Close search

Human Resource Management Major

Carmel Boyer School of Business

Apply to BW  Visit Campus  Request Information 

OVERVIEW

Personnel. Productivity. Policy management. Human resource management is an ever-changing field of study that spans communication, law and regulations, organizational strategy, business operations and more.

At BW, you'll learn to help organizations succeed in a marketplace that is constantly changing, increasingly global and highly competitive.

Well respected in the business community, a BW business degree is a marketable career choice. You'll learn from professors with decades of experience both national and international in scope. You'll gain professional insights that are diverse and career relevant.

BW's human resource management program offers you the option of earning a bachelor's degree or following a 3/2 program. The 3/2 program allows you to accelerate your studies and earn both a bachelor's degree and an MBA in five years.

Coursework is comprehensive and integrative. You'll learn key management principles and techniques pertinent to recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, labor relations and employment law.

The curriculum is approved for credit by the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI). The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) also has identified the curriculum at Baldwin Wallace as aligning with its professional guidelines and requirements.

Internships are a key part of the program. BW's 20-minute drive to Cleveland puts you within easy access to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

  • Employee relations manager
  • Personnel recruiter
  • Benefits specialist
  • Human resource manager
  • Employment counselor
  • Trainer

CURRICULUM

A comprehensive rigorous program, human resource management is offered as a major and minor.

The human resource management major prepares students to:

  • Recall business terms, concepts, and principles and effectively communicate these, through both oral and written means, using the language of business
  • Utilize critical thinking skills to analyze information and produce improved business decisions and generate effective recommendations for better course of action or opportunity for improvement
  • Demonstrate relevant application of business knowledge
  • Exhibit high standards of ethical awareness and conduct and recognize ethical issues businesses/people face in today's world
  • Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the content areas and tools necessary for a human resources professional
  • Analyze human resource management decisions using concepts/theories and techniques/tools commonly used by professionals in the field

3/2 Program Option

The 3/2 MBA in human resource program provides an effective, efficient way to earn both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees in five years. The program prepares you for HR certification exams.

You can apply for the program in the second semester of your junior year. In the fourth and fifth year of study, you will be enrolled in both undergraduate- and graduate-level coursework. Tuition for the 3-2 MBA in Human Resource program remains at the full-time undergraduate day rate throughout the five years of the program.

Through the program, you'll gain critical managerial and leadership skills applicable to strategic and operational issues in managing human capital in organizations. The curriculum is based on Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Human Resource Certification Institute requirements. It is also a recognized graduate degree program by SHRM.

Human Resource Management Certificate

The Certificate Program in Human Resource Management covers the essentials of HR and is designed for anyone who has an interest in earning credentials in this field, including graduates with a degree who want to change careers as well as students who have not completed a degree but need the credential to be considered for an opportunity. Experienced business professionals that want to move into HR can build a solid background with this certificate.

Course Catalog

Course Descriptions

Course descriptions, requirements for the major and additional information can be found in the University Catalog.

STUDENT EXPERIENCES

Our world-class faculty will help you tailor your educational experience to your personal and professional goals. Small class sizes and an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio offer exceptional mentoring opportunities with BW professors.

Experiential learning bridges classroom study with real-world opportunities. You can enhance your studies through internships, fellowships, study abroad and a variety of co-curricular and other learning opportunities.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Open to students of all majors, BW's SHRM chapter provides career-minded students with information on networking, interviewing skills, professionalism and more. Members participate in Ohio Human Resources Games, an outstanding opportunity to network with professionals across the state.

View all business student organizations and experiential learning programs.

ALUMNI SUCCESS

Baldwin Wallace has long championed the success of its students. Evidence of this can be seen in the extraordinary achievements of its alumni spread throughout the United States and the world.

Ninety-two percent of BW human resource management graduates from the class of 2017 reported being in rewarding jobs or in graduate school within six months of graduation.

Lindsey BertramLindsey Bertram '15 is HR administrator for AMG Peterbilt Group in Brunswick, Ohio. Internships enabled her to apply classroom learning in a professional setting. Campus leadership roles honed her communication and time management skills. She is from Naperville, Ill.

Sean RobinsonSean Robinson '08 is industrial/ organizational psychologist at MillerCoors and adjunct professor at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Sean holds a doctorate from Ohio University in industrial/organizational psychology. BW faculty challenged Sean as a student and researcher, preparing him for doctoral studies. He is from Mentor, Ohio.

FACULTY

Mary Pisnar

Chair, Management and Leadership
DBA, Cleveland State University

Mary Pisnar

Bryan Fredericks

Director, Healthcare Management Programs
M.P.H., University of Toledo

Bryan Fredericks

John Fuehrer

Professor
DBA ABD, Cleveland State University

John Fuehrer

David Krueger

Co-Director, Sustainability Program
Ph.D., Ethics, University of Chicago

David Krueger

Ven Ochaya

Professor
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Amherst

Ven Ochaya

Angela Planisek

Associate Director, Honors Program
Associate Professor

Ph.D., Kent State University

Angela Planisek

Dale Sheptak

Associate Dean, Graduate Business Programs
D.S.Sc., University of Leicester

Dale Sheptak

Michael Weidokal

Lecturer
International MBA, University of South Carolina and the Economics University of Vienna

Michael Weidokal

Full-Time Faculty

Mary Pisnar
Chair, Management and Leadership
Professor
DBA, Cleveland State University

Bryan Fredericks
Director, Healthcare Management Programs
Assistant Professor, Healthcare Programs
M.P.H., University of Toledo

John Fuehrer
Professor
MBA, Baldwin Wallace University

David Krueger
Professor
Ph.D., University of Chicago

Ven Ochaya
Professor
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Amherst

Angela L. Planisek
Associate Professor
Ph.D., Kent State University

Dale Sheptak
Associate Dean, Graduate Business Programs
Professor
D.S.Sc. University of Leicester

Param Srikantia
Professor
Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University

Michael Weidokal
Lecturer
MBA, University of South Carolina and the University of Vienna

Adjunct Faculty

Lynda Carter
Lecturer
MBA, Baldwin Wallace University

Alysha Ellis
Lecturer
MBA, Cleveland State University