This residential school module is offered online only.
You need to complete this module if you're seeking Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) accreditation of either the Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (E84) or MSc in Human Resource Management (F68). You should have joined as a student member when you enrolled on the relevant programme. Both the Postgraduate Diploma and the MSc provide you with the necessary knowledge and some of the required skills, but you will need to complete the other parts of the CIPD application concerning the level at which you operate at work (more or less strategic).
Once you complete the relevant programme and the CIPD paperwork, you will join at the level corresponding to your professional experience (generally either Foundation Member or Associate Member). If you are already an Associate Member, gaining your qualification allows you to apply using the CIPD form-based method only to upgrade to Chartered Member for free – as long as you do this within 12 months of achieving the qualification. The application also asks for details of your current role and your CPD log/ portfolio.
What you will study
The focus of this module is practising the key skills of the HR professional. You’ll develop an awareness of your personal strengths and weaknesses and what these mean for working in teams; and communication skills, including listening skills and presentation skills. You’ll also develop interviewing skills using recruitment and selection and performance management scenarios. You’ll gain an understanding of the application of various research methods in the workplace and identify the practical skills associated with workplace research. You’ll become familiar with the conducting of grievance and discipline interviews and negotiation skills using a variety of different scenarios. You’ll also gain skills associated with HR consultancy and change management, as well as coaching and mentoring.
During the online school, you'll have the opportunity to practise and receive feedback on the skills introduced in the human resource management (HRM) modules you've studied. The learning objectives and outcomes are related to professional skill development and are complementary to the learning outcomes of these five HRM modules. The online school involves synchronous contact time over a 2.5-day period.
Entry
The module is only available to students studying for the Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (E84) or MSc in Human Resource Management (F68). If you are on either of these programmes, you should have successfully completed B863 and B864 and ideally have completed any of the optional modules B865, B866, and B867. However, you may have studied a combination of the later modules from the new MSc in Human Resource Management (F93), for example B812 and either B813 or B814, instead.
If you wish to complete the Postgraduate Diploma, you should look towards taking this module towards the end of your studies.
If you wish to complete the MSc in Human Resource Management, you are advised to take this module towards the end of the elective modules and before embarking on the final module, Dissertation (HRM) (B894).
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
Preparatory work
You will be required to engage in some preparatory reading. This material will be made available via the module website.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
The online school will be facilitated by a Group Tutor and involves synchronous contact time for 2.5 days. As part of the daily engagement, the sessions will combine tutor-led input, group discussions and students working together in smaller teams to prepare for specific tasks. The school will run on either of the first two weekends in September.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
There are no formal assessment activities or submissions required for this module. The module is the online school where the key skills of the HR professional are developed and practised. However, you will be evaluated in terms of your participation in the online school, and you will have to achieve a Satisfactory Participation mark to pass the module.