Business Management and the Human Resource

Business management and the human resource is a degree that places people at the centre of organisational life, combining strategic and operational business management with a focused understanding of how organisations recruit, develop, motivate, and retain their workforces. Human resource management is not simply about administrative people functions but about the fundamental question of how organisations create conditions in which people can perform well and how they navigate the tensions between organisational goals and individual needs. Studied alongside the broader currents of business management, it provides a rounded and practically grounded preparation for leadership.

At the University of Leeds, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities, giving you a combination of extended professional experience and international exposure that sets this degree apart from more conventional programmes. You will study organisational behaviour, employment law, talent management, performance management, and diversity and inclusion alongside strategy, marketing, finance, and operations, developing the ability to think about organisations from multiple perspectives simultaneously. The sandwich year allows you to work in an HR or management role for a full year, while the year abroad broadens your cultural understanding and international professional confidence.

A typical entry tariff of 152 points reflects the competitive nature of the Leeds business school.

Graduates move into human resources roles across all sectors, including talent acquisition, HR business partnering, learning and development, reward management, and HR director positions over the longer term. Many pursue professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. General management, organisational consultancy, and business operations are also natural destinations for graduates with this combination.

The placement and year abroad experience is a significant advantage in a competitive graduate market.