HR-related and specific courses: MSc in Human Resource Management, full-time or part-time – day release; BA ( Hons ) in Human Resource Management; BA (Hons) Business Studies with HRM (sandwich); BA (Hons) Business Studies with HRM; BA (Hons) Tourism with HRM; BA (Hons) Hospitality Management with HRM ; BA (Hons) Festival & Event Management with HRM .
Founded: Napier University’s roots go back to the 16th century and the mathematician John Napier, after whom it is founded. The modern-day university was established in 1964, gaining university status in 1992.
College CV: Napier has over 12,500 students and is spread across nine campuses, all about 15 minutes’ drive from Edinburgh city centre. It recently appointed Scotland’s first female principal, Professor Joan Stringer CBE, who took up the post in 2003. The university has shown the biggest improvement in research ratings of all ‘new’ universities from 1992-1996 in the Research Assessment Exercise. Napier has the biggest business school in Scotland, located in the newly furbished Craiglockhart campus. Within the business school, the HRM group work closely with Employment Research Institute (ERI), carrying out applied and theoretical research into the changing nature of work and the implications for organisations, individuals and in the wider context. HRM and industrial relations, all linked through the theme of developing human potential.
Entry: For the MSc/Diploma course, candidates must have either a recognised university honours degree or other qualification to degree level, or a lower qualification together with appropriate experience to make it equivalent to a degree. Full time students undertake a four-week work placement and part-time students are required to undertake a work-based project. All students accepted for the programme must become student members of the CIPD and to undertake skills training. For entry details see website.
Star HR academics: Dr Anne Munro, whose research interests include employee relations, public sector employment, trade union organisation and low-grade workers, and workplace learning. Dr Helen Francis, currently working on the role of HRM in the devolution of HRM practices to line managers, and whose research interests include HRM-based change in the private sector. Sandra Watson, head of the HRM group, whose specific human resource development focus is on managerial skills and development in the service sectors.
Alumni: It has an active alumni network, supported by the Alumni section of the website.