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, terminal 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. We are also temporarily accepting the Duolingo test with a minimum score of 115.
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. Full status admission on the temporarily accepted Duolingo test requires a minimum score of 135. 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 UIUC employees and employees of other state institutions), Academic waivers from UIUC, UIC and UIS employees, Related Agency waivers, waivers granted through fellowships/assistantships as governed by the Graduate College at UIUC, 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 | ||
| Compensation Systems | ||
| HR Training and Development | ||
| HR Planning and Staffing | ||
| Negotiation in HR Decisions | ||
| HR Management and Strategy | ||
| Firm Performance and HR | ||
| Power & Influence in HRM | ||
| Leadership for HR Managers | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections CM, ICP, EB, EC, NPH) | ||
| Employee Motivation & Perfmnce | ||
| Impl High Perf Work Systems | ||
Labor Markets and Employment | ||
| Economics of Labor Markets | ||
| Economics of Human Resources | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections EGW, WPP) | ||
International Human Resource Management | ||
| International HR Management | ||
| Individual Topics (Section CER) | ||
| Managing Diversity Globally | ||
| Electives | 16 | |
| European Working Class History | ||
| Labor Economics I | ||
| Labor Economics II | ||
| Labor Law I | ||
| Industrial Relations Theory | ||
| Human Resources Theory | ||
| Micro Research Methods | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections CMT, CSR, E, EW, FBM, GI, GT, HDA, IM, SN, TI, TM, WFO, X) | ||
| LER 599 | Thesis Seminar (min/max applied toward degree) | 8 |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections CM, ICP, EB, EC, and NPH) | ||
| Employee Motivation & Perfmnce | ||
| Impl High Perf Work Systems | ||
Labor Markets and Employment | ||
| Economics of Labor Markets | ||
| Economics of Human Resources | ||
| Individual Topics (Section EGW, WPP) | ||
International Human Resource Management | ||
| International HR Management | ||
| Individual Topics (Section CER) | ||
| Managing Diversity Globally | ||
| Electives | 24 | |
| European Working Class History | ||
| Labor Economics I | ||
| Labor Economics II | ||
| Labor Law I | ||
| Industrial Relations Theory | ||
| Human Resources Theory | ||
| Micro Research Methods | ||
| Individual Topics (Sections CMT, CSR, E, EW, FBM, GI, GT, HDA, IM, SN, TI, TM, WFO, X) | ||
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| 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 Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations programs are to impart knowledge and skills that individuals may use to advance to mid-and upper-level positions managing employment relations in private-and public-sector organizations as well as in labor union organizations. The online program, in particular, was developed to expand our ability to train future human resource management leaders by making the program and its strengths available to place-bound human resources professionals and career-changers.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the leading professional organization for human resource management practitioners worldwide. SHRM created the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI), which is the human resource credentialing body to promote the establishment of standards for the profession. HRCI also recognizes human resource professionals who have met, though demonstrated professional experience and the passing of a written comprehensive exam, HRCI’s requirements for mastering the codified HR Body of Knowledge. 1HRCI regularly reviews exam content for updates and revisions to maintain relevance and include content at the leading edge of the field.
The MHRIR programs have chosen to draw from HRCI’s Human Resource Body of Knowledge and other resources such as faculty expertise and prominent practitioners and scholars in the HR field, as the foundation for our student learning outcomes.
- Students will apply Business Management and Strategy to shape immediate and long-term HR activities, practices, and policies. Students will critically examine the complex link between strategy and business practices, understand and apply workforce metrics to drive decision-making, and apply a strategic lens to international human resources.
- Students will drive productivity outcomes, use job and company data to predict the success of new hires, and align human capital requirements to achieve business goals to support Workforce Planning and Development within an organization’s HR operation.
- Students will understand the structural elements of compensation system design and evaluate an organization’s Compensation and Benefits structure relative to market forces, union agreements, and legal requirements.
- Students will apply and adhere to statutory and legal requirements when administering HR policies and procedures and employ Risk Management strategies to protect the employer from loss and liability and comply with labor law.
- Students will lead Employee and Labor Relations by managing workforce relationships, developing inclusive and respectful company culture, and building communication systems.
- To support Human Resource Development, students will support organizational priorities by managing employee performance through evaluating gaps between employee performance and the desired state, building programs to address these gaps, and designing strategies for motivating employees.
- Students will be able to integrate, synthesize, and apply knowledge of ethical dilemmas and solutions in Human Resources. Students will apply strategies for realizing the benefits of diversity and inclusion and employ practices that contribute to healthy, safe, and secure workplaces, communities, and societies as part of the organization’s corporate social responsibility.
We have also formed these additional learning outcomes to support a student’s immediate and long-term success in the professional world.
- Students will be able to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to act strategically when making decisions in business and in life.
- Students will produce persuasive and impactful written work and verbal presentations for academic and business audiences.
- Students will be effective leaders of change and apply interpersonal skills to work well in cross-functional teams.
- Students will develop professional skills to support long-term career success: resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, and networking.
for the degree of Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (on campus & online)
Graduate Degree Programs in Labor & Employment Relations
- Majors
- Human Resources and Industrial Relations, MHRIR (on-campus & online)
- Human Resources and Industrial Relations, PhD (on-campus only)
- Certificates
- Joint 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: Ingrid Fulmer
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
Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements