Human Resource Management with Foundation Year

Human resource management is the discipline concerned with the people dimension of organisations: how they recruit, develop, retain and manage their workforces, and how employment relationships are structured and governed. It sits at the intersection of business strategy and the lived experience of working people, addressing questions about leadership, motivation, performance, learning, reward, wellbeing and the legal and ethical frameworks that regulate the employment relationship. For organisations facing rapid technological change and increasing competition for talent, the ability to manage human resources strategically is more important than ever.

At the University of Salford this programme begins with a foundation year designed to build confidence in academic writing, business concepts and digital skills, preparing you for degree-level study. You will develop introductory knowledge of management and people practices in the foundation year before progressing to the full honours degree. The complete programme runs full time over four years and includes a sandwich year and work-placement experience, giving you a structured period of professional practice during your studies.

This direct exposure to workplace environments, where you can apply and test your knowledge of HR in real organisational settings, is consistently valuable for both your learning and your employability.

You will study employment law, organisational behaviour, recruitment and selection, learning and development, reward management, employee relations and the strategic dimensions of HRM, developing both the theoretical understanding and the practical skills that professional HR roles require.

Graduates from human resource management programmes move into roles as HR advisers, talent acquisition specialists, learning and development coordinators, employee relations officers and HR business partners, with progression to senior and strategic roles over time. Many graduates also pursue Chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Postgraduate study in HRM, organisational psychology or business administration is also a well-established route.