Human Resource Management

• PGDip: You study 8 modules.
• MSc: You study 8 modules, plus a research project.

View Modules

• Download the Programme Specification
• View the Programme Regulations

This programme has three intake dates per year: January, April and October. 

The programme is available online and is fully supported by a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), as well as study materials and help from academic staff. It allows you to study anywhere in the world and fit your studies around your other commitments.

The degree offers the flexibility to complete in one year, or up to five years depending on your desired study pace.

Study materials

You will be able to access study materials developed by academics at Birkbeck including course handbooks, textbooks and recorded lectures or dedicated audio recordings, and you will have access to an extensive online library.

You will be able to discuss your work with fellow students and tutors using a conferencing system. You will discuss topics in tutor groups of normally around 30 students.

All study materials (articles and/or set texts) are included in the programme fee, with the exception of materials required to carry out the Dissertation.

Online support

The programme uses tutor supported computer conferencing as the main mode of communication between staff and students. Tutors oversee all modules; they respond to queries, monitor discussions and provide general guidance. When you register, we will give you access to your Student Portal. You can then access your University of London email account and other key resources:

• The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) enables access to course materials, resources, and activities.
• The Online Library provides access to over 100 million academic electronic items comprising E-books, E-journals, conference proceedings, etc. In addition, students can request items which are not held in the library via the library's Inter-Library loans service with the British Library.
• Senate House Library provides free reference access for all registered distance and flexible learning students.

Student support

We are committed to delivering an exceptional student experience for all of our students. You will have access to support through:

• The Student Advice Centre – provides support for application and Student Portal queries.
• TalkCampus – a peer support service that offers a safe and confidential way to talk about whatever is on your mind at any time of day or night.

Time commitment

Modules are offered across three terms of eleven weeks from Oct to Dec (Term 1), Jan to March (Term 2) and April to July (Term 3). This 11 week period includes 9 weeks of guided study followed by a personal study week. The assessment period for each module is in the final week of each term.

You can study at your own pace (provided you complete your qualification within five years). The MSc is made up of 180 credits and you should expect each credit to take up around 10 hours of study.

Assessment

Each module is summatively assessed by a final assessment (worth 90% of the overall mark), with the exception of the Research Project modules (Research Proposal and Dissertation). The final assessment is typically a two-hour unseen written examination or 3,000-word written report/essay.

For each module (except for the Research Project modules), satisfaction of the minimum tutor supported computer conferencing requirements is worth 10% of the overall mark.

The Research Proposal module is assessed by a 3,000 word research proposal.

The Dissertation module is assessed by an 8,000-10,000 word dissertation.

Assessment is usually held in December, March and July (at the end of each term). Written exams are held at approved centres around the world (mainly Ministries of Education or the British Council). Each centre charges a fee for hosting exams.

More about assessment

What qualifications do you need?

You need the equivalent of a UK second-class honours degree (e.g. bachelor). If you don't hold a degree but you have relevant industry experience and have completed the The Manager's Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Managing People at Work MOOC, we will consider each case on its merits.

To study modules on an individual basis, you should meet the same criteria. If you do not meet them, we may still consider your application if you can demonstrate your ability to undertake advanced study.

Find equivalent qualifications where you live.

English Language requirements

You need a high standard of English to study this programme. You will meet our language requirements if you have achieved the following within the past three years:

• (IELTS) International English Language Testing System - 6.5 overall (with 6 in reading and writing).
• (TOEFL) iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language - 92 overall (with 22 in reading and writing, and 20 in speaking and listening).
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English.
• Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (at grade C or above).
• Duolingo: must achieve an overall score of at least 120.

Computer requirements

We set minimum basic computer requirements because your study resources are accessed via the Student Portal and it is vital that you can access this regularly. For this degree, you will also need Adobe Flash Player to view video material and a media player (such as VLC) to play video files.

More about computer requirements.

The fees below apply if you begin during the 2022-2023 session. These may increase by up to 5% per year.

Disclaimer: Currency conversion tool.

More about programme fees.

Additional Costs

You will also need to budget for exam centre fees, which are paid directly to the venues where you sit your exams.

How to pay your fees.

Please note: all student fees shown are net of any local VAT, Goods and Services Tax (GST) or any other sales tax payable by the student in their country of residence. Where the University is required to add VAT, GST or any other sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the fees shown during the payment process. For students resident in the UK, our fees are exempt from VAT.

Further information on Sales Tax.

Your payment provider may apply additional transaction fees (if in doubt, please check with them before making a payment).

Further information about fee payment options can be found in the “How to pay your fees” link above.

Graduates of this course go on to become training professionals, motivators, careers advisers, managers and consultants within large multinational companies, government departments, or in any company where advanced knowledge of organisational psychology may be useful.

What do employers think of our graduates?

In some countries, qualifications earned by distance and flexible learning may not be recognised by certain authorities or regulators for the purposes of public sector employment or further study. We advise you to explore the local recognition status before you register, even if you plan to receive support from a local teaching institution.

Birkbeck was founded in 1823 as the London Mechanics' Institute. It is unique in its special mission to enable mature students to gain higher education qualifications via part-time study. Consequently, staff are experienced in ensuring a flexible learning environment.

Its Department of Organizational Psychology is the oldest and largest department of its kind in the UK and makes a major contribution to research in the field of behaviour at work. It is one of the principal providers of academic and professional training in occupational psychology within the UK.

Programme Director

Mr Mark Stringer has spent the last 35 years in a variety of posts within business and academia in the UK. He has worked internationally as a Director of HR and gained his MSc in Organizational Behaviour at Birkbeck. Currently completing his PhD at Birkbeck, his teaching and research covers many areas within OP and HRM, with a specific focus on areas with the use of psychoanalysis in interpreting organisational phenomena. He has had papers published at EGOS, OPUS, EURAM. He is Chartered MCIPD, an Associate Fellow of the HEA and a Member of the Association of Business Psychologists.

Programme Team

Dr Keely Jo Frasca joined the OPHRM programme in 2018 and currently convenes the Selection and Assessment, Employee Relations and Motivation, and Learning and Development modules. In addition, Keely leads the quantitative conferences of the Research Methods module.

Katerina Penna joined the OPHRM programme in 2014 and has since convened several modules on both the Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management programmes of study. For the last three years, she has been responsible for the Comparative Employment Relations, International Human Resource Management and Professional Development and Learning modules. She is currently also in charge of the qualitative forums of the Research Methods module.

Jack Dybczak joined the OPHRM programme team in 2017 and is currently responsible for teaching Understanding Organisation and Change, Leadership and Performance Management, Human Resource Strategies and the foundation part of Research Methods.

Without the cost of moving to London, studying for your University of London degree anywhere in the world represents excellent value for money. However, there are additional sources of support depending on where you live and how you choose to study.

More on funding your study