Course description
Introduction
The MA in SHR has been designed to enable experienced personnel and
development practitioners to update their knowledge and skills in line with
the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Code of
Practice for Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The programme is
studied in part time mode typically over one academic year and provides 90
M level credits. This Masters is a specialist ‘top up’ degree and is designed
to build upon prior knowledge, skills and experience within the HR subject
area.
Programme structure
The programme provides opportunities for practitioners to develop and
demonstrate the general outcomes listed below. These outcomes will be
contextualised with each practitioners enquiry into practice as they
deepen their knowledge and skills within the HR subject area.
LEARN THROUGH REFLECTION ON PRACTICE AND EXPERIENCE
Introduced during induction, integrated throughout all models and central
to the programme aim. Practitioners are required to critically reflect on
practice, articulate their learning and to demonstrate how this learning
can be transferred to practice. Practitioners are required to keep a
reflective learning/research diary and this diary is used to produce
summative learning accounts. These learning accounts are assessed and
this dialogue contributes to the spiral of reflection and the development
of critical thinking and creativity.
ABLE TO CONDUCT RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE
This involves identifying, formulating and setting out to solve (or provide
insights into) HR problems within an organisation. This type of research
requires practitioners to be sensitive to organisational ethics and values
and to select and justify appropriate research methodologies to achieve
the stated research objectives.
MANAGE SELF AND PERFORMANCE WITHIN A TEAM
The action learning philosophy of the programme supports this objective
as practitioners are required to report and review their own performance
against agreed targets; they are also required to provide feedback to
peers. This mutual support enhances communication skills, selfawareness
and personal effectiveness.
PRESENT AND JUSTIFY A PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT
This skill is developed during the programme via the workshops, action
learning sets and ongoing dialogue with peers, tutors and sponsoring
employers. Arguments are ‘tested’ during the action learning sets and
produced in writing during the initial assessments. This skill cumulates in
the production of a dissertation presenting a critical review of relevant
literature and analysis of data to justify conclusions and
recommendations relevant to strategic HR within the sponsoring
organisation.
Learning activities and attendance
The learning activities are designed to facilitate the development of
critically reflective practitioners able to undertake research into their own
practice and thereby develop and deepen their knowledge and
understanding of the subject area and their professional practice.
Three two-day workshops provide an initial introduction to the
programme and input on HR as strategic consultancy and research
methods. The emphasis during the workshops is on critiquing current
theory and its relevance to practice. The focus of the initial learning
activity is to enable the practitioners to develop as independent learners
and to develop their own research interest. This research interest will
form the focus of the enquiry into practice and will culminate in the
production of a dissertation.
Six action learning sets are facilitated by tutors to enable practitioners to
share experiences, support each other and to develop their
understanding of research into practice and critically reflective practice.
Assessment
The programme will be assessed by:
- Submission of a consultancy report demonstrating evidence of the
ability to identify, analyse and evaluate the strategic implications of a
HR proposal.
- Submission of a research proposal demonstrating the ability to frame
terms of reference and plan an appropriate research design.
- Submission of a dissertation demonstrating the ability to undertake
independent research and apply relevant theory to a strategic HR
issue.
- Evidence of reflective learning and plans to sustain/extend this
learning.
