Course Syllabus
Welcome to BUS301: Human Resource Management
Specific information about this course and its requirements can be found below. For more general information about taking Saylor Academy courses, including information about Community and Academic Codes of Conduct, please read the Student Handbook.
Course Description
Examine business practices and laws that help create a better and more effective working environment, including recruitment, training, performance measurement, compensation, safety, and labor relations.
Course Introduction
Human resource management (HRM), also called human capital management, refers to how organizations strategically allocate their most valuable resources – their employees – to areas of the company where they will be the most productive. HRM requires more than a strong human resources department: it requires smart, capable team managers working with the human resources (HR) department to carry out common goals. This cooperation involves careful strategizing, good leadership, and other solid business practices. Companies often maintain their competitive advantage by holding onto resources other businesses lack. Having the right employees separates highly successful firms from their competitors.
As a discipline, HRM dates back to the early 1900s, but its most strategic components result from transitions that took place in the workforce in the late 1960s. When it passed Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, the U.S. Congress mandated that all organizations adhere to laws that now govern how they treat and respond to employee complaints. At the same time, businesses began to realize the advantage they gained when they integrated women and minorities who were transitioning into the workplace. Increasing diversity created cultures that reinforced and supported their missions and visions. Everyone has a core belief system shaped by their circumstances and experiences that guides their perceptions and beliefs. We often gravitate toward the situations we understand and make sense to us. To effectively manage human capital, business professionals often have to step outside of their comfort zone to support innovative practices and make strategic decisions that are in the company's best interest rather than support a static culture they may consider to be more "comfortable".
We discussed the basics of managing human capital in BUS208: Principles of Management. In this course, we introduce more advanced topics, such as identifying your business's needs to carry out a proper recruitment and selection process. Training, development, and performance evaluations can help you shape each employee into an ideal firm resource. Providing adequate compensation and incentives can help you retain these precious resources within the firm.
Although you may not be planning for a career in HRM, this course will help you appreciate that much of your career success will depend on working with the right people.
This course includes the following units:
- Unit 1: The Nature of Human Resources
- Unit 2: Strategic Human Resource Planning and Staffing
- Unit 3: Recruitment and Selection
- Unit 4: Training, Development, and Career Planning
- Unit 5: Performance Management and Measurement
- Unit 6: Compensation and Benefits
- Unit 7: Safety, Health, and Wellness
- Unit 8: Labor Relations and Internal Employee Relations
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Interpret the functions of Human Resources Management and Strategic HRM;
- Describe strategic human resource practices that align with organizational goals;
- Explain strategies in the recruitment and selection of talent;
- Analyze approaches in talent development and career planning to foster employee engagement in a way that contributes to the long-term success of the organization;
- Explain concepts of performance planning, measurement, and control;
- Apply concepts related to compensation, benefits, and the regulatory environment governing remuneration;
- Evaluate employee safety and health concepts and associated legislation while recognizing the significance of wellness programs in the workplace; and
- Explain key concepts in workforce relations.
Throughout this course, you will also see learning outcomes in each unit. You can use those learning outcomes to help organize your studies and gauge your progress.
Course Materials
This course's primary learning materials are articles, lectures, and videos.
All course materials are free to access and can be found in each unit of the course. Pay close attention to the notes that accompany these course materials, as they will tell you what to focus on in each resource and will help you understand how the learning materials fit into the course as a whole. You can also see a list of all the learning materials in this course at this link.
Some parts of this course may have been created or reviewed with the support of artificial intelligence (AI). To make sure you receive accurate, high-quality, and academically sound learning materials, all AI-assisted content is carefully checked and approved by Saylor Academy's faculty and subject matter experts.
Evaluation and Minimum Passing Score
Only the final exam is considered when awarding you a grade for this course. To pass this course, you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on the final exam.
Your score on the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. Be sure to study in between each attempt! If you do not pass the exam, you will not complete this course or receive a certificate of completion. You can attempt the exam as many times as you want.
There are end-of-unit assessments in this course that are designed to help you study and do not factor into your final course grade. You can take them as many times as you want until you understand the concepts they cover.
You can see all of these assessments at this link.
Continuing Education Credits
The certificate earned by passing this self-paced course displays the program hours you completed and continuing education credits (CEUs). CEUs document successful completion of courses that are designed to improve the knowledge and skills of working adults. Many industries value CEUs, and now your certificate reflects them clearly, and they may be used to support career advancement or to meet professional licensing standards. This course contains 2.4 CEUs.
Tips for Success
BUS301: Human Resource Management is a self-paced course, meaning you can decide when to start and complete the course. We estimate the "average" student will take hours to complete. We recommend studying at a comfortable pace and scheduling your study time in advance.
Learning new material can be challenging, so here are a few study strategies to help you succeed:
- Take notes on terms, practices, and theories. This helps you understand each concept in context and provides a refresher for later study.
- Test yourself on what you remember and how well you understand the concepts. Reflecting on what you've learned improves long-term memory retention.
Technical Requirements
This course is delivered entirely online. You will need access to a computer or web-capable mobile device and consistent internet access to view or download resources and complete auto-graded assessments and the final exam.
To access the full course, including assessments and the final exam, log into your Saylor Academy account and enroll in the course. If you don't have an account, you can create one for free here. Note that tracking progress and taking assessments require you to log in.
For more details and guidance, please review our complete Technical Requirements and our student Help Center.
Optional Saylor Academy Mobile App
You can access all course features directly from your mobile browser, but if you have limited internet connectivity, the Saylor Academy mobile app provides an option to download course content for offline use. The app is available for iOS and Android devices.
Fees
This course is entirely free to enroll in and access. All course materials, including textbooks, videos, webpages, and activities, are available at no charge. This course also contains a free final exam and a free course completion certificate.