The Master of Professional Studies in Human Resources and Employment Relations (HRER) is a 33-credit master's degree for professionals already working in human resources/employment relations field or those with a strong, fundamental understanding of HRER. The program consists of eight required courses (24 credits) and three elective courses (9 credits). Two of your elective courses (6 of the 9 credits) will determine your area of concentration for the HRER master's degree. A typical student will take one or two 3-credit courses per semester.
Your course work culminates in a capstone class in which you will demonstrate an understanding of the curriculum and apply it to your professional areas of interest in human resources and employment relations.
Optional Intensive Courses
Each summer select courses are offered on campus, allowing you to earn credits while enjoying the University Park campus experience. Learn more about our optional intensive courses.
Earn HRCI Recertification Credits
The Master of Professional Studies in Human Resources and Employment Relations is an Approved Provider of the HR Certification Institute. Completing the entire program can grant you 45 credits toward your PHR, SPHR, and GPHR recertifications.
Course List - Master of Professional Studies in Human Resources and Employment Relations
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor and Employment Law | HRER 501 | Legal context of employment in the United States. | 3 credits |
| Seminar in Employment Relations | HRER 504 | Theory, process, and issues of industrial relations, including collective bargaining and contract administration. | 3 credits |
| Seminar in Human Resources | HRER 505 | Current human resource topics in the context of organizational strategy, planning, and responsibility. | 3 credits |
| Human Behavior and Organizational Performance | HRER 802 | This course helps students understand individual and team behavior in organizations and its impact on individual, team, and organizational effectiveness. | 3 credits |
| Human Resources in Multinational Enterprises | HRER 803 | This course examines current human resource management (HRM) systems worldwide and the influence of globalization on HRM practice. | 3 credits |
| Labor Market Analysis or Strategic Business Tools for HRER Professionals |
HRER 816 or HRER 825 |
Neoclassical economic and institutional theoretical perspectives on labor supply, demand for labor, internal labor markets, wage determination and labor policies. or This course connects Business Strategy, Financial Tools, and HR to an organization's strategic business objectives. |
3 credits |
| Diversity in the Workplace | HRER 836 | This course examines workplace diversity, gender, and race challenges facing employers and employees, and the skills for managing diversity. | 3 credits |
| Ethical Decision Making for HR Practitioners | HRER 860 | Use of normative elements associated with ethical decision making, as well as the emerging interest in descriptive ethics, to address important problems human resource managers confront. | 3 credits |
| Research Project | HRER 894 | Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis. | 3 credits |
Elective Courses (select 6 in an area of concentration):
Areas of concentration (student must complete one):
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Compensation | LER 424 | Development and management of employee compensation systems. | 3 credits |
| Employment Benefits | LER 425 | The examination of employee benefits programs used by employers to meet the welfare needs of employees and their families. | 3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law of Labor-Management Relations | LER 401 | Development of Anglo-American law regulating collective bargaining, with emphasis on American labor-management relations under Wagner, Taft-Hartley, and other acts. | 3 credits |
| Labor Relations in the Public Sector | LER 435 | Analysis of labor relations problems within different areas of public employment. | 3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law of Labor-Management Relations | LER 401 | Development of Anglo-American law regulating collective bargaining, with emphasis on American labor-management relations under Wagner, Taft-Hartley, and other acts. | 3 credits |
| Labor and Employment Law II | HRER 811 | Acquire practical knowledge that HR practitioners need to deal with governmental regulation of the U.S. workplace. Prerequisite: HRER 501 |
3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staffing and Training | LER 426 | This course focuses on the theory and practice of human resource staffing and training in organizations. | 3 credits |
| Needs Assessment for Industrial Trainers | WF ED 573 | Acquire skills to identify training and development needs, distinguish problems with management versus training solutions, develop and evaluate training solutions. | 3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication Skills for Leaders in Groups and Organizations | LER 464 | Theory-and research-based communication skills for leaders dealing with work-related problems in contemporary groups and organizations. | 3 credits |
| Leadership Development: A Life-Long Learning Perspective or Collective Decision Making |
LER 409 or LER 465 |
The course examines the continuing influence of social and environmental factors in shaping leadership and leadership development. or Application of theories of decision making to work-related issues in groups and organizations requiring collective resolution and action. |
3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Human Resource Studies | LER 403 | Course exploring human resource management from an international perspective. | 3 credits |
| Comparative and International Employment and Labor Law or Comparative Employment Relations Systems |
HRER 801 or LER 400 |
Survey of employment and labor laws around the world that shape the practice of international human resource management (IHRM). or Analysis of structure and elements of employment relations systems in developed and developing areas. |
3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Union Structure, Administration, and Governance | LER 466 | Comprehensive analysis of American Labor Unions/Labor Organizations: how structured, administered, and governed as they pursue economic, social, political objectives. | 3 credits |
| American Labor Unions | LER 468 | Students will examine, debate and gain a fundamental understanding of the current state of the American labor movement. | 3 credits |
Optional Intensive Courses
Each summer, the Master of Professional Studies in Human Resources and Employment Relations offers a selection of the core program courses as five-day intensive courses at Penn State's University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania. This unique blended course experience allows you to fulfill a three-credit course requirement in a condensed format while experiencing campus life at Penn State.
Class activities such as lectures, case studies, and individual and team exercises will be scheduled for six hours each day, and you may also be required to complete additional assignments outside of the classroom. Approximately two-thirds of the course work for a course will be completed during the five days you are on campus, with some preparation work required before arriving on campus, and a follow-up project to be completed after the week concludes. Because of this intensive schedule, you are only permitted to take one in-residence course at a time.
While this is not a required aspect of the master's degree program, students are encouraged to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to interact and network with your peers and the faculty and staff for the program. More information about registration for these intensive courses will be available upon your acceptance to the degree program.
*The use of the HRCI seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met the HR Certification Institute's criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit.
Course Availability
If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.