Education and Training

In order to earn a human resources degree, you will need to complete coursework in areas such as recruitment, compensation, performance appraisal and training and development. Other courses you may take in order to earn your human resources degree include public administration, business administration, sociology, psychology, economics, political science and statistics. Courses in collective bargaining, labor law, labor history, labor economics and industrial psychology are also beneficial for those who are pursuing a human resources degree.

While the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) offers certifications to help those with human resources degrees obtain certain titles, such as Certified Benefits Professional (CBP) and Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), special certification and licensure is not required in any state.

Employment Opportunities

After completing your human resources degree, there are several different career paths you may pursue. These include:

• Employment and placement manager
• Compensation, benefits and job analysis specialist
• Training and development manager
• Labor relations manager

An employment and placement manager is responsible for supervising the hiring of employees and determining where they will work within the company.

Compensation, benefits and job analysis specialists specialize in specific areas, which may involve collecting and examining detailed employee information as well as determining the duties for various positions.

Training and development managers are responsible for conducting and supervising training programs with the goal of helping employees enhance overall productivity, develop their skills and improve individual performance.

A labor relations manager is responsible for overseeing employee relations, which involves handling complaints and negotiating with employees.

Job Outlook and Salary

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for individuals with a human resources degree are expected to grow faster than the average occupation. This is largely because court rulings and legislation will continue to set high standards for employers in regard to handling employees. The Bureau reports that the median annual earnings for compensation and benefits managers in May 2006 was $74,750. Training and development managers earned $80,250 during that same time period, while human resources managers earned $88,510 and employment, recruitment and placement specialists earned $42,420.