STUDY

Postgraduate

MSc Strategic People Management

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Institution code: S82
UCAS code: N/A
Start date: September and January
Duration: One year full-time, two years part-time
Location: Ipswich
Typical Offer: A Bachelor's Degree in HRM or related field of study (or equivalent).
Institution code: S82
UCAS code: N/A
Start date: September and January
Duration: One year full-time, two years part-time
Location: Ipswich
Typical Offer: A Bachelor's Degree in HRM or related field of study (or equivalent).

Overview

By joining our MSc Strategic People Management programme, you are joining one of the most popular, and highly regarded, CIPD accredited programme in the East of England. You can be sure that you are joining a programme with a focus on individual student support opportunities, as well as high quality teaching. Our student pass rates consistently exceed national averages for this programme, and we are committed to equality and the fair treatment of all students. We will focus on developing you into a ‘career ready graduate’ at your relevant level of experience through applied practice, problem-based learning and research-informed teaching. 

Students can choose one of three study options on this programme: 

  • Full-time (one year) 
  • Full-time with Extended Practice (two years) 
  • Part-time (two years) 

This programme provides a unique opportunity to innovatively lead contemporary changes in the provision of human resource management education in higher education institutions and offers a world-class training and education to equip learners and practitioners in gaining both the necessary theoretical and industry skill set to strategically manage, retain and develop people resources in organisations more effectively. 

 

Delivery


The course is delivered through series of Skills Labs (two-weekend days every three months) and Blended Block (a combination of virtual and face-to-face classes) delivery formats with a minimum of six months extended placement opportunities embedded into the curriculum for students enrolling on the two-year full-time route. These varied modes of delivery offer a good combination of options for prospective students to choose from, such as the valuable opportunity to gain insightful professional practice experience across a variety of businesses based across Suffolk and the East Anglian region of the UK. 

You will have the opportunity to network with a wide variety of persons to build and grow your professional networks, from your fellow students representing a wide array of global cultures, to leading guest practitioners invited occasionally to enrich your learning as well as contacts made on attendance of local and national CIPD events, which is actively promoted on the programme. 

The University of Suffolk is an approved provider of CIPD qualifications. The CIPD is the professional body for HR and people development. The not for profit organisation champions better work and working lives and has been setting the benchmark for excellence in people and organisation development for more than 100 years. It has more than 135,000 members across the world, provides thought leadership through independent research on the world of work, and offers professional training and accreditation for those working in HR and learning and development.

Further information about the University's relationship with the Charter Institute for Personnel Development (CIPD) is available in the PSRB register.

The University of Suffolk is world-class and committed to our region. We are proudly modern and innovative and we believe in transformative education. We are on the rise with a focus on student satisfaction, graduate prospects, spending on academic services and student facilities.

2nd

in the East of England for graduate prospects

(The Complete University Guide 2024)

6th

in the UK for spend on academic services

(The Complete University Guide 2024)

11th

in the UK for social inclusion

(The Good University Guide 2023)

Course Modules

Full downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.

Interior walls in The Atrium

This module is a one-day induction designed to introduce new students enrolled on the MSc Strategic People Management programme to essential areas of the course, including the CIPD professional standards framework and membership engagement benefits as well as explore Suffolk Business School and University of Suffolk support systems available to students throughout the duration of your course.

This module aims at providing introductory knowledge for the application of useful academic and professional skills needed to excel at higher education (HE) level of study. The module will be essential for new students enrolled on the MSc Strategic People Management programme with little or no prior educational experience or have not engaged in any higher education learning for a long period of time.

This module offers a foundation for comprehending different organisational structural models used by businesses. It focuses on modern types that have emerged, highlighting how innovation and the changing preferences of different generations are influencing organisational strategies and management methods to attain lasting competitive benefits. It will also provide an insight into how understanding people psychology from a business perspective can lend value to how our perception about self and other people personalities can be understood to effectively manage people in alignment with set organisational strategic objectives.

This module explores the subject of strategically resourcing and managing people as talents within the organisational contexts, through the complete lifecycle of an employee or worker within the organisation from induction to employment cessation or succession planning where relevant. Exploration of the need to understand specialist labour market skills offering will also be discussed, to include how organisations can flexibly and responsively adapt to changing resourcing needs of their businesses when presented with varied situations, influenced by both internal and external factors such as issues surrounding legislation and ethicality of resourcing decision making.

This module explores how to identify and apply relevant people data analytics and financial planning techniques. It will help to gather informed insights from organisational data sets through the use of case studies and real-life organisational scenarios to understand relevant business information, make useful decisions and plan for future organisational needs. There will be a focus on specifics of applying these generated insights in managing people effectively within organisations.

The Understanding Research for Organisational Development module fulfils two important purposes. It serves to support students as they prepare to undertake their Final Project as part of the MSc qualification, and it supports the development of important knowledge and data skills for senior HR professionals.

This module focuses on the dimensions of people leadership by exploring various leadership models and evaluate the implication of their application to people leadership in organisations. Various leadership traits and skills will be identified and analysed to understand how these influence decision making in contemporary businesses including managing diversity and innovation in the workplace and; understand the nature, context and management of change situations effectively in organisations.

The module provides an in-depth exploration of the factors and complexities involved in terms of the strategic management of the employment relationship within the context of a continuously evolving environment, with a particular focus on the ever-changing employment regulatory environment. The module focuses on different perspectives of employment relations and the cooperation and conflict that varies between workplaces. In addition, learners will be encouraged to analyse and critically evaluate the role of the state, along with associated institutions and representative worker and employer bodies that shape both the employment relations and legal environment.

Contemporary people management skills are essential for effectiveness in organisations. Student will explore application of these transferable skills as integral to ensuring increased employee engagement in businesses, leading to sustained employee performance as a key predictor of improved customer relations and satisfaction in these organisations. Through insight into skills development and application via a series of practical individual and team-based activities.

Course Modules

Full downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.

Interior walls in The Atrium

This module is a one-day induction designed to introduce new students enrolled on the MSc Strategic People Management programme to essential areas of the course, including the CIPD professional standards framework and membership engagement benefits as well as explore Suffolk Business School and University of Suffolk support systems available to students throughout the duration of your course.

This module aims at providing introductory knowledge for the application of useful academic and professional skills needed to excel at higher education (HE) level of study. The module will be essential for new students enrolled on the MSc Strategic People Management programme with little or no prior educational experience or have not engaged in any higher education learning for a long period of time.

This module offers a foundation for comprehending different organisational structural models used by businesses. It focuses on modern types that have emerged, highlighting how innovation and the changing preferences of different generations are influencing organisational strategies and management methods to attain lasting competitive benefits. It will also provide an insight into how understanding people psychology from a business perspective can lend value to how our perception about self and other people personalities can be understood to effectively manage people in alignment with set organisational strategic objectives.

This module explores the subject of strategically resourcing and managing people as talents within the organisational contexts, through the complete lifecycle of an employee or worker within the organisation from induction to employment cessation or succession planning where relevant. Exploration of the need to understand specialist labour market skills offering will also be discussed, to include how organisations can flexibly and responsively adapt to changing resourcing needs of their businesses when presented with varied situations, influenced by both internal and external factors such as issues surrounding legislation and ethicality of resourcing decision making.

This module explores how to identify and apply relevant people data analytics and financial planning techniques. It will help to gather informed insights from organisational data sets through the use of case studies and real-life organisational scenarios to understand relevant business information, make useful decisions and plan for future organisational needs. There will be a focus on specifics of applying these generated insights in managing people effectively within organisations.

The Understanding Research for Organisational Development module fulfils two important purposes. It serves to support students as they prepare to undertake their Final Project as part of the MSc qualification, and it supports the development of important knowledge and data skills for senior HR professionals.

This module focuses on the dimensions of people leadership by exploring various leadership models and evaluate the implication of their application to people leadership in organisations. Various leadership traits and skills will be identified and analysed to understand how these influence decision making in contemporary businesses including managing diversity and innovation in the workplace and; understand the nature, context and management of change situations effectively in organisations.

The module provides an in-depth exploration of the factors and complexities involved in terms of the strategic management of the employment relationship within the context of a continuously evolving environment, with a particular focus on the ever-changing employment regulatory environment. The module focuses on different perspectives of employment relations and the cooperation and conflict that varies between workplaces. In addition, learners will be encouraged to analyse and critically evaluate the role of the state, along with associated institutions and representative worker and employer bodies that shape both the employment relations and legal environment.

Contemporary people management skills are essential for effectiveness in organisations. Student will explore application of these transferable skills as integral to ensuring increased employee engagement in businesses, leading to sustained employee performance as a key predictor of improved customer relations and satisfaction in these organisations. Through insight into skills development and application via a series of practical individual and team-based activities.

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WHY SUFFOLK

2nd in the UK for Career Prospects

WUSCA 2024

3rd in the UK for spend on academic services

Complete University Guide 2025

4th in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction

Guardian University Guide 2024
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Virtual Tour: University Campus

Entry Requirements

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Career Opportunities

On completion of the MSc Strategic People Management programme, through our co-designed, co-delivered and co-accredited strategy, students will have a solid base to progress in their career either as a graduate entrant into the profession, to change careers or as they develop the relevant experience and competence, progress into senior people management roles.

In addition, on course completion, all graduates are certified as professional associate members of the CIPD and with relevant professional experience eligible to apply for chartered membership status. 

Your Course Team

Dr Adetola Adekunle

Adetola is Course Leader for the MSc Strategic People Management programme and Senior Lecturer in Human Resources Management.

Adetola Adekunle profile photo on yellow background

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Tuition Fee

£9,090

per year
UK Part-time Tuition Fee

£1,010*

per 20 credit module
International full-time tuition fee

£14,625

per year

*Please contact the Student Centre for further details

Further Information

Postgraduate Loans are available for this course, we also offer University of Suffolk Alumni a 25% reduction on fees, find out more below.

Postgraduate Funding Alumni Loyalty Scheme International Students

How to apply

Applying for a postgraduate programme is simple, you can apply using the link below. You can also find out more about what to include on your application and how to contact us for support during the process on the Postgraduate Study link.

Apply Now Postgraduate Study
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