout Features:
Applicants with no educational or professional background in business can still gain admission to SNHU’s master’s in HR management. Students without business experience will start the program with Business Foundations courses that will help them familiarize the terminology and subjects necessary to succeed in the master’s in human resources program.
Did You Know?
SNHU is now considered one of the fastest-growing institutions in the United States, with over 3,000 students studying on-campus, 135,000 students online, and a network of over 100,000 alums.
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Online Master’s in Human Resources Management
Georgetown is the country’s oldest Catholic and Jesuit institution, founded in 1789. GU offers a distinctive educational experience that equips the following generation of global citizens to lead and change the world, drawing on the 450-year tradition of Jesuit education. Students at GU can study and live in the country’s political hub while still being just ten minutes from the White House.
- Georgetown offers one of the best master’s in human resources programs dedicated to flexibility and high-quality education.
- The curriculum emphasizes practical and theoretical approaches to help students further their careers and earn more money in various human resources jobs.
- Students customize the curriculum to better prepare for specific occupations.
- Students must participate in real-world case studies, team-based learning, and action learning projects.
- The credits needed to earn the master’s degree are 33.
- Full-time MHRM students can earn this degree in two years, while part-timers are given up to 5 years to complete all coursework.
- Most online courses are asynchronous, giving students a flexible schedule for listening to lectures, finishing readings, and turning in assignments.
Standout Features:
Online learners acquire practical experience through local professional internships. The program encourages graduate students to go to networking events to widen their network of contacts in the business world.
Did You Know?
Numerous noteworthy alums from Georgetown University have succeeded in various professions. Former US President Bill Clinton, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, actor Bradley Cooper, and business CEO Indra Nooyi are some notable alumni.
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
Online Master of Science – Leadership & Human Resource Development
LSU is a prestigious research university committed to finding solutions no one else has been able to. It has a vision for the future. Students have their pick of many top programs and possibilities for practical experience working with outstanding instructors in more than 235 different fields of study.
- LSU’s online MS in Leadership and Human Resource Development is a well-regarded human resources program that develops students’ leadership and change management expertise.
- Graduates can apply what they’ve learned in manufacturing, education, business, healthcare, information technology, hospitality, and community development companies.
- The program offers an accelerated format, allowing students to graduate in a year.
- Students will complete 36 graduate hours by enrolling in a new course every seven weeks while completing 12 courses.
- Graduates will be able to use strategic goal planning, consulting, and change initiatives to capitalize on human resource efforts to improve the organizational performance of the business.
- Online students will have various opportunities for networking and career counseling.
- LSU’s online human resource program is one of the most affordable degrees.
Standout Features:
The Master of Science in Leadership and Human Resource Development program at LSU strives to close the knowledge gap between theory and application. Students can apply HR principles and methods to actual workplace circumstances through case studies, practical projects, and real-world experiences.
Did You Know?
LSU received $324 million in research funding in 2022 as a premier research university. This funding is expected to have a $943 million economic impact on the entire state.
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
Online Master’s in Human Resource Management
Liberty University, well known for its comprehensive online education options, has a strong Christian legacy and integration of Christian values and principles into its educational programs. Liberty is a well-liked option for online education because of its comprehensive online course offerings and services.
Moreover, Liberty creates a welcoming environment for students aiming for a Christian worldview education by heavily emphasizing students’ spiritual growth in addition to their academic endeavors.
- One of Liberty’s prized online degree programs is the Master in Human Resource Management.
- This is a 33-credit program that can be finished in as little as one year.
- The program includes courses in Contemporary Issues in human resource management, workforce planning and employment, compensation management, and employment law and ethics.
- Online students can access various support services, including academic counseling, professional development, a writing center, and an online library.
- Each course lasts eight weeks.
- Students have no defined login times.
Standout Features:
The online Master’s in Human Resources at Liberty is the best degree for students seeking to integrate Christianity with their studies. This degree allows students to investigate how religion and human resource management connect, taking into account the moral and ethical ramifications in the workplace.
Did You Know?
Liberty University actively participates in international outreach and missions. The institution supports numerous domestic and international mission trips, allowing students to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds and perform humanitarian activities worldwide.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
Master of Arts in Human Resource Management
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is known for offering its students a dynamic and transformative learning experience for an affordable price. It provides a person-centered educational experience built on exceptional teaching and active, engaging student learning.
Moreover, SMUMN is a comprehensive institution that provides a cutting-edge blend of professional training and liberal education that allows graduates to thrive in the challenges of the twenty-first century.
- SMUMN offers comprehensive online courses, including a Master of Arts in Human Resource Management.
- Students must complete 36 hours to earn a master’s degree.
- Graduate students will learn how to analyze and make informed decisions for the business and its employees and how to handle organizational issues from a strategic perspective.
- This program is concentrated on human resources, cross-departmental training, and employee development.
- Students are prepared for PHR/SPHR certification through the program’s curriculum.
- Students at Saint Mary’s typically complete their master’s degrees in 24 months.
- Students can pursue a graduate certificate in various areas, including international development, finance, healthcare administration, human resource management, nonprofit management, and project management.
Standout Features:
Students can pursue a graduate certificate in various areas, including international development, finance, healthcare administration, human resource management, nonprofit management, and project management.
Did You Know?
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota was named Minnesota’s “Best Value” among Midwest regional universities by US News & World Report in 2022. SMUMN is one of the best schools to obtain financial assistance, with over 99% of their students receiving financial aid.
Online Master’s in Human Resources Overview
The human resources field can be advanced-educated in and specialized-trained through an online master’s program in human resources. It is made for students and professionals seeking to improve their knowledge and abilities in strategic HR management, employee relations, training and development, remuneration, and benefits.
Program Structure
With courses that cover essential HR topics, online HR programs often have a comparable structure to their on-campus counterparts. The program can be finished 100% online, allowing students to study whenever and wherever they can access the internet.
Curriculum
Depending on the institution offering the degree and its particular concentration areas, the curriculum for a Master’s in Human Resource Management can differ slightly. The most common courses found in online master’s in human resources degrees include:
- Change Management
- Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
- Employee Engagement and Motivation
- Employee Relations and Conflict Resolution
- Ethical and Legal Issues in HR
- Foundations of Human Resource Management
- HR Consulting and Business Partnering
- HR in the Digital Age
- HR Information Systems and Technology
- HR Metrics and Analytics
- HR Strategy and Planning
- Organizational Behavior and Leadership
- Performance Management and Appraisal
- Strategic HR Management
- Talent Acquisition and Management
A lot of online master’s in human resources programs call for a capstone course or an internship. Working on a research project to solve a human resources issue is a requirement of the capstone course.
Common Specializations
- Employment Law and Compliance
This focus area emphasizes the legal facets of human resource management. Employment contracts, legislation against discrimination and harassment, workplace health and safety rules, labor relations, and employee rights may all be covered in this concentration area.
- International HR Management
International HR Management focuses on examining human resources methods across the world. International staffing, expatriate management, cross-cultural management, global HR strategies, and adherence to international labor regulations are just some of the subjects that students may study.
- Talent Management
This focuses on methods and techniques for finding, developing, and keeping talent. Topics, including performance management, employee engagement, succession planning, and talent sourcing, may be covered in courses.
- HR Analytics
This area focuses on using data analysis and metrics to inform HR decision-making. This concentration’s courses may address workforce planning, predictive analytics, data visualization, and HR reporting.
- Training and Development
This concentration emphasizes the planning, carrying out, and reviewing of training programs. Assessment of training needs, e-learning, leadership development, instructional design, and employee learning methodologies are among the topics that students may study.
- Organizational Development
This focuses on controlling organizational development and change. Corporate culture, employee engagement tactics, change management theories, and organizational effectiveness initiatives may all be taught to students.
- HR Leadership and Strategy
This HR area focuses on creating HR executives who can influence strategic choices. Students may explore topics in HR strategies, HR business partnerships, HR consultancy, and coordinating HR practices with organizational objectives.
- Compensation and Benefits
The compensation and benefits investigate creating and managing benefits and compensation plans. Concepts including job analysis, incentive programs, wage structures, executive remuneration, and employee benefits management may be studied by students.
Admission Requirements
An undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university is required for enrollment in an online human resources master’s program. A bachelor’s degree in business or a closely related field is often required to apply for an MBA program with a human resources focus.
Beyond this, requirements may include a minimum GPA, work experience, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and GRE/GMAT scores. However, there are online master’s programs in human resources that don’t require GRE or GMAT scores for admission.
Accreditation
Accreditation is crucial for educational quality and financial assistance eligibility, credit transferability, and employer recognition.
Accreditation from the region is highly valued. The US Department of Education recognizes seven regional accrediting organizations, including the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Regional accreditation guarantees that an institution satisfies exacting criteria for academic excellence.
You can also search for programmatic accreditation particular to HR or business programs in addition to regional accreditation.
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, popularly the AACSB, is the primary accrediting body for business schools. Some HR programs within business schools may also receive AACSB certification, although AACSB primarily accredits business programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is an expert organization devoted to HR management. The SHRM’s HR Curriculum Guidebook has been developed into its own accreditation, known as SHRM Alignment, which assesses HR programs for alignment. This accreditation proves the program’s curriculum complies with best practices and industry standards.
Career Opportunities for Online Master’s in Human Resources Graduates
Numerous employment prospects in many fields and businesses are made possible with a master’s degree in human resources. Following are a few typical career paths for HR graduates with a master’s degree:
HR Manager/HR Director
Graduates with an advanced degree in human resources can work in managerial capacities within HR divisions. They are in charge of an organization’s whole HR operation, including hiring, employee relations, training and development, pay and benefits, and the creation of HR policies.
HR Consultant
Graduates who want to engage in HR consulting can do it independently or as a team with consulting firms. HR Consultants offer knowledge and direction to firms about employee engagement, organizational development, change management, and HR initiatives.
Employee Relations Manager
Employee relations specialists in human resources aim to promote a positive working environment. These human resources professionals deal with employee complaints, resolve disputes, and guarantee compliance with federal and state regulations.
Training and Development Manager
Graduates in human resources might work in training and development, creating and executing employee training initiatives to advance their knowledge and skills. Training and Development Managers determine the need for training, create instructional materials, and assess the success of training efforts.
HR Policy and Compliance Specialist
Graduates can work in HR policy and compliance positions, ensuring businesses follow all applicable labor laws, rules, and moral standards. They create HR policies and practices, carry out audits, and offer direction on issues about compliance.
HR Analyst
Graduates with a background in analytically sound work can become HR analysts who use data and analytics to support strategic HR decision-making. HR Analysts review HR metrics, patterns, and trends to offer information and help research-based HR strategy.
HR Entrepreneurship
Some HR graduates launch their own HR consulting businesses or become independent consultants, offering organizations-specific HR services.
Organizational Development Specialist
Organizational development specialists in human resources concentrate on raising employee performance and organizational effectiveness. They carry out change management projects, organize team-building exercises, and support a constructive corporate culture.
Talent Acquisition/Recruitment Manager
Graduates in human resources might focus on sourcing, recruiting, and choosing people for roles within firms as a specialty in talent acquisition. Talent Acquisition/Recruitment Managers create recruitment plans, conduct interviews, and make sure the business can find and keep top personnel.
Compensation and Benefits Manager
Compensation and Benefits Managers are responsible for recruiting, inspiring, and retaining employees. HR specialists in this area oversee employee benefits packages, do salary benchmarking, and make sure compensation laws are followed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need certification to work in human resources?
A certification can help with professional development and job success, even though it isn’t always necessary for a career in human resource management.
What is the difference between an MS-HRM and an MBA specializing in HR?
While an MS-HRM offers a more focused and specialized HR curriculum, an MBA provides a broader business education with an HR concentration.
Can I pursue a doctorate in HR management?
You can obtain a doctorate in human resource management. Typical doctoral degrees in this area include a Ph.D. or a DBA specializing in human resource management.
How many years does it take to earn a human resources master’s degree online?
It normally takes two years of full-time studies to earn a master’s degree in human resources. On the other hand, accelerated programs help students graduate in one year.
Key Takeaways
- Online programs frequently offer asynchronous classes or self-paced learning alternatives, letting you move through the course material on your own time.
- An online master’s in human resources degree offers advanced knowledge and proficiency in several HR management areas, such as strategic HR planning, training and development, employee relations, and compensation and benefits.
- A Master’s in HR can improve job opportunities and pave the way for more senior-level HR employment. Graduates may pursue careers as a training and development manager, HR manager, HR consultant, talent acquisition specialist, or HR analyst.
