Program Information: Associate’s Degree in Human Resource Management
Majors Overview June 17, 2013Human resource associate degree program is primarily designed to offer students practical skills and fundamental knowledge needed to handle conflict management, payroll, training, and hiring within business environments. The Associate of Science (A.S.) in Human Resource Management is the most common type of degree available at this level.
A.S. in Human Resource Management Degree Program
It usually takes two years to complete the associate degree program in human resource management, and the program will provide students with a strong understanding of the basic business and management principles, as well as an understanding of the most important duties involved with human resources. Students who are enrolled in the associate degree program in human resource management will learn about the theories behind organizational behavior and human psychology, so they will have an understanding on how to oversee the hiring processes at government agencies, non-profits agencies, corporations, and businesses. Aspiring human resources personnel will also learn how to apply this knowledge towards effectively dealing with employees in different stressful workplace situations.
Individuals who are enrolled in an associate degree program in human resource tend to learn about general business principles, including supply chain management, business law, economic principle, and financial accounting. They will also learn about topics that relate directly to the firing, training, and hiring of employees, including compensation management, techniques of employee selection, and employment law.
Education Requirements
Admission criteria typically require applicants to hold a general educational development (GED) certificate or a high school diploma, along with having solid grades in areas such as math, written communication and oral communication.
Program Course Topics
Typically, human resource management associate degree program courses cover both practical human resources strategies and business principles. Program course topics may include the following:
•Business communications
•Management principles
•Human resources development and training
•Human resources information systems
•Employment law basics
•Business law
•Organizational behavior
•Financial accounting
•Economics principles
•Introduction to sociology and psychology
Career Information and Employment Outlook
In 2008, there were 904,900 individuals employed as human resource managers in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS – www.bls.gov). A study of industry-wide employment for human resource personnel revealed that technical, scientific and professional organizations employed about eleven percent of these professionals, administrative support services accounted for thirteen percent of them. In 2008, human resource managers took home an average annual salary of $96,130 while those employed in enterprises and companies were paid the highest salaries, others employed by state governments were paid the lowest.
Continuing Education Information
Most schools offer bachelor’s degree programs rather than associate’s degree programs in the field. The degree programs not only offer students general understanding of human resource skills and duties, but also offers them a solid general academic background. Those interested in overseeing the operations of human resources departments in large corporations or firms, with their employee counts in hundreds, should consider enrolling in a two-year master’s degree programs in human resource management.