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The Bachelor of Arts in Labor and Human Resources requires that you complete a minimum of 123 credits. To earn this degree, you must successfully complete:

  • 39 credits required for the major
    • 18 prescribed course credits 
    • 9 additional course credits 
    • 12–13 supporting and related area course credits
  • 24 bachelor of arts degree credits
  • 45 general education credits 
  • 15–33 elective credits 

The prescribed courses for the bachelor of arts degree focus on basic studies of labor and human resources and related ethical questions. Additional course work includes instruction in basic research methods, economics, diversity, and organizational behavior. Other course options are available to fulfill the remainder of the degree requirements allowing you to customize the degree to meet your areas of interest or specific needs.

Use the Course List to view the course requirements in more detail. 

Course List - Bachelor of Arts in Labor and Human Resources 

Requirements for the Major

Students must receive a grade of C or better in all courses required for the major. These include Prescribed Courses, Additional Courses, and Supporting Courses.

Prescribed Courses (18 credits)
Title Abbreviation Description Credits
Introduction to Labor and Human Resources LER 100

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the role of work and the employment relationship in their lives from an individual, institutional and global perspective.

 3 credits
Employment Relationship: Law and Policy LER 201 An examination of basic legal principles underlying the employment relationship and their social, political, and economic bases. 3 credits
Labor and Employment Relations Fundamentals LER 304 The course surveys the main elements of modern labor and employment relations systems in the U.S. and beyond 3 credits
Human Resources Fundamentals LER 305 This course will provide students with an opportunity to understand and apply important concepts concerning human resources in the workplace 3 credits
Research Methods in Labor and Employment Relations LER 312 The objective of this course is to enhance students' abilities to use a range of methodologies to evaluate and conduct research in the field of employment relations and human resource management. 3 credits
Human Resource Ethics  LER 460 Ethics of human resources management.

Prerequisite: Take one of the following courses: ARMY 402, H P A460, HM 466, MGMT 341, MGMT 441, NAVSC402, NURS 432, PSYCH281, 3 credits in Labor and Employment Relations (LER), or Human Resources and Employment Relations (HRER)		 3 credits

*3-6 credits of these courses may also be double-counted as general education courses.

Additional Courses (9 credits)
Title Abbreviation Description Credits

Principles of Economics

 

Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy

 

 

Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy

Econ 14

or

Econ 102

or 

Econ 104

 Economics is the study of how people satisfy their wants in the face of limited resources

 

Methods of economic analysis and their use; price determination; theory of the firm; distribution.

 

National income measurement; aggregate economic models; money and income; policy problems.

 3 credits

Race, Gender, and Employment

or

History of Work in America

LER 136W

or

LER 458Y

This course will ask how race and gender affect work in the contemporary United States.

or

A study of selected problems in the history of work in the United States, especially since 1877.

Prerequisite: HIST 021 , HIST 156 , or LER 100

 3 credits

Understand Employee Behavior

or

Introduction to Industrial-Organizational Psychology

LER 202

or

PSYCH 281

The course will be offered at an introductory level. It is designed to encourage students to explore individual and group behavior at work

or

 

Personnel selection, training, accident prevention, morale, and organizational behavior.

Prerequisite: PSYCH100

 

 3 credits
Supporting Courses and Related Areas (12–13 credits)
Title Abbreviation Description Credits

Various

Various

Select 6 credits of LER courses at the 400 level (only 3 credits of LER 495 and 3 credits of LER 496 may be used to satisfy this requirement)

 9 credits

Select 6 credits from the following list in consultation with an adviser

ACCTG 211(4), AFAM 100 GS;US(3), AFAM 110 GH;US(3), BA 243(4), BA 304(3), BLAW 243(3), CAS 203(3), CAS 352(3), ECON 342(3), HIST 155 GH;US(3), MGMT 100(3), MGMT 301(3), MGMT 321(3), OLEAD 100 GS(3), OLEAD 409(3), OLEAD 464(3), OLEAD 465(3), SOC 103 US(3), SOC 110 GS;US(3), SOC 119 GS;US(4), or take any 400-level AFAM, CAS, ECON, HIST, LTNST, MGMT, PHIL, PSYCH, SPAN, SOC, WMNST course (Sem: 5–8)

Bachelor of Arts Requirements (24 credits)
Title Credits
Foreign Language 12 credits
Other Cultures 3 credits
Arts, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences, Quantification, and/or Foreign Language (beyond 12th credit or a different language) 9 credits
General Education (45 credits**)
Description Credits
Arts – GA 6 credits
Humanities – GH 6 credits
Health and Wellness – GHW 3 credits
Natural Sciences – GN 9 credits
Social and Behavioral Sciences – GS 6 credits
Writing and Speaking – GWS* 9 credits
Quantification – GQ* 6 credits
Integrative Studies (6 credits)***

*A student enrolled in this course must receive a grade of C or better.

**6 credits are included in the requirements for the major.

***This requirement only applies to students starting in summer 2018 or later. Learn more about the Integrative Studies options and consult your academic adviser when choosing courses to fulfill these requirements. 

Electives (15–33 credits)

Please note: Among the above degree requirements, students should incorporate at least 3 credits in U.S. cultures, 3 credits in international (IL) cultures, and 3 credits in writing across the curriculum courses. The above course list includes only courses offered through Penn State World Campus. An official degree audit or the recommended academic plan for this program may include additional course options and detailed requirements. All students are expected to complete at least 36 Penn State credits to earn this degree. Please consult an academic adviser for details.

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.