Major subject in Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management I – Developing Human Resource Relations
Human Resource Management II – Work Psychology & Culture
Find out more about this major subject:
Both major subjects focus on the management of the key factor for business success in a knowledge- and information-based society: human capital.
Within each module, academic fundamentals and in-depth knowledge of the essential processes in human resource management are always taught with a strong practical focus. The entire spectrum of HRM is covered, from recruitment to redundancy, from leadership and motivation, remuneration and performance appraisal, through to human resources development and employee retention, and from employee participation to strategy development.
The courses organised as part of this major subject are designed to,
- to impart specialist knowledge in all relevant areas of human resource management, including interdisciplinary aspects (e.g. from legal, sociological and psychological perspectives), primarily through lectures,
- to enable students to develop methodological skills, such as recruitment techniques, working with HR information systems, leadership techniques and HR project tasks, through case studies and application-oriented projects,
- to further develop personal and social skills through individual and group tasks, specifically by means of seminars and projects that present challenges in team and leadership roles.
It’s all about people management!
The HRM major subject is ideal for anyone who (wishes to) work with people in their future career, whether as a manager, Project Manager, entrepreneur, consultant or HR professional. There is a wide range of roles available; here is a brief selection:
- Students aiming for a leadership role should take at least one module specialising in HR. After all, anyone who wants to be a manager will always have to lead and manage people. So you could put it this way: management = people management (e.g. selecting applications, agreeing targets, assessing performance, motivating, delegating, …). This also applies to Project Management roles.
- Students who wish to support managers in their work and provide strategic advice as in-house HR consultants also need a broad knowledge of HRM. Such roles, known as ‘Strategic HR Business Partners’, exist at all levels right up to top management.
- Finally, there are many different types of HR professionals; they are specialists in a specific area of HR. This encompasses the more ‘soft’ areas, such as development and training, coaching, corporate culture and values, and motivating and retaining talent, as well as ‘hard’ areas such as HR controlling and compensation (remuneration management). HR professionals use their specialist knowledge to support companies, either in-house or as external consultants.
In addition to the courses offered as part of the major subject, projects with companies, field trips and company visits are integrated as integral components. The major subject also offers seminars on current topics in HRM, etc.: modules 5.3 and 6.3 of the current study and examination regulations.
| HRM I – Developing Human Resource Relations | ||
| Module number | Module title | Credit points |
| HR.1 | Leadership & People Management | 5 |
| HR.2 | Motivation, Performance & Remuneration | 5 |
| HR.3 | Talent Management & Development | 5 |
| HRM II – Work Psychology & Culture | ||
| HR.4 | Employer Branding & HR Marketing | 5 |
| HR.5 | Industrial and Organisational Psychology | 5 |
| HR.6 | HR Strategy, Culture & Change Management | 5 |
English as the language of instruction in HR.3
The HR.3 Talent Management & Development module is taught exclusively in English; this also applies to the examination.
This gives students the opportunity to study in a real international environment, as the module is also open to ERASMUS students from various European universities. Being able to express oneself accurately in English in a professional context is also an important skill for the future in companies operating internationally.
Students who consider their proficiency in English to be insufficient to successfully complete the module have the option of taking the following modules instead (this can be arranged by submitting an informal request to Prof. Dr. Robert Holzapfel):
- HR.4 Employer Branding & HR Marketing
- HR.5 Industrial and Organisational Psychology
- HR.6 HR Strategy, Culture & Change Management
- 5 March 1949/6 March 1949 Labour Law for Managers
- 5.3.50/6.3.50 Case studies on digital Transformation
- Other 5.3.X/6.3.X seminars with a clear HR focus or taught by a Professor specialising in HRM.
Important: Courses cannot be counted twice!
Each of the optional modules is credited with 5 ECTS credits only once. Therefore, for example, if a student has the seminar “5.3.49 Employment Law for Managers” recognised as a substitute for HR.3, they cannot have the same module subject to academic credit transfer additionally as a “seminar” and thus receive double credit for it.
