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Program and courses Human Resource Studies

During this one-year Master's program, you become a human resources expert, specialized in the relationship between work, well-being and performance. You find the ideal balance between performance and employee care. With a strong international focus, you learn to combine insights from social sciences and business studies in HR-policies, which improve individual, team, and organizational performance.

Program structure

This one-year Master's program consists of 60 credits (ECTS):

  • 3 core courses (24 ECTS)
  • 2-3 out of 10 elective courses (12 ECTS)
  • Master’s thesis (24 ECTS)

The program is divided into four blocks and has two intake moments. You can start either at the end of August (first intake moment) or at the end of January (second intake moment). You can find the program content for each intake moment below.

    Program content

    Block 1 (September - October) (First intake moment)

    First intake moment

    You will take the following courses in block 1:

    • Seminar Human Resource Studies
      You gain practical and scientific insight into HR studies. You learn to assess, discuss and apply research, theory and concepts by investigating practical issues in the field.
    • HR Analytics
      Learn how to understand and apply analytics in an organizational setting, and use the outcomes to support evidence-based management and decision-making processes.

    Second intake moment 

    You will take the following courses in block 3:

    • HR Analytics
      Learn how to understand and apply analytics in an organizational setting, and use the outcomes to support evidence-based management and decision-making processes.
    • Master's thesis
    Block 2 (October- January)

    First intake moment

    You will take the following courses in block 2:

    • HR Analytics
      Learn how to understand and apply analytics in an organizational setting, and use the outcomes to support evidence-based management and decision-making processes.
    • Master's thesis 
    • One elective course

    Second intake moment 

    You will take the following courses in block 4:

    • HR Analytics
      Learn how to understand and apply analytics in an organizational setting, and use the outcomes to support evidence-based management and decision-making processes.
    • Master's thesis
    • One elective course
    Block 3 (January - April) (Second intake moment)

    First intake moment

    You will take the following courses in block 3:

    • Organizational Change
      Gain insights and understanding of the major principles underlying successful change management initiatives. You will be prepared for the challenges of leading organizational change and renewal. 
    • Master's Thesis Human Resource Studies

    Second intake moment

    You will take the following courses in block 1:

    • Seminar Human Resource Studies SPRING
      You gain practical and scientific insight into HR studies. You learn to assess, discuss and apply research, theory and concepts by investigating practical issues in the field.
    • Organizational Change
      Become familiar with the major principles underlying successful change management initiatives. You will be prepared for the challenges of leading organizational change and renewal. 
    Block 4 (April - August)

    First intake moment

    You will take the following courses in block 4:

    • Organizational Change
      Become familiar with the major principles underlying successful change management initiatives. You will be prepared for the challenges of leading organizational change and renewal. 
    • Master's thesis
    • One or two elective courses

    Second intake moment 

    You will take the following courses in block 2:

    • Organizational Change
      Become familiar with the major principles underlying successful change management initiatives. You will be prepared for the challenges of leading organizational change and renewal. 
    • Master's thesis
    Elective courses

    You can choose two or three elective courses (12 ECTS in total)

    • Positive Institutions
    • Human Resource Development
    • Performance Management
    • HRM, Work-design and Technology
    • Cultural Diversity Management
    • International Labour Law & Globalization
    • Compensation and Benefits
    • International Human Resource Management
    • Active Aging at Work
    • Inclusive HRM
    • Positive Psychology Interventions in Organizations
    • Leadership Perspectives on HRM
    Master's thesis

    During the second block, the Human Resource Studies’ supervisors will present several research topics and themes in a sequence of lectures. You will write an Individual Research Proposal HRS (IRP) based on one of these pre-selected themes. Once your IRP is completed and approved,  you can start writing your Master's thesis (24 ECTS).

    The Master’s thesis project starts at the beginning of the third block. You will join a Thesis Circle: a small group of students with similar research themes, supervised by one or more knowledgeable member(s) of the department. In this circle, individual progress and research issues are presented and discussed together.  You will receive feedback from your peers as well as from your supervisor.

    Examples of thesis subjects are:

    • Inclusive HRM and transitions on the labor market 
    • Retaining older workers in the workforce 
    • The interplay between involvement and compliance-achieving HR practices on employee performance and well-being 
    • Career development of solo self-employed workers 
    • The impact of HR systems and relational climates on knowledge hiding 

    You will find a detailed description of the courses and required literature in our course catalog.

    Go to the course descriptions

    Please note: programs are subject to change. We advise you to look up the current program in OSIRIS Student at the start of the year.

    Do you want to know more about this Master’s program?

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    Extend your Master with an exchange program, professional traineeship or research traineeship

    You can also apply for an Extended Master's program. An Extended Master's program adds an extra semester (6 months) to your regular Master’s program during which you get the chance to gain relevant work, abroad or research experience and enhance your professional skills or academic knowledge. 

    Within the Extended Master's program Human Resource Studies you can choose one of the following options:

    • Exchange program International Comparative HR
    • Professional traineeship
    • Research traineeship in HR analytics

    Short overview of Human Resource Studies

    • This program was the first of its kind in the field of human resources in the Netherlands (since 1986), and it has the largest department of HR experts in Europe.
    • You will be taught by research experts belonging to one of the leading academic centers in HR studies in Europe. You will have blended lectures, assignments, and remote learning.
    • By choosing electives in the field of HRM, you can actively design your own profile as a graduate, and specialize in one central topic within HRM, such as Talent Mangement, Compensation & Benefits, Inclusive HRM, Strength-bsed HRM, or HRM & Labor Law.
    • Thanks to the international orientation and practice-oriented approach, you will have a head-start on the labor market.

    Interested in the MSc Human Resource Studies?

    Check your eligibility and the deadlines for application

    Application and admission

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