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A image to illustrate Dissertation (HRM) module
In the final module of the MSc Human Resource Management programme, you’ll have the exciting opportunity to be guided through independent research into an HRM topic of interest to you, culminating in a 15,000-word dissertation. You’ll be supported every step of the way: learning about what research is; selecting a topic and a research question; reviewing the relevant literature; designing an appropriate methodology to collect data; and analysing the data. You’ll also be able to develop your academic writing skills.
This module is divided into five stages, which correspond to the stages of doing research for a Masters level dissertation. These stages are equivalent to the units you have studied in previous MSc HRM modules.
In Stage 1, Preparing for your dissertation and starting your research, you’ll begin by examining what is required of a Masters student and a Masters dissertation. You’ll be able to examine previous OU MSc HRM dissertations to get a better feel for what is required. Then you’ll consider what it’s like to do research and the important things to reflect on as you embark on your own research. This will enable you to select a topic and a research question/objective and think about what kind of data you’ll need to collect to address it. Finally, you'll spend some time learning about the importance of writing for your dissertation and how to do it well. Stage 1 will prepare you for the first tutor-marked assignment (TMA), which is an outline of your research question/objective and a rationale for this.
Stage 2, Reviewing the literature and refining your research ideas and question(s), covers the literature review, a crucial element of any Masters dissertation. In this stage, you’ll develop your skills in finding the relevant literature, reading it critically and writing the review itself. This stage of B894 will also support you in deciding exactly what your research gap is – i.e., something that isn’t already well-travelled in the literature – and, therefore, to revisit your research question/objective if necessary, as well as to think ahead to your methodology. Stage 2 will prepare you for the second TMA, which is a draft of the literature review chapter of your dissertation.
Stage 3, Designing your research, prepares you for the third TMA, which is a draft of the research methodology chapter of your dissertation. This stage is divided into five parts. However, you’ll only study three of these parts, as follows:
Stage 4, Carrying out your research and analysing your data, is the time when you will be collecting and analysing data, discussing your findings, and preparing to draw conclusions. You'll also refine the drafts of your literature review and research methodology chapters. As such, the learning material for this stage is very light compared to previous stages. However, some is provided to steer you through this vital period in your dissertation research, and to enable you to continue to connect with your tutor and your peers for help and support. Stage 4 prepares you for your final TMA.
Stage 5, Completing your dissertation, is the last stage of the module when you'll finalise your dissertation (end-of-module assessment) for submission. It will guide you through the process of writing the introduction and conclusion chapters as well as provide useful guidance on revising the other chapters to ensure the finished product is as strong as possible. The learning material is fairly light to give you the necessary time and space for this work.
There is also a compulsory day school, which takes place at the end of April or the beginning of May. Further details will be made available at the start of the module.
By studying this module, you'll learn how to:
This module gives you the opportunity to study a real-life HRM problem, issue or change in depth. This will allow you to generate recommendations for professional practice in HR as well as for future academic research.
Completion of this module is essential to achieving the MSc HRM but also to achieve an upgrade in your Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development membership to Associate level.
You'll get help and support from your assigned module tutor, who will act as your dissertation supervisor. They’ll help you by:
You'll be able to contact your tutor by email, phone, via your tutor group forum on the module website, MS Teams or Adobe Connect.
Course work includes:
You will have access to a module website with an extensive variety of specially created resources designed exclusively for this module by a team of academic experts. This includes:
You can only study this module as part of specific Open University qualifications.
B894 is a compulsory module in our:
Sometimes you cannot count a module towards a qualification if you have already counted another module with similar content. To verify any excluded combinations with this module, check with an adviser before registering.
Dissertation (HRM) starts once a year, in November.
This page describes the module that will start in November 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in November 2031.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
To study B894, you must have studied the following modules as pre-requisites:
And one of these modules:
You may wish to revisit Creating evidence-based value in people management (B812), specifically Session 3 of Unit 2 (Evaluating different sources of evidence) and Session 1 of Unit 4 (Literature reviews for evidence-based practice). Both of these sessions cover material which will be developed and expanded upon in B894. However, be aware that B812 focuses on evidence-based practice in HRM whereas B894 focuses on academic research in HRM. As such the angles taken in each module are different.
Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader.
If you’re using printed materials as part of reasonable adjustments to support your studies, note that printed versions of online materials are unavailable for this module.
StartEndRegister byEngland fee
07 Nov 202631 Oct 202715 Oct 2026£4,150
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in England.
Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.
Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2027. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
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