Human Resources & Industrial Relations, MHRIR
for the degree of Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (on campus & online)
The master’s program can lead to a professional master’s degree, or it can prepare students to continue their graduate study toward a Ph.D. or other doctoral degrees in law and other professional areas.
The master’s degree requires 48 graduate hours of courses and usually takes three semesters to complete in the on-campus program and two years in the online program. The master’s degree program has core requirements in human resources/industrial relations systems, and quantitative methods, and four subject distribution requirements.
The School of Labor and Employment Relations offers graduate work leading to both a master's and a doctoral degree. Graduate study in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (HRIR) is based on a multidisciplinary approach to human resources/industrial relations problems and a flexible curriculum. To achieve this, the School has joint faculty appointments or course cross-listings with economics, psychology, law, business administration, and history.
Admission
For the Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations (MHRIR), students must meet the general admission requirements of the Graduate College, as well as the specific requirements of the School. Admission to the master's program in either the fall or spring semester is based on an applicant's undergraduate record, letters of reference, a resume, a personal statement and an academic statement. The minimum requirements for admission are a course in statistics and an average grade of B in the last two years of a four year undergraduate program. GRE/GMAT test scores are optional for both the on-campus and online programs. A deficiency in statistics may be made up by taking the required course without graduate credit during the first semester of graduate study. International applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirements as outlined by the Graduate College. It is recommended that applicants meet a minimum score of 96 on the internet-based TOEFL exam (iBT) or a 6.5 overall score on the IELTS Academic Exam.
Students applying to the online program will have the same admissions criteria as the on-campus MHRIR program, with the exception of the English Proficiency Requirements. Students applying to online programs must satisfy the full status admissions requirement for the English Proficiency Requirements. For full status, applicants meet a minimum score of 103 on the internet-based TOEFL exam (iBT) or a 7.5 overall score on the IELTS Academic Exam. Admission decisions for the online program are made in all semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer).
Financial Aid
The School offers scholarships, and fellowships to graduate students with superior academic credentials in the on-campus MHRIR. Department research and teaching assistantships are available to Ph.D. students only. The Graduate College also has fellowships that carry stipends plus tuition and service fee waivers.
The online program is self-supporting and DOES NOT accept the following tuition and fee waivers (TFWs): Non-Academic waivers (including Illinois employees and employees of other state institutions), Academic waivers from Illinois, UIC and UIS employees, Related Agency waivers, waivers granted through fellowships/assistantships as governed by the Graduate College at Illinois, or Retiree waivers. This program DOES accept statutory waivers (veteran grants, etc.).
for the degree of Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (on campus & online)
For additional details and requirements refer to the Graduate College Handbook.
This degree program can be completed either on campus or online. The non-thesis option is offered online, the requirements are listed below:
Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LER 591 & LER 593 | Employment Relations Systems and Quantitative Methods in LER | 8 |
| At least one course in each of four subject areas | 16 | |
Union Management and Labor Relations Policy | ||
| Collective Bargaining | ||
| Workplace Dispute Resolution | ||
| Individual Topics (Section CB) | ||
Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior | ||
| Employment Law for HR Managers: Discrimination, Compensation, and Privacy | ||
| Org Fundamentals for HR | ||
| Found of Ind Org Psych | ||
| Successful Change Management for HR Professionals | ||
| Negotiation Principles in HR Context | ||
| Talent Management | ||
| Compensation Systems | ||
| HR Planning and Staffing | ||
| HR Training and Development | ||
| Negotiation in HR Decisions | ||
| HR Management and Strategy | ||
| Firm Performance and HR | ||
| Power & Influence in HRM | ||
| Leadership for HR Managers | ||
| Executive Compensation | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections EB, EMC) | ||
| Employee Motivation & Perfmnce | ||
| Impl High Perf Work Systems | ||
Labor Markets and Employment | ||
| Economics of Labor Markets | ||
| Workforce Policies and Partnerships | ||
| Economics of Human Resources | ||
| The Gender Wage Gap | ||
International Human Resource Management | ||
| Comparative Employment Relations Systems | ||
| International HR Management | ||
| Managing Diversity Globally | ||
| Electives | 16 | |
| Employment Law for HR Managers: Separations, Worker’s Compensation, and Safety | ||
| Machine Learning Applications in HR | ||
| Workforce Analytics | ||
| Fundamentals of Business Management | ||
| Leadership and Employee Engagement | ||
| Management of Workplace Gender Issues | ||
| Employee Stress, Well-Being, & Safety | ||
| Labor Economics I | ||
| Labor Economics II | ||
| Labor Law I | ||
| Game Theory and HR Strategy | ||
| Social Justice and the Workplace | ||
| Industrial Relations Theory | ||
| Human Resources Theory | ||
| Micro Research Methods | ||
| Macro Research Methods | ||
| Social Networks in Human Resource Management | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections CT, DDD, DRS, E, IM, WFO) | ||
| LER 599 | Thesis Seminar (min/max applied toward degree) | 8 |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Other Requirements
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Minimum Hours Required Within the Unit: | 36 |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 12 |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
Non-Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LER 591 & LER 593 | Employment Relations Systems and Quantitative Methods in LER | 8 |
| At least one course in each of four subject areas | 16 | |
Union Management and Labor Relations Policy | ||
| Collective Bargaining | ||
| Workplace Dispute Resolution | ||
| Individual Topics (Section CB) | ||
Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior | ||
| Employment Law for HR Managers: Discrimination, Compensation, and Privacy | ||
| Org Fundamentals for HR | ||
| Found of Ind Org Psych | ||
| Successful Change Management for HR Professionals | ||
| Negotiation Principles in HR Context | ||
| Talent Management | ||
| Compensation Systems | ||
| HR Planning and Staffing | ||
| HR Training and Development | ||
| HR Management and Strategy | ||
| Negotiation in HR Decisions | ||
| Firm Performance and HR | ||
| Power & Influence in HRM | ||
| Leadership for HR Managers | ||
| Executive Compensation | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections EB, EMC) | ||
| Employee Motivation & Perfmnce | ||
| Impl High Perf Work Systems | ||
Labor Markets and Employment | ||
| Economics of Labor Markets | ||
| Workforce Policies and Partnerships | ||
| Economics of Human Resources | ||
| The Gender Wage Gap | ||
International Human Resource Management | ||
| Comparative Employment Relations Systems | ||
| International HR Management | ||
| Managing Diversity Globally | ||
| Electives | 24 | |
| Employment Law for HR Managers: Separations, Worker’s Compensation, and Safety | ||
| Machine Learning Applications in HR | ||
| Workforce Analytics | ||
| Fundamentals of Business Management | ||
| Leadership and Employee Engagement | ||
| Management of Workplace Gender Issues | ||
| Employee Stress, Well-Being, & Safety | ||
| Labor Economics I | ||
| Labor Economics II | ||
| Labor Law I | ||
| Game Theory and HR Strategy | ||
| Social Justice and the Workplace | ||
| Industrial Relations Theory | ||
| Human Resources Theory | ||
| Micro Research Methods | ||
| Macro Research Methods | ||
| Social Networks in Human Resource Management | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections CT, DDD, DRS, E, IM, WFO) | ||
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Other Requirements
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Minimum Hours Required Within the Unit: | 36 |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 12 |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
for the degree of Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (on campus & online)
The purpose of the MHRIR program is to educate students on the major areas of knowledge and to develop essential skill sets, both of which are crucial for becoming effective Human Resource Professionals in organizations. Upon successful completion of our 48-hour master’s program, students will achieve the following intended learning outcomes.
- Gain fundamental knowledge of human resource management (HRM) and organizational behavior.
- Develop intellectual reasoning and data-analytic skills to assess and solve problems in HRM and labor and employment relations.
- Develop communication and negotiation skills.
- Gain fundamental knowledge of the core principles and practices of labor management relations.
- Gain foundational knowledge to understand labor economics and labor markets.
- Develop an orientation toward an evidence-based approach to human resource management and labor and employment relations.
Graduate Degree Programs in Labor & Employment Relations
- Human Resources & Industrial Relations, MHRIR
- Human Resources & Industrial Relations, PhD
- Online Program
- Certificate Programs
for the degree of Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (on campus & online)
School of Labor and Employment Relations
Dean: Simon Restubog
Director of Graduate Studies: Amit Kramer
On-campus Programs Contact: Becky Barker
Online Programs Contact: Eden Haycraft
Labor & Employment Relations website
Labor & Employment Relations Faculty
504 East Armory Avenue, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-2381
Labor & Employment Relations email: ler-admissions@mx.uillinois.edu