MSc Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:

• MSc (full-time)
  UK students (per annum): £18,600
  International, including EU, students (per annum): £32,300

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

Refund Policy

Due to the competition for places and limited availability, our courses require a deposit of £1000 to cover non-recoverable costs and secure your place. The deposit will be deducted from your tuition fees when you register on the course.

The deposit is non-refundable, except in the following situations:

• you fail to meet the conditions of your offer (see below for further information); and/or
• you are refused a visa or entry clearance to enter the UK (proof must be submitted)

If an offer has been made specifying an English Language condition which you do not meet, the Admissions Team will require the official certificate of an English Language test taken after the date of offer as evidence that you have attempted to meet your offer conditions for a refund to be approved. The English Language test certificate provided with your application documents will not be accepted as proof that you have attempted to meet your offer conditions as such a certificate will predate the offer.

If an offer has been made specifying an academic condition, the Admissions Team will require the official university documentation showing that you have not met this academic condition from the institution at which you have studied, as evidence for a refund to be approved.

The Admissions Team reserves the right to refuse to refund of any deposit that does not meet with the requirements outlined above.

If you wish to become a student member of the CIPD then visit the  CIPD website  for further information.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships will be available for 2026 entry, information will be updated on our scholarships page.

This methods course is divided into three parts. Part I introduces students to qualitative methods of research. Part II focuses on theories and applications of statistical methods. Part III will be held at the end of the course (in December) with the MSc Programme Director. Students will be introduced to the dissertation process and the research methods issues that are specific to each programme. This will allow students to make connections between their research methods training and their choice of methods for their dissertations.

 

BMAN60261 Programme Req: BMAN60261 is only available as a core unit to students on MSc HRM & IR and MSc IHRM & CIR

The unit aims to:

To enhance students' capacity to engage in research in the field of work and employment relations on an independent basis and thereby to prepare students for further academic study and employment. 

 

Students shall be able to:

• generate research ideas
• identify suitable research topics
• design a survey instrument
• understand which methods are most appropriate for tackling different types of problems
• distinguish between qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis
• use computer software to analyse data

Syllabus (indicative curriculum content):

Research process.  

Theoretical and methodological issues associated with using different approaches to research in field of work and employment relations, including knowledge assumptions and ethical issues.  

Developing research from literature reviews and searches  

Qualitative methodologies, including data collection methods; and analysis techniques  

Theories and applications of statistical methods, including basics of survey design and statistical inference.  

Statistical procedures, for example: chi-square, t-test, Pearson’s r, simple regression, and multiple linear regression analysis.  

Dissertation preparation and generation of research topics in relation to work and employment relations  

Mixture of: lectures; seminars; computer work; online materials; worksheets

Lectures will be delivered through a mix of face-to-face lectures, and a small amount of pre-recorded supplementary material. The seminars are delivered face to face. The course members will be organised into smaller groups who will attend seminars for the qualitative sessions, and computer clusters for the quantitative sessions.

The course unit will involve a variety of teaching methods. It will involve (i) pre-prepared materials to enable students to work through new ideas in their own time; (ii) face-to-face lectures that include case studies and paired working; (iii) face-to-face seminars; and (iv) computer lab work.

For weeks 7-10, students will attend a lecture and attend seminars in labs where they will work through practical exercises and ask questions.

The lecture materials will introduce qualitative and quantitative research methods of data collection and analysis. The computer lab work will involve the use of computers to carry out the statistical techniques covered in the lecture materials. The dissertation seminars will be tailored to each MSc programme.

• Identify and compare quantitative research e for examining different types of problems in work and employment relations
• Identify and compare qualitative research methodologies for examining different types of problems in work and employment relations
• Explain the research process and the creation of knowledge from quantitative data
• Explain the research process and the creation of knowledge from qualitative data

 

 

• Generate research ideas from work and employment relations literature and analysis of secondary data
• Formulate quantitative research questions that are amenable to solution.
• Formulate appropriate qualitative research questions
• Select and apply appropriate statistical techniques to analyse secondary data
• Justify the use of a particular qualitative research methodology
• Critically evaluate the contribution of your proposed quantitative research
• Critically evaluate the contribution of your proposed qualitative research

 

• Utilise library, electronic and online resources effectively
• Conduct relevant online literature search to support Research Plan
• Report research findings clearly and accurately

• Use computer software package to analyse data, including coding
• Independently gather, sift, synthesise and organise information from various sources (including library, electronic and online resources), and critically evaluate its significance.
• Assess issues of selection, accuracy, uncertainty and approximation of quantitative data

 

• 1500 word report that presents the analysis of existing survey data, based on the formulation of a research question and selection of appropriate statistical techniques (50%)
• 1500 word research Plan for further research using qualitative research methods in light of analysis presented in Report and associated extant literature (50%)

Informal advice and discussion during a lecture, seminar, workshop or lab

Online exercises and quizzes delivered through Canvas course space

Responses to student emails and questions from a member of staff including feedback to a group via an online discussion forum

Written and/or verbal comments on assessed or non assessed coursework

 

Field, A. (2013) Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (3^rd or 4th Edition). London: Sage.

Saunders, M.; Thornhill, A. and Lewis, P. (2012) Research Methods for Business Students (Fourth Edition). Harlow: Pearson.

Informal contact methods

Office hours

Online Learning Activities (blogs, discussions, self assessment questions)

Drop in surgeries (extra help sessions for students on material they may be struggling with)