SHRM Aligned Human Resources Degrees in Michigan
Human resources is an essential facet of the business world, and students may choose from several highly regarded human resources degree programs in Minnesota. The state is home to colleges that range from large, public universities to small, private colleges. Students may expect a different type of educational experience at each university, which means investigating different options at various schools will ensure the student chooses well for his or her college education.
One of the features of a valuable human resources degree is one that offers an SHRM aligned curriculum. The Society for Human Resource Management offers professional membership to individuals working in human resources, and the organization publishes curriculum and program guidelines for colleges that wish to offer an SHRM aligned degree. Minnesota offers several SHRM aligned programs.
Bethel University
Business & Economics
Around 6,000 students take classes at Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota. The school is affiliated with Converge Worldwide, which is an evangelical Christian organization. The organization was once known as the Baptist General Conference. There are approximately 544 teachers and academic staff at Bethel University, which began its existence as a school for new immigrants coming over from Sweden. The school had humble beginnings in the 1870s when it was run in the basement of a church in Chicago and eventually merged with Bethel Academy in Minnesota in 1914. The school would move from St. Paul to its present location of Arden Hills in the early 1970s.
Business Major Emphasis Human Resource Management
Bethel University’s management degree offers a “dual focus” approach for students who wish to work in human resources and who also want to work at the management level. The degree will help a student enter a company in virtually any industry in a variety of roles including talent manager, recruiter, and training coordinator. Skills developed in the program include strategic planning, critical thinking, and change management. Students will also learn about data and financial analysis, as well as the law and regulations guiding employment in the United States. Students will take part in valuable experiences including the design and development of a program for a mock company.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Assoc.
Contact
Bethel University
College of Arts & Sciences
Office of Admissions
3900 Bethel Drive
St. Paul, MN 55112-6999
Phone: (651) 638-6242
Email: undergrad-admissions@bethel.edu
Program Website
Concordia University-Saint Paul
College of Arts and Sciences
Concordia University is a liberal arts university that was founded in 1893. Around 4,000 students currently attend classes online and in St. Paul at the school’s physical location. The school is part of the Concordia University System, which is connected to the Lutheran Church. The campus covers about five acres in St. Paul and is one of ten institutions in the university system. Like other universities offering human resources degree programs in Minnesota, Concordia began as a Christian learning school for high school students who wanted to become Lutheran ministers. In the decades after its founding, the school would eventually transform into a university despite some difficult years during the Great Depression.
Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management
Requiring that students complete 40 credit hours, the bachelor’s degree from Concordia University is designed for adult students who can’t commit to a traditional school schedule. The flexibility helps students of all needs attain their education with available online courses and on-campus courses in the evening. The degree takes approximately seven weeks to complete, and the school explains that its degree is a “hands-on” and “comprehensive” approach to the subject of human resources. The university shares that its program helps students gain six key qualities of successful HR managers who are working today. Those qualities include ethics, expertise, problem-solving, leadership, communication, and organization.
Master of Arts in Human Resource Management
The graduate program in HR at Concordia is offered online or on-campus in the evenings and provides guidance to students on a number of important skills like strategic thinking, leadership, and innovation. The program requires 36 credit hours and seven weeks to complete. Like the bachelor’s degree, the graduate degree in human resource management is also designed for students who need alternative scheduling options and the opportunity to take classes online or in the evenings. Concordia suggests that employment growth in human resources is expected to exceed the national average for all professions, so students seeking an education in HR may have many opportunities for jobs after they graduate.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Assoc.
Contact
Concordia University, St. Paul
1282 Concordia Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104
Phone: (888) 859-0641
Email: admissions@csp.edu
Program Website
Metropolitan State University
College of Management
Established a little over 40 years ago in 1971, Metropolitan State University is a four-year college that is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Around 11,500 students attend school at Metro State today on a campus that was originally designed to serve the needs of non-traditional students in the Twin Cities region. The first class at the university, which was then a college, had just 50 students taking classes in a rented building in Minneapolis. The school grew rapidly in the 1980s when it nearly tripled its enrollment, and it would also expand its available programs in that decade and transform into a traditional college with standard letter grades and four-year programs.
Human Resource Management (BS)
The degree in human resource management at Metro State is designed as one that will help students find work in business, nonprofit organizations, or government. The school suggests its programs can help students contribute to improving the lives of employees at various organizations and offers degree-seeking students the chance to study online or on-campus. Some of the courses offered in the program include Marketing Principles, Financial Management, Staffing Organizations, and Compensation Management. Additionally, students take a variety of core classes in areas like Economics, Finance, and Math. The program also allows students to take several unrestricted electives to complete the degree and also allows students to transfer credits from other schools on a case-by-case basis.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Assoc.
Contact
Metropolitan State University
700 East Seventh Street
Saint Paul, MN 55106
Phone: (651) 793-1302
Email: admissions@metrostate.edu
Program Website
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Business Department
Founded more than a hundred years ago, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is a private school in Winona, Minnesota. The school is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church and also has facilities in Minnetonka, Rochester, Oakdale, and Apple Valley. Around 5,900 students attend school at SMUM, and students on the school’s sports teams participate in NCAA Division III games. The school’s mascot is the Cardinal, and its school colors are red, white, and navy. The school was initially a school for men, but it eventually expanded to operate as a coeducational school when it merged with the College of Saint Teresa in Winona.
B.S. in Human Resource Management
The university describes human resources as a strategic part of any business organization and suggests students who wish to excel in human resources must learn several skills for success including interviewing and hiring, as well as managing employee benefits. The human resources department acts as the link between employees and the management team and is an indispensable part of a successful business. Some of the HR organizations students may interface with during their time in the program include the Minnesota Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Human Resource Professionals of Minnesota (HRP), as well as the Twin Cities Human Resource Association (TCHRA).
M.A. in Human Resource Management
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota describes its master’s degree in HR management as one that comes with many benefits, including affordable tuition and the opportunity to begin studies every two months. The program features classes taught by experts in the industry of HR and also ensures students are prepared to take the SPHR or PHR certification exam. As an SHRM-aligned program, the university’s degree program balances the need for individual and team effort, as well as the necessary skills for success required for working in HR. In addition to the traditional on-campus program, the university also offers an online M.A. in Human Resource Management.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Assoc.
Contact
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
700 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 55987
Phone: (866) 437-2788
Email: tcadmissions@smumn.edu
Program Website
Southwest Minnesota State University
School of Business and Public Affairs
With more than 3,700 students attending classes on a full-time basis, Southwest Minnesota State University is a significant part of the small town of Marshall, which has around 13,600 residents. The school was founded in 1964 as a state college and became a university in the 1970s. Students may choose from several majors in areas like art, exercises science, and history, as well as management and its concentration in human resource management. The school boasts accreditation for many of its programs from groups like the National Association of Schools of Music and the Minnesota Board of Teaching, as well as the Council on Social Work Education.
Bachelor of Science in Management Human Resource Management Concentration
Students interested in human resources at SMSU will major in management and pursue a concentration in Human Resource Management. The school describes its business degree as one that offers a strong foundation in business that helps students compete in a competitive job market. While enrolled for study, students may choose to join the Society for Human Resource Management Club, which is affiliated with the national SHRM organization. Students may choose to participate in a yearly knowledge competition with the club, as well as attend the Minnesota yearly conference in October and various workshops throughout the year. Some of the industries available to graduates include marketing, advertising, and accounting.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Assoc.
Contact
Southwest Minnesota State University
1501 State St.
Marshall, MN 56258
Phone: (800) 642-0684
Email: admissions@smsu.edu
Program Website
Saint Cloud State University
Herberger Business School
Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State University sits on the banks of the Mississippi River and is one of the largest schools in the state with more than 15,000 students. The school’s urban campus covers around 100 acres, and students play in NCAA Division II sports as the Huskies. The school boasts almost 110,000 alumni, which is impressive for a school that began with just a single building that cost the state legislature $3,000 in the 1860s. There were only five faculty members when the school originally opened, which has grown to more than 700 today, as well as more than 700 administrative staff.
Bachelor of Science in Management with a concentration in Human Resource Management
Students majoring in human resources will receive training on a number of essential topics in business ranging from mathematics and economics to accounting, ethics, and finance. Students will learn the skills necessary to conduct recruitment, hire employees, create benefit systems, and handle labor relations. As with other human resources degree programs in Minnesota, students may participate in activities of the Central Minnesota Society for Human Resource Management, as well as a career summit and various learning activities geared toward human resource management. Students may also join a variety of student organizations including the Society of United Management Organizations (SUMO) and Delta Sigma Pi.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Assoc.
Contact
Saint Cloud State University
720 4th Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498
Phone: (320) 308-0121
Email: scsu4u@stcloudstate.edu
Program Website
University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management
The University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities is the largest and oldest school in the state’s university system. This public research university is the flagship of the system and has more than 51,000 students taking classes. Students interested in sports at the University of Minnesota participate in NCAA Division I games as part of the Big Ten Conference. In addition to its main campus in St. Paul, there are additional campus locations in Crookston, Rochester, Duluth, and Morris. The school’s opening predates the Civil War, and the school was actually shut down during that conflict but reopened with assistance from John S. Pillsbury.
Bachelor of Science in Human Resources and Industrial Relations
The university describes its degree as one that helps students understand core concepts in human resources including compensation, training, and acquisition of talent. Professionals who were once only employed as record keepers have transformed into essential employees tasked with ensuring the success and satisfaction of employees. Classes students may expect to take include Union Organization and Labor Relations, Staffing and Selection: Strategic and Operational Concerns, and The Individual in the Organization. The school encourages students to focus in a particular area of human resources management including Compensation and Benefits, Staffing, Training, and Developing Workers, or Trade Unions and Labor Relations.
Master of Arts in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations
The University of Minnesota reveals that its graduate program is considered one of the best of its kind. Students may study as full-time or part-time students and enjoy classes given by world-renowned faculty. The graduate degree has been offered by the University of Minnesota for more than 60 years and has developed a strong program for teaching students the core functions and practices of human resources management. The school helps each student with a personal and individualized approach to career development through its Graduate Business Career Center. The university is constantly seeking improvement to its program through the Graduate Society of Human Resources Leaders.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Assoc.
Contact
Carlson School of Management
University of Minnesota
321 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: (612) 625-0027
Email: csom@umn.edu
Program Website
University of St. Thomas
Opus College of Business
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic university in St. Paul. The school was founded as a seminary in the 1880s, and its name was chosen in honor of Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of students. There are more than 10,000 students taking classes at the University of St. Thomas, which makes it the largest, non-profit private school in the state. The Saint Paul campus was once the site of a farm and used to be a rural area, but the Twin Cities grew up around the school and transformed it into an urban area. The school plans to expand its campus with a new residential village.
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Concentration in Human Resource Management
The concentration in human resource management at the University of St. Thomas helps students learn that people are a business’s most important resource and that individuals working in HR are responsible for implementing effective hiring, rewards systems, and management. An excellent HR department helps a business run efficiently at increased productivity. Courses students may take include Organizational and Employee Development, Employee and Labor Relations, and Strategic Management. Some of the job titles students may enjoy include training services coordinator, job analyst, employee and placement manager, and affirmative action manager. Students in the program will learn everything required to take care of employee management responsibilities like hiring, compensation, and professional development.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Assoc.
Contact
University of St. Thomas
2115 Summit Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
Phone: (651) 962-5000
Email: admissions@stthomas.edu
Program Website
Not all human resources programs are the same, and not all programs offer an SHRM aligned degree. As an important consideration for gauging the quality of a degree is investigating the curriculum and the memberships held by the school and its faculty. Students who wish to improve the lives of workers in business may excel in human resources management programs, particularly if they enjoy solving problems and creating job satisfaction for an organization’s employees. Students interested in serving the human side of business should research available human resources degree programs in Minnesota.
See also: Top 50 Websites for HR Professionals
