Human Resource Management

Human resource management is the discipline concerned with attracting, developing, and retaining the people who make organisations function. It covers recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, employee relations, employment law, reward, and organisational design, drawing on psychology, sociology, economics, and business strategy to understand how people behave at work and how organisations can bring out the best in their employees. In an era where talent is increasingly recognised as a critical competitive asset, skilled HR professionals are in high demand across every sector.

At Birmingham City University this three-year full-time degree equips you with both the knowledge and the professional competence to develop high-performing workforces and the innovative, flexible teams that modern organisations need. The curriculum covers all aspects of people management, from the fundamentals of employment law and HR strategy to the practice of learning and development, talent management, and organisational change. The programme includes a sandwich year, giving you substantial professional experience in an HR function before you graduate, alongside further work placement opportunities.

The practical focus of the degree ensures that you develop not just academic knowledge but the real-world skills that employers value from day one.

Graduates go on to careers in human resources, recruitment, learning and development, organisational development, employment law, consulting, and management roles across the public and private sectors. Professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is an important credential in this field, and the degree is designed to support your development toward that qualification. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in human resource management, business psychology, or related fields, building expertise in areas where specialist knowledge is particularly valued by employers.