Business and Human Resource Management

Business and human resource management is a degree that reflects a central truth about organisations: their performance depends as much on the quality of their people practices as on their strategy, products, or technology. Human resource management is the function concerned with how organisations recruit, develop, manage, and retain their workforce. When it is done well, it is a source of genuine competitive advantage; when it is neglected, it becomes a source of cost, conflict, and lost talent.

Pairing HRM with broader business studies gives you both the specialist expertise and the wider commercial context needed to operate effectively in management roles.

At Anglia Ruskin University, this three-year full-time programme develops your understanding of both areas in a practical and professionally focused way. You will study core business disciplines, including marketing, finance, strategy, and operations, alongside specialist HRM topics such as recruitment and selection, employment law, learning and development, performance management, employee relations, and organisational behaviour. The programme recognises that effective HR management requires not only technical knowledge of people practices but also the ability to influence leaders, interpret data, and communicate persuasively across an organisation.

You will develop the analytical and communication skills that these roles demand, alongside an understanding of how HR strategy connects to broader business performance.

Anglia Ruskin's Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses have strong connections to local and regional employers, and the programme is designed to be relevant to the realities of contemporary HR practice.

Graduates go on to careers in human resources, people management, talent acquisition, learning and development, employee relations, and business management across all sectors. Many pursue chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development as they progress in their careers. Postgraduate study in human resource management, business administration, or employment law is an option for those who wish to deepen their specialism or move into strategic HR roles.