HR-related and specific courses: MA Human Resource Management, one-year, full-time or two-year, part-time; MA Personnel and Development, two-year part-time evening study or two-year part-time day and evening study, which leads to graduate membership of the CIPD.
Founded: It started life in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, Britain’s first polytechnic. It became the University of Westminster in 1992.
College CV: The university has more than 21,000 students across four campuses based in central London and Harrow. Five areas have been assessed as ‘excellent’ in the QAA teaching ratings and it has higher than average graduate employment in most fields. It was also rated the leading modern university for research in law, Asian studies, linguistics and communication, cultural and media studies, by the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) published in December. No research area at the university was ranked lower than a 3b. Two of the most prominent research groups are labour-related: the Future of Work Group, led by Professor John Stanworth and the Education/Training and Labour Market Group led by Professor JR Shackleton (www.wmin.ac.uk/etlm). Westminster is a designated CIPD Centre of Excellence and the HRM department has 22 full-time staff and 20-25 visiting lecturers. Its emphasis is on blending theory and practice. Many students are studying part-time and already have industry experience. Classes are often run on a workshop basis so thatstudents can share their experiences. Specialist areas include Assessment Centres, Reward Management, Psychological Testing and International Personnel Management.
Entry: For the MA in HRM, an honours degree or equivalent in Business Studies, Public Administration, Sociology, Psychology, Social Science or related subjects, or a degree in a discipline relevant to HRM, or a degree supplemented by a qualification which includes a substantial business or management studies component. Those with relevant work experience may also be considered. For the MA in Personnel and Development, you should be working within a personnel department or related area and have an honours degree or equivalent.
Star HR academics: Elisabeth Michielsens, a research fellow working with Dr Linda Clarke on research concerning women in the construction sector. Michielsens’ specialist areas are women in non-traditional occupations, equality and equal opportunities and European social policy. Colin Hales is professor of management and director of centre for research on managerial behaviour at the university. His current research projects are based on changes in the role of first-line managers, managers’ responses to decentralisation, managers’ responses to ’empowerment’ programmes, and cultural influences on managerial styles.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Alumni: There is an active alumni network.
