The Benefits of Enrolling in an SHRM-Aligned MSHRM Program
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If you are considering getting a Master’s in Human Resources Management (MSHRM), it is highly recommended that you look for an SHRM-aligned program. The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s most significant professional human resources (HR) organization. Its 285,000 members are spread throughout 165 countries, and there are 575 affiliated chapters just in the United States.1
SHRM provides expertise and resources to encourage leadership in HR, address current issues in the field, and further the education of HR professionals. The organization also administers the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certifications, two of the most highly respected credentials in the HR industry.2 If you’re looking for a high-quality master’s program to prepare you for a successful career in HR, you should consider those aligned with SHRM.
What Does It Mean to Be SHRM-Aligned?
As a globally recognized authority on HR higher education, SHRM offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs the ability to ensure they offer the most comprehensive and up-to-date curriculum. SHRM’s guidelines, revalidated every three to five years to ensure they stay relevant, are based on input from college and university HR faculty and students, HR practitioners, and HR hiring managers.3
To become SHRM-aligned, a university may request to have its program analyzed free of charge.4 SHRM staff works directly with the university’s staff and faculty throughout the process, assessing credentials and coursework and ensuring the HR program is taught within a business context.
Graduate-level programs aligned with SHRM include recommended minimum standards for degree-based coursework, which consists of the following required content areas:5
- Change Management
- Organizational Development
- Globalization
- Internal Consulting
- Employee and Labor Relations
- Job Analysis and Job Design
- HR Strategy
- Managing a Diverse Workforce
- Ethics
Employers appreciate that SHRM-aligned degree programs teach students to incorporate HR practices into their business’s strategic goals. Having the right employees and resources can contribute to an organization’s success. SHRM includes organizational development, strategy, workplace learning, employee satisfaction, and employee empowerment in its curriculum guidelines.6
Pursuing a Master’s in Human Resources Online
If you’re looking for a degree that offers a more flexible schedule, you may also want to consider enrolling in an HR-online program. For example, the University of Scranton’s online Master’s in Human Resources Management program is SHRM-aligned and can be completed in as little as two years. In addition to foundational and core courses that follow the SHRM curriculum guidelines, it ends with a capstone project that allows students to apply knowledge gained throughout the program to real-life situations.
The University of Scranton’s MSHRM program was also rated one of the top 10 online programs in 2016 by the Human Resources MBA website.7 To learn more or speak with a Program Manager, call 866-373-9547.
Sources
- “About SHRM.” SHRM.org. https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/pages/default.aspx (accessed February 1, 2016).
- “Why seek SHRM certification?” SHRM.org. https://www.shrm.org/certification/about/aboutshrmcertification/pages/keybenefits.aspx (accessed February 1, 2016).
- “HR curriculum guidebook and overview of educational resources.” SHRM.org. https://www.shrm.org/academicinitiatives/universities/pages/guidebook.aspx (accessed February 1, 2016).
- “HR curriculum guidebook and overview of educational resources.” SHRM.org. https://www.shrm.org/academicinitiatives/universities/pages/guidebook.aspx (accessed February 1, 2016).
- “SHRM human resource curriculum: An integrated approach to HR education.” SHRM.org. https://www.shrm.org/academicinitiatives/Documents/2016%20SHRM%20HR%20Curriculum%20Guidebook%20and%20Templates%20for%20Undergraduate%20and%20Graduate%20Programs.pdf (accessed February 1, 2016).
- Bradley, J. “Important aspects of human resource planning or SHRM.” Smallbusiness.chron.com. smallbusiness.chron.com/important-aspects-human-resource-planning-shrm-62194.html (accessed February 1, 2016).
- “Top 10 online master’s in HR programs 2016.” Humanresourcesmba.net. http://www.humanresourcesmba.net/best/online-masters-hr-programs-2016/ (accessed February 1, 2016).