What you will study
In this module you'll consider the role of the HR professional and the skills needed to be effective in this role. You'll also consider the implications of recent research findings in the field of human resource management for your own practice, for example in increasing levels of engagement and improving performance, in acting ethically and in managing change. You'll compare this with the practice of HR professionals in other contexts, drawing on case studies and the experience of your fellow students working in different geographical areas and sectors; and you will also look at the development over time of thinking about the role of HR professionals in order to understand how this may influence current thinking. The emphasis throughout will be on considering what HRM practices are associated with positive organisational outcomes.
You'll develop and practise the skills you'll need to be effective as an HR professional, including as a leader and a senior manager. These include self-management, leading and working in teams, making decisions, managing and communicating information, including financial information, consultancy skills and helping others to learn. You'll also develop postgraduate study skills and digital literacy skills.
Perhaps most importantly this module will develop your skills as a reflective practitioner, committed to continuously learning from reflection on your practice and on the critical application of new theories and ideas to inform this practice.
You will learn
By studying this module you will learn to:
- understand the role of the HR professional, the nature of professionalism and approaches to addressing ethical dilemmas
- review recent research and to assess its relevance for practice in a range of contexts
- assess the relevance of theory for practice and apply it where appropriate to improve practice
- review theoretical approaches to leadership and team-working and to develop the skills needed to be effective as a leader and as a team member
- critically assess the range of concepts and issues that are associated with managing performance in the workplace, and the interrelationships between these factors
- develop the skills and understanding needed to address change management issues and to work at a strategic level in the organisation
- develop the skills essential for HR work such as: leading and working in teams, making decisions, managing financial information, communicating effectively and helping others to learn.
Learning platform
This module will be delivered on the innovative online platform of FutureLearn. You may already know FutureLearn, which was founded by The Open University, for the free short courses it hosts for universities and institutions around the world. In addition to these free short courses, FutureLearn has a growing collection of full fee-paying university courses linked to undergraduate and masters-level qualifications. These fee-paying courses feature additional options and tools that aren’t available on the free courses.
If you’ve studied with the OU recently, you’ll find that FutureLearn works a little differently. For example, it’s entirely online and highly interactive, so you won’t be using printed or offline course materials. However, you’ll still have access to our tools and resources, as well as new options that aren’t available in the OU’s virtual learning environment. Importantly, as a fee-paying student, you’ll still have the same excellent tutor support that you would on any of our other modules.
BXM840 is divided into four programs: The Human Resource Professional, Being a Skilled Human Resource Professional, Mapping the Context of Human Resource Management, and Human Resource Management in Context. Each programs runs for eight weeks and there is a week’s break between each program.