Elective Courses
Choose 4 from the list below.
HRM 537 Employee Learning and Professional/Career Development
This course provides an overview of employee learning methods, and includes training
design, development, and evaluation procedures in organizations. Emphasis is placed
on how to perform a needs analysis, how to select the latest training technologies,
and how to apply methodologies to maximize adult learning as well as improve upon
organizational development. In addition, employee development strategies are reviewed,
i.e., training generalist managers and specialists, how to foster an atmosphere conducive
to continuous learning, and how to reward supervisors for encouraging and supporting
employee development (formerly Training and Development).
HRM 538 Organizational Development and Change Management
This course will acquaint students with types of organizational change and the roles
of human resources managers as change agents and internal consultants. Cases, group
exercises, and class discussions are used to examine change methods, employees' reactions
to change, facilitation techniques, and evaluation methods. Roles of leaders, managers,
employees, and human resources professionals are considered. Targets of change include
job designs, interpersonal relationships, downsizing/rightsizing and organizational
structures. Quality improvement, employee involvement, and professional development
are studied as examples of change strategies. Students learn how to help their co-workers
cope, as well as how to become trusted business advisors within the organization.
This course is offered as both HRM 538 and MBA 538 (formerly CEX 538).
Prerequisite: HRM 532.
HRM 541 Human Relations and Workforce Planning
This course focuses on improving the quality of work life for employees, as a value
in itself and as an incentive to greater productivity and reduced turnover. Students
will explore: the importance of communication—orientation of new employees, formal
and informal consultation, quality circles, billboards, news bulletins, etc., and
exit interviews; providing opportunities for job enrichment and career development-career
planning assistance, practitioner training, cross training, job rotation, job sharing
and flex-time, enriching each job as the employee progresses; employee assistance
programs-financial planning, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, retirement planning,
educational assistance, summer jobs for kids, etc.; recreational programs—athletic
teams, holiday and seasonal celebrations, community service participation and contests.
All of these activities contribute to developing the joint participation of employees
and management which is the hallmark of the well-managed corporation.
HRM 546 Job Evaluation, Compensation Systems, and Benefits
An advanced course providing students with both theory and specific knowledge of job
evaluation and compensation systems. Topics include comparable worth and legal requirements:
preparation of job evaluation and job design, fringe benefits, pensions, social security,
theory of compensation systems as they relate to job satisfaction and employee morale;
development of wage and salary surveys, internal and external equity pay scales, performance-based
pay systems, and salary administration procedures. An analysis of incentives—bonuses,
stock options, salary deferrals and special benefits—will complete the course.
Prerequisite: HRM 532 Foundations of Human Resources.
HRM 547 Performance Management in Organizations
This course provides insight to the importance of performance management and the behavior
of individuals and teams in organizations. Emphasis will be placed on implications
for effective human resource management, and the need to align organizational goals
with performance management practices. Approaches used to drive performance and analyze
problems encountered in managing human resources will be discussed throughout the
course. Additional topics include performance appraisal, individual and group decision-making
skills, recruitment, selection, and employee orientation, employee ability, motivation
and incentive systems, job satisfaction, retention, and employee engagement.
HRM 552 The Strategic Organization: Communication and Employee Relationship Management
This course provides insight into effective strategic approaches to communication
and employee engagement. Students will learn the concepts of the strategic communication
process and its role in business organizations. This course will examine the traits
and skills needed for students to become a strategic communicator including understanding
principles and concepts of effective communication, a high level of self-awareness,
an ability to understand other people, a basic knowledge of the complexity of the
communication process itself, and the ability to think critically—to analyze and evaluate
situations and use that information to formulate effective communication strategies.
Moreover, this course will examine the Engagement Equation and will explain the driver
of employee engagement, and how you can use improved engagement to execute strategy,
reduce costs, and meet your organizational goals.
Prerequisites: HRM 532, HRM 533 and HRM 541. Matriculation in the HRM program.
HRM 553 HR Leadership, Performance Management and Organizational Effectiveness
This course provides insight into effective leadership, performance management and
organizational effectiveness in today's organizations. Students will learn how leaders
motivate, influence, and navigate political environments. Leadership components that
will be covered in the course will include the nature of leadership, contemporary
situational theories of leadership and emerging leadership issues. In addition, students
will learn what new emerging leaders need to know about the importance of performance
management and aligning the organizational goals with performance management practices.
This course will also set the stage for understanding the components of organizational
effectiveness. Organizational effectiveness provides leaders with information for
improving an organization’s operations and effectiveness, organizational structure
and design, the culture of organizations, and organizational change and change management.
Prerequisites: HRM 532 and HRM 547. Matriculation in the HRM program.
HRM 554 The HR Leader as an Organizational Consultant
This course is designed to equip business and HR professionals with the competencies
to be an internal consultant within any organization. Students will learn to apply
a structured approach to the consulting process and conduct appropriate interventions
for designing, adapting, and improving business policies and practices. Focused on
the major components of organization development and change management combined with
consulting skills, the course addresses evaluating internal and external challenges
to the organization; partnering effectively with leadership and business units; facilitating
interpersonal processes; prioritizing multiple stakeholders; and being a value-added
contributor in identifying appropriate business solutions which meet the needs of
both internal and external customers. Students build their personal consulting skills
toolkit, while learning how to add value and HR perspective to initiatives central
to their organization’s success.
Prerequisites: HRM 532 and HRM 538. Matriculation in the HRM program.
