Human Resource Management

Human resource management is concerned with one of the most complex and consequential challenges any organisation faces: how to attract, develop, and retain people, and how to create the conditions in which they can do their best work. As organisations grow more complex and the expectations placed on employers continue to evolve, understanding how to manage people well has become genuinely strategic rather than merely administrative. At the University of Leicester, this three-year, full-time degree gives you a thorough grounding in the factors that shape working life and the skills required to lead and support people effectively.

You will study employment relations, organisational behaviour, reward management, talent development, and the legal framework surrounding work, learning to think critically about the structures and practices that influence how people experience their jobs. The programme places strong emphasis on developing practical management skills alongside the theoretical foundations of the discipline, encouraging you to connect academic ideas to real-world organisational challenges. Notably, the degree includes both a sandwich placement year, giving you the opportunity to gain substantial professional experience in an HR role, and a year abroad, broadening your international perspective on workforce management.

Work placement opportunities are embedded throughout, reinforcing the applied focus of the programme.

Graduates of human resource management are well equipped for careers across a wide range of sectors, in roles such as HR business partner, talent acquisition specialist, learning and development manager, or employment consultant. Many also move into broader people-focused leadership positions or pursue postgraduate qualifications in HR, organisational psychology, or business administration. For those who find the human side of organisations the most interesting and challenging dimension of working life, this degree provides a rigorous and professionally relevant foundation.