The HRIR masters degree requires 48 semester credits (equivalent to 2 academic years). Nearly all students complete the degree under the non-thesis option, which requires 40 credits in human resources, 8 credits in related fields, and the capstone paper. A foreign language is not required. Most students take 12 credits per semester

The first half of the program consists of 4-credit (14-week) courses in each of the 6 areas of HRIR. The second half includes 14 credits of HRIR electives, 8 credits of related field courses, plus a final class on strategy, execution, and ethics.

During the first year of study, students attend classes during the day. During the second year, students typically hold an internship during the day, allowing them to attend late afternoon and early evening courses.

Electives
Electives are generally 2-credit (7-week) courses and cover areas such as leadership, human resource information systems (HRIS), law, diversity, and international human resources. These classes usually meet one evening a week.

MBA Coursework
We strongly encourage students who did not major in business to take an MBA course in financial accounting and 2 courses in financial management, marketing management, operations management, or managerial communications.

Capstone Course
Culminate your experience with a required capstone course, HRIR in Practice: Strategy, Execution, and Ethics. This class is designed to synthesize your academic experience and help you transition into professional success and responsibility.

Thesis Option
In general, the thesis option is limited to students with considerable related graduate coursework. The degree requires a minimum of 38 course credits, 10 thesis credits, and an accepted thesis.

A detailed list of Degree Requirements can be viewed as a PDF or as a webpage. Click here to view an entire list of HRIR courses.