Undergraduate Course: Applications of Human Resource Management (BUST10129)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The aim of this course is to enhance our understanding of the intricacies and complexities of managing people in the modern workplace. It is intended to build on existing knowledge of the subject area from Organisational Behaviour 2 and/or Human Resource Management 2 (formerly Organisation Studies and Managing Employment Relations). The course will focus on the policy, adoption and outcomes of contemporary HRM. Throughout, the course will take a critical perspective on the implications of human resource policies and practice for all stakeholders: managers at all levels, employees of all types, and society as a whole. |
| Course description |
The course will begin by considering the different theoretical approaches to understanding human resource management. It will then consider some ongoing issues in depth, for example, recruitment and selection, diversity, the psychological contract, the impact of technology, evidence-based management and HRM in the international context.
Topics on this course reflect contemporary issues and are therefore updated on an annual basis. . Indicative topics include:
- Objectives, adoption and outcomes of contemporary HRM
- Recruitment and Selection
- Managing flexible working and work-life balance
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Trust in the workplace
- Performance Appraisal
- Technology and HRM
- Training and Development
Student Learning Experience
The course comprises a mixture of formal lectures, group discussions and class exercises. The lectures will provide an overview of key issues, supported by a range of suggested readings. Group discussions will focus upon understanding of the study and practice of HRM and its implications for organisational stakeholders. Depending on student numbers, students may be given responsibility, as individuals or in groups, for analysing a particular topic, practice or research contribution. Students will be expected to participate in class discussions.
The course project is integrative in nature, bringing together insights and understanding from more than one topic in order to encourage the development of stronger evaluative, rather than descriptive, skills.
|
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Course equivalents to Organisational Behaviour 2 BUST08028 (formerly entitled Organisation Studies BUST08011) OR Human Resource Management 2 BUST08027 (formerly entitled Managing Employment Relations BUST08010) recommended. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
70 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Feedback |
Generic feedback on your coursework, together with individual marks, will be available on Learn on DATE (to be confirmed). You will also be able to review your individual feedback electronically via Grademark on Learn from SAME DATE.
Your examination marks will be posted on Learn (together with generic feedback and examination statistics) as soon as possible after the Boards of Examiners' meeting (normally end of January/beginning of February). You will have the opportunity to look at your examination scripts in early February in the UG Office (Room 1.11, Business School, 29 Buccleuch Place). Note that you will not be able to remove any examination scripts from the UG Office as they may be required by the Board of Examiners.
There will be both formal and informal student feedback on the course. Students will be requested to complete an online course evaluation questionnaire towards the end of the course. In addition, an end of course review session will provide an opportunity for less structured feedback from students. Both these sources will be analysed in line with School and College quality audit procedures. In addition, where relevant, the feedback will be conveyed to the external examiner prior to the Board of Examiners meeting. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe and discuss critically key issues and controversies associated with current debates in human resource management.
- Critically assess the objectives, rationales, uses and limitations of various managerial policies and practices in human resource management.
- Identify and discuss critically the scale and nature of adoption of specific human resource policies; Identify and critically evaluate the perspectives of key stakeholders in the theory and practice of human resource management.
- Understand and discuss critically the nature of contemporary HRM research.
- Discuss the longer term consequences of current trends in HRM.
|
Reading List
Recommended Texts
The following book serves as the core textbook for this course:
Torrington, D., Hall, L., Taylor, S and Atkinson C (2017) Human Resource Management (Tenth Edition). FT Prentice Hall. Pearson Education.
Given the topical nature of the course there is a reliance on academic journals and students should be familiar with the University Library's electronic journals system. In addition, students will be expected to keep up-to-date with developments in the area through newspaper and business reports.
Please note: The Torrington et al. textbook is available as an e-book via the library website.
Relevant Journals
There are a number of relevant journals in this area. Useful material is to be found in the following:
- Human Resource Management Journal (available in electronic form)
- Employee Relations (available in electronic form)
- People Management (available in hard copy in the library)
- Personnel Review (available in electronic form)
- International Journal of Human Resource Management (available in electronic form)
- Journal of Managerial Psychology
- Journal of Management
- Work, Employment & Society (available in electronic form)
Relevant Websites
Some relevant websites are listed below.
- www.bis.gov.uk
- www.cbi.org.uk
- www.cipd.co.uk
- www.equalityhumanrights.com
- www.theworkfoundation.com
- www.tuc.org.uk
- www.bestcompanies.co.uk
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Develop critical perspective on the implications of human resource policies and practice for all stakeholders: managers at all levels, employees of all types, and society as a whole. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Sessions will take place on Tuesdays in Semester 1 from 2.10-4.00 pm. |
| Keywords | AHRM |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Ishbel Mcwha-Hermann
Tel: (0131 6)51 5466
Email: Ishbel.McWha@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Hedwig Ponjee
Tel: (0131 6)50 3824
Email: Hedwig.Ponjee@ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage