Is an MBA in Human Resources Worth It?

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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:

Your learning journey shouldn't end when you earn an MBA in Human Resources. 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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 SHRM’s 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 your personal career goals.

What are the differences between a master’s degree in human resources and an MBA with a specialization in HR? The basic difference can be summed up this way: While they are both graduate degrees, a master’s degree in HR will tend to be limited exclusively to HR-related concepts. An MBA with HR specialization, on the other hand, will have a broader academic focus. It can prepare you with skills that can offer you greater flexibility to pursue business management roles that include varied responsibilities that include HR, or those outside of HR.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, companies will typically require Human Resources Managers to hold a bachelor’s degree, although some companies may prefer job seekers to hold a master’s degree in human resources, labor relations or business administration. Candidates holding degrees of this nature may have completed coursework that is centered around collective bargaining, compensation, employment law and other human resources-specific topics.   

The online MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources from DeVry University’s Keller School of Management may help you consider an expanded list of career opportunities by giving you a broader understanding of business and the role HR plays within today’s business ecosystem. DeVry’s MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources offers coursework in management theory and practices, collaboration, problem solving, business communication, technology, human resources leadership, strategic HR management and performance measurement.

Skills and competencies for human resources management cover a broad range of technical, business and interpersonal skills, making this one of the more appealing professions for people who are interested in working with people, and justifying the need for a well-rounded business management education. Teambuilding.com recently compiled a list of skills, competencies and qualifications of effective HR professionals. Here are 5 from their rundown:

In addition to earning an MBA, obtaining a professional HR certification is a good way to supplement your technical HR knowledge and position yourself to pursue career advancement. SHRM offers two industry certifications for human resources professionals:*  

To apply to our MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources program, take a moment to review the admissions requirements, then fill out our enrollment form. At that point one of our Enrollment Advisors will reach out to help you complete the process.