Law and Human Resource Management

Law and human resource management is a degree that takes seriously the legal dimensions of managing people at work. Employment law is one of the most practically important areas of legal knowledge for any HR professional, shaping every stage of the employment relationship from recruitment and contracts through to performance management, equality obligations and termination. Studying law alongside HRM means developing both the analytical rigour of legal reasoning and the managerial and strategic understanding of how people are led and developed within organisations.

At Strathclyde, this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, giving you international academic experience and a broader perspective on how employment law and HR practice differ across national contexts. The programme is studied as a BA degree rather than an LLB, which means it provides a strong legal education without leading to professional legal qualification, though the analytical skills developed are directly applicable in a wide range of contexts. You will study areas of Scots and English law relevant to the employment relationship alongside the full curriculum of human resource management, including recruitment, training, performance management, employee relations and organisational development.

The combination of legal knowledge and people management expertise is genuinely valued in organisations that need HR professionals who can operate confidently within legal frameworks and advise on employment matters without always escalating to external legal counsel.

Graduates move into HR management, people and culture roles, employment relations, trade union work, equality and diversity, and compliance roles within organisations across the public and private sectors. Some graduates also move into adjacent roles in the legal or consulting sectors where this combination is relevant. Postgraduate study in HRM, employment law or business is a natural option.