For those who are interested in pursuing a career in human resources, one of the biggest concerns that many people have is whether or not it is worth it to pursue an online degree in human resources. Many people are still stuck in thinking that degrees from brick-and-mortar institutions are the only credible forms of college degrees. This is the furthest from the truth. With the advent of the fast access internet, colleges and universities are offering a wide number of college degrees to prospective students who might be in different cities and states. Most companies and organizations do not have negative views about students pursuing online degrees. Education is education, regardless if it is obtained online or through a traditional classroom. Here is an overview of an online human resources masters degree and how to land the HR job that you want.
Undergraduate Prerequisites
In order to get an online masters degree in human resources, most colleges and universities will still require the same basic undergraduate requirements. Students will take courses in English composition, history, social studies, college algebra, statistics and other general business administration courses. Once students make it into their junior year of college, students will take more advanced business administration courses and then will start taking human resources courses.
What are some types of human resources courses students will take?
Students will take human resources coursework such as:
- Compensation and Benefits Management
- Legal Issues in Human Resource Management
- Recruiting, Retention, and Development
- Employee and Labor Relations
- Employee Training and Development
- International Human Resource Management Issues
- Business Ethics
- Change Management
Is a master’s degree necessary for the human resources field?
It is highly recommended that prospective HR professionals obtain a master’s degree in human resources. A master’s degree will allow students to specialize in a particular area of HR and will give students great competitive edge in this increasingly complex global business environment. HR professionals with a master’s degree have the opportunity to specialize in fields such as: labor relations, training & development, benefits analysis and compensation analysis. Master’s degrees in HR can also be obtained online as well.
What are the salaries like for HR professionals?
According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, HR professionals in 2010 made over $60,000. The median salaries for those with master’s degrees is over $72,000 and HR professionals living in bigger metropolitan areas like New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles can see six figure salaries. Obviously, salaries will also depend on size of the corporation, industry, years of experience and definitely education. It is also worth it to seek any professional certifications that will further enhance one’s career and boost salaries and other fringe benefits.
Human Resources is a very diverse, growing field with many opportunities for advancement. Salaries are extremely lucrative and individuals with the right skills set can set themselves up to transition into more senior and executive HR management roles. Human Resources is also a very complicated field and requires well-educated professionals. Do ample research and due diligence when looking for an accredited online masters degree in human resources.
