HR-related and specific courses: MA Human Resource Management (full-time over one year). The Durham MBA core programme includes ‘Managing People’ as one of its five themes. This core element examines the theories and practices of organisational behaviour and the contribution of people to business performance, together with strategic HRM. Course electives include Strategic HR and a new elective on Leadership. This has been introduced to give students the opportunity to understand the latest research on leadership skills. The Durham MBA can be studied full-time (one year), part-time (weekends, two-years) and at a distance (average three to four years). The school also offers bespoke and tailored solutions to firms through its Executive Education department.
Founded: Durham University is the UK’s third oldest university after Oxford and Cambridge, and was founded in the 19th century. Durham Business School was founded in 1965 and is one of the country’s longest established business schools.
College CV: Durham Business School is located in Durham city centre. As part of Durham University, Business School students are part of a collegiate system of 15 colleges and societies (similar to Oxford and Cambridge), which helps to contribute to its ‘Ivy League’ reputation. Durham’s full-time MBA is rated 11th in the UK according to the FT’s 2005 league tables, and all of its MBA programmes are AMBA accredited. It attracts a high proportion of international students (around 80 per cent on its full-time MBA). In addition to the MBA and MA programmes, the school includes the Centre for Entrepreneurship and a thriving Executive Education department working with commercial partners in business and industry. The School has a high proportion of women as both students and faculty.
Star HR academics: Tom Redman, Professor of HRM, is editor of the peer-reviewed journal, Personnel Review, an FCIPD, and a member of the Institute of Learning and Teaching. He has a broad range of research interests in HRM including age discrimination, HRM-performance links, industrial relations, TQM and HRM links, employee involvement, performance appraisal and downsizing. A series of studies is in progress examining the consequences of multiple employee commitments.
Dr Peter Hamilton, Senior Lecturer in HRM, is researching the socialisation into the workplace of the long-term unemployed. His primary research interest is in the area of discourse and rhetorical analysis.
Tim Clark, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, presently a General Editor of Journal of Management Studies. Timothy holds visiting professorships at the University of Groningen and Copenhagen Business School and is a member of the Council of the British Academy of Management.
Dr Graham Dietz, Lecturer in HRM. Graham’s PHD research comprised four detailed, qualitative case studies on the development of trust in ‘workplace partnership’ arrangements in the UK. An article summarising the findings has been published in the Human Resource Management Journal (14:1, 2004). His current research interests revolve around the nature of trust in the employment relationship
Other HR academics: Nick Bozienelios, Marion Fortin and Nigel Van Zanberg
Entry: MBA: A good degree or equivalent professional qualification and a minimum of 3 years’ relevant work experience. Candidates are normally required to attend an interview. MA HRM: a good first degree.
Alumni: It has more than 10,000 alumni who have access to the benefits of both the university and the business school alumni services. Both services provide members a network linking fellow alumni in more than 100 countries worldwide. Alumni receive newsletters, have access to online services offering an alumni directory, job vacancies, latest news, events, academic publications, and a discussion forum.
