What is a Human Resources MBA Degree?

An MBA in human resources is a graduate-level degree that teaches both human resources and business administration concepts. This type of degree is intended to help you prepare for mid- to high-level human resources positions and also gives you an opportunity to develop your understanding of how successful human resources departments play a role in the overall health of a business.

Learn about the skills you will develop in a program such as an MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources, and how those skills may help you further your career. We’ll also talk about the difference between an HR master’s and a Human Resources MBA and more in the following sections:

• What Can I Do with a Human Resources MBA?
• Skills You Can Learn During a Human Resources MBA Program
• Human Resources Organizations & Associations
• Should I Earn a Human Resources MBA or Master’s Degree?
• How to Apply to Our MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources Program?

There are plenty of ways that an MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources may help you develop personally and professionally, including:

• Improvement of your HR skills: During your time in our MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources program, you'll have the chance to develop your understanding of planning and staffing, talent development and interpersonal skills such as corporate communication, along with employment law, strategic HR communication and more.


• A well-rounded education: This specialized MBA gives you the opportunity to study both HR and business administration, allowing you to gain more insight into how the two disciplines intersect to enhance your skills and increase your efficacy.


• Increased career opportunities: Earning this degree can give you career flexibility and open you up to consider job opportunities in both the HR and business fields.


• Potential to help you stand out: While job requirements vary greatly, having a graduate-level degree on your resume may help you stand out to potential employers who may want their applicants to hold higher-level degrees for certain positions.


• Consider higher-level careers: If you’re looking to advance your career, the managerial and leadership skills that you learn in an MBA program may help you pursue higher-level positions, or may help you meet the minimum education requirements for a job as outlined by an employer.

During a human resources MBA program, like DeVry’s MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources, you'll have the opportunity to develop important skills in both the realms of both HR and business. Here are just some of the things you can learn:

• Applied technology: Learn how to use technology and analytical tools in the world of HR to help address company needs.


• Collaboration abilities: Find out how to work more effectively in a team environment to deliver results by harnessing the unique skills of each team member.


• Performance measurements: Learn how to create metrics to analyze employee and organization performance. Identify and make recommendations for improvement to company leadership.


• Problem solving skills: Improve your ability to navigate conflict and identify areas of your existing strategy that could be replaced or improved.


• Strategic HR management: Learn how to effectively manage staff in a way that improves company health and helps it achieve its goals.


• Organizational understanding: Explore HR functions such as change management, employment regulatory concerns and employee legal matters.

Your learning journey shouldn't end when you finish your MBA. As you progress and grow in your career, you'll likely need to develop new skills. You may even find that some of the industry standards or practices that you learned in school have changed over time.

Joining or following a human resources organization can help you stay up to date on the latest industry developments and help you stay in habit of lifelong learning.

Joining an HR association may also help you discover new job openings and build connections with other HR professionals. These types of connections have the potential to put you in a position to develop relationships with your peers that may come in handy if you’re ever looking for new position or need a professional endorsement.

Some HR organizations and associations to know about are:

• Academy of Human Resources Development (AHRD): This organization is designed to help members keep up to date with trends in the HR industry. It exists to promote the study of HR theories and practices and offers networking opportunities to members.


• American Payroll Association (APA): The APA is an HR association specifically geared toward those working in a company’s payroll department. They offer the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) and the Certified Payroll Certification (CPC), as well as conferences and networking opportunities.


• Association for Talent Development (ATD): The ATD is geared toward HR professionals who are primarily concerned with talent acquisition and development. They provide members access to conferences, networking events and the latest information about talent development practices in the form of classes and webinars.


• HR People + Strategy: A close associate of the Society for Human Resources Management, HR People + Strategy is geared toward experienced HR professionals who have been in the industry for 10 or more years. They cover a broad range of topics, including talent development, HR strategy and leadership skill development. Members also gain exclusive access to conferences, research and recent discoveries in HR.


• Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM): SHRM offers a variety of useful benefits, include access to conferences, custom HR tools, an advisor service, an HR magazine subscription and more. It's also worth noting that DeVry's MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources Management program fully aligns with the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates.

Whether you should earn a master's in human resources or an MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources ultimately depends on what your career goals are.

One of the main differences between the two is that a master's degree in HR will typically only include HR related classes, while an MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources will include business classes in addition to HR courses. While they are both graduate degrees, an MBA may allow you more flexibility to consider careers in either a business or strictly HR environment, whereas a master’s in HR may limit you to one field.