YSU’s HR degree meets requirements

Staff report

Youngstown

The Society for Human Resource Management has confirmed that Youngstown State University’s bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management fully aligns with SHRM’s curriculum requirements as outlined in HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates.

The Williamson College of Business Administration Department of Management, which houses the HR program, redesigned the curriculum as part of an overall, collegewide effort to refine formal educational components to match professional requirements.

SHRM publishes curriculum guidelines to provide colleges and universities with a resource for tracking HR curricula against a common skill set needed by employers who seek to fill HR professional positions.

SHRM’s recognition of the HR major comes on the heels of the college’s reaffirmation of accreditation by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business. The HR program at YSU joins only 52 schools in the nation and six in Ohio with both SHRM recognition and the AACSB accreditation.

“This recognition further highlights the rigor and quality of our program,” said Jacob Breland, assistant professor of management. “Considered in the broader context of our dedicated faculty, supportive professional community, enthusiastic students and award-winning student chapter of SHRM, this provides further evidence of the professional competencies and knowledge our students bring to their employers.”

The redesigned WCBA HR curriculum included revamping coursework and creating new ones to better meet the needs of both employers and students. As a result, students majoring in HR can expect to be introduced to the major via a survey course designed to create a broad awareness to HR processes, followed by specialization courses in labor law and negotiations, compensation and performance appraisal, and selection and training.

Two new courses have been created to serve as capstone experience for HR majors: strategic HR management and projects in HR. Through the emphasis of a hands-on approach, students completing the requirements of the HR major will have a portfolio of experiences from which they can showcase their competencies to potential employers.

The mission of the Williamson College of Business Administration is to prepare undergraduate and MBA students for productive and fulfilling careers as leaders in business, government, nonprofit organizations and society. The college houses 1,800 undergraduate students, 100 MBA students and 45 full-time faculty.