There are a number of interesting careers in all areas of business that are focused on working with employees. Human resources professionals are needed to provide companies and organizations with managing employee records and staffing, handling and coordinating benefit programs and compensation, recruiting and training, and professional development activities. From entry level positions to upper level management careers in human resources, the right education is often the first step to advancement and success in this career field, and there are a number of options for future professionals to consider.
Related Resource: Entry Level Human Resources Jobs
Bachelor’s Degree in Labor Relations
Many prospective students at the undergraduate level who are looking to pursue a career in human resources opt for a general business, human resources, or business administration program. Labor relations programs for the bachelor’s degree also provide the foundation of skills and knowledge that a graduate will need in order to transfer into the professional workplace successfully.
Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in labor relations take a variety of courses to get ready to work with employees and organizations to support the entire workplace. General business courses in this program include introduction to economic policy, labor economics, general psychology courses, organizational behavior, and general education courses such as communications and report writing. These courses provide the skills a future human resources professional will need to complete upper level courses in a labor relations program.
Upper level undergraduate courses in a labor relations degree program include a number of different courses, and these vary by institution. Common courses, however, include employment relations, employment law and policy, employment compensation, employee benefits, staffing and training strategies, collective bargaining, politics of affirmative action, human resources ethics, and workplace leadership.
MBA in Human Resources
After earning a bachelor’s degree, many graduates decide to pursue a master’s degree to open up opportunities and possibilities in their professional field. With a bachelor’s degree in labor relations, graduates are well prepared to begin an MBA program in human resources.
Many of the courses a student will complete in this master’s level program are extensions of the labor relations bachelor’s degree. Common courses include financial management, managerial economics, multinational business environments, strategic management, corporate leadership, quantitative analysis, operations management, and human behavior in organizations.
Career Possibilities and Opportunities
As union relations change, globalization increases, and diversity in the workplace grows, human resources professionals who are equipped to handle these situations are more and more valuable to a number of different organizations and businesses. Some career options include union organizer, human resources manager, arbitrator, labor administrator, human resources director, benefits manager, and recruitment coordinator for every type of organization from government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Labor to private corporations.
An MBA in human resources with a background in labor relations can prove beneficial for many reasons. Starting with a labor relations bachelor’s degree prepares future graduate students with the skills needed to continue to gain the expertise for a successful career in human resources.
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