What Organizations Accredit Human Resources Degrees?

Proper Human Resources degree accreditation is offered through official accrediting agencies, many of which use the education guidelines of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Continue reading to learn about accredited HR degree programs.

Higher Education Accreditation Organizations

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) is the most widely recognized accrediting body for colleges and universities. CHEA oversees the accreditation of every type of higher learning organization, whether it is a career school or faith-based private university. The Department of Education, together with CHEA, accredits six major regional accrediting agencies. This includes the Western, Middle States and New England Associations of Colleges and Schools. It also includes the Higher Learning Commission and the Northwest Accreditation Commission. These agencies also accredit online HR degree programs for qualifying schools. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) is the main accrediting agency for online degree programs. The DEAC is officially recognized by both CHEA and the Department of Education. The DEAC is a national accrediting agency for online programs, but it is not regionally accredited by any of the six agencies.

Who is the Society for Human Resource Management?

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s biggest private HR organization. They provide resources, legal advice, HR advocacy, sample policies and how-to guides for HR professionals. They also offer conferences, publications, news updates and HR metrics and research.

The SHRM is dedicated to promoting proper human resource management through providing educational guidelines to accredited HR degree programs. These guidelines are reevaluated every few years. The SHRM offers an online directory of HR degree programs that follow SHRM’s recommended education guidelines, which reflect the HR industry’s standards and best practices. The SHRM welcomes schools to submit their degree program information and documentation for analysis. As a result, the SHRM will offer adjustment recommendations to align the program with the SHRM’s education principles.

Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Accredited bachelor’s programs includes Bachelor’s of Arts, Science and Business Administration degrees. Some programs offer degrees in business management or business administration with a specialization in HR management. Conventional programs normally offer campus-based classes, but contemporary online schools offer blended classes with online and on-campus classes.

Related: 

All accredited programs will cover basic HR topics. First, these programs will explore compliance with employment laws, such as those related to wages, safety, and equal employment opportunities. Next, labor relations will examine the development of labor and management interactions. This will cover mediation, collective bargaining and state and federal labor laws. Classes on Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) will study the technology solutions that are available for managing the human resource functions and information. Strategic staffing courses will train students how to plan, recruit, select, train and terminate employees.

Additional Accreditation

The HR Certification Institute (HRCI) is an independent, nonprofit credentialing organization for HR professionals. Their mission is to advance human resources management through offering industry standard certifications that go a step beyond standard Human Resources degrees accreditation. The HR Certification Institute offers various certifications, such as the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Students should note that the HR industry is highly competitive and demanding, so obtaining officially accredited Human Resources degrees will likely advance careers.