Human resource managers are responsible for planning, directing and coordinating the necessary administrative functions of a business or organization. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median yearly salary for human resources managers was $99, 720 in 2012. Human resource management positions are available in most industries including businesses, manufacturing companies, government, health care, social assistance, professional, scientific and technical service industries. Candidates interested in the Human Resources field need at least a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or Business Administration. Candidates should have a strong skill set in decision making, interpersonal relations, leadership, and organization. Below is our top ten list of online Bachelor of Human Resource Degree Programs based on the following ranking methodology:
* Affordability- tuition is often the deciding factor for individuals seeking to pursue their education. Schools that are more affordable are listed higher up on the list.
* Accreditations- this is an important factor because accreditations require schools to meet certain standards which mean better education standards.
* Course Length, Credit Hours Needed, and Flexibility- most of us are pretty busy and have other obligations to attend to, but that shouldn’t stop you from continuing your education. Degree plan credit hours and other time management information have been included to help you decide which program better suited for your lifestyle.
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1. Fort Hays State University
Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration in Management with Human Resources Concentration
Our number one choice is Fort Hays University, an accredited online institution that offers a Bachelor of Business Administration with Human Resources concentration that consists of 127 credit hours. Tuition is $194 per credit hour. Total program cost, not including books, fees and supplies is $24,638 making it one of the most affordable online programs available. Students are seeking admittance to the college, should submit an application form with official transcripts from previously attended schools. Students who are 21 years old or older do not need to submit ACT or SAT scores. To help students adjust to online learning, the virtual college provides a demo course during the first semester. This course provides a preview of the university experience, helps students gain an understanding of policies and procedures as well as allow students to familiarize with the school’s resources and services.
Program Overview: Fort Hays State University’s Human Resources program is structured to help students develop the skills and real world training needed to maximize the efficiency and effort of your human resources team. The degree consists of three parts: 27 credit hours of the business core curriculum, 18 hours of management core curriculum and 18 hours of HRM concentration curriculum. Graduates will be prepared to be recruiters, training, and development managers, human resource generalist, human resource manager, compensation, and benefits specialist and senior project manager.
Course Length: 63 credit hours
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
2. Columbia Southern University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management
Program Overview: The Human Resource Management program provides students with the skills needed to enter human resource department leadership roles, establish and advance organizational policies and guidelines, use tools and techniques to transform work environments. The human resource management degree plan follows the Society for Human Resource Management guidelines and templates.
Course Length: 120 credit hours
Accreditation: Distance Education Accrediting Commission, American Council on Education
3. Liberty University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration — Human Resource Management
Program Overview: Students attending the Human Resource Management program with Liberty University will be prepared to meet the needs of today’s workplace by learning a variety of factors that affect an organization’s professional atmosphere. Topics include employee and labor relations, compensation management, workforce planning and employment and human resources development. The program is available online and on campus.
Course Length: 120 total hours
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
4. Capella University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business- Human Resources Management
Program Overview: The Human Resources Management Bachelor program with Capella University provides students with specialized skills and a solid business acumen. Topics covered include compensation and benefits management, recruiting and retention, employee development, and labor relations. For an in-depth study, program concentrations are available. Students may be able to receive course credit from work experience, previous learning and industry certification by taking the prior learning assessment offered by the college.
Course Length: 180 total quarter credits. Each course is 5 or 10 weeks long. Degree completion depends on transfer credit and student pacing.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission, Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs
5. Northcentral University
Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management
Program Overview: The Human Resources Management specialization with Northcentral University helps students develop an in-depth understanding of issues and situations that may affect organizations most valuable resource- the employees. Graduates will be prepared to be human resource generalists or specialists who focus on different aspects of HR such as employee development, labor relations, compensation and rewards, recruitment and hiring and risk management.
Course Length: 120 total credit hours. Students may transfer a maximum of 90 hours.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
6. LeTourneau University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Human Resources Management concentration
Program Overview: The program was developed with input from HR professionals and courses are taught by instructors with industry experience. Courses include staffing, managing innovation and change, compensation and benefits and employment law. Students will be prepared to sit for the National Human Resources Certification Exam which is given every year by the Society for Human Resource Management. The program is fully aligned with Society for Human Resources Management curriculum guides.
Course Length: 128 total credit hours
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
7. University of Maryland University College
Degree: Bachelor in Human Resource Management
Program Overview:The Human Resource Management bachelor degree is perfect for individuals with experience in HR, but do not hold a degree and those interested in transitioning into an HR career. Students gain a thorough understanding of human resource functions which include resource planning, recruitment, selection, placement, orientation of employees, training, career development, labor relations, performance appraisals, reward programs, development of personnel policies and procedures. The college recommends that students begin their studies with three courses. At least nine credits must be earned in upper-level classes.
Course Length: 120 total credit hours
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, European Foundation for Management Development–Technology-Enhanced Learning, Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs
8. Judson University
Degree: Bachelor degree in Human Resource Management
Program Overview: The Human Resources Management bachelor degree plan provides students with practical skills needed for management and specific practices. Classes are taught by experienced professionals. Students will not only be prepared for human resource management positions but will be prepared for Society of Human Resource Management certification. Students attending this program will be prepared for graduate level HRM studies or Juris Doctorate. The core 45 credit hours will cover communication, research methods, leadership, legal aspects, information systems and more.
Course Length: 45 credit hours.
Accreditation: American Association for Higher Education, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association, International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities
9. Athens University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management
Program Overview:The purpose of the Human Resource Management program is to prepare students for a variety of employment opportunities in the human resource management sector and to provide a foundation for future studies. The curriculum consists of business courses, specialized management courses, and psychology related courses. Students attending the Human Resource Management program have access to the Society for Human Resource Management publication. It is a leading voice of the HR profession and provides immense information and provides opportunities to meet HR practitioners for networking.
Course Length: 124 total credit hours
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
10. Western International University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management
Program Overview: Students will study the principles of learning and cognition to human motivation, learning and memory to social and workplace situations, how to manage workplace operations of inventory management, project scheduling, quality assurance, human resource policies, procedures, fulfilling customer needs, health and safety in the workplace and how to develop a plan for assuring safety. Students will learn effective management practices that are consistent with federal and state requirements. Effective negotiation, mediation and bargaining skills that are consistent with fair employee treatment and relations will be developed.
Course Length: 181 weeks, 3.5 years, new course each month with no transfer credit – 120 credit hours
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Frequently Asked Questions
A human resources degree is worth it from the perspective of preparing for a lucrative career. With the skills you learn in your program, you can qualify for HR jobs in many different settings, including public and private organizations. Furthermore, a bachelor’s degree in this field prepares you for advanced studies in a master’s degree program if that’s a route you wish to take. If not, you will have transferable skills that can be used immediately in a workplace setting. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the HR sector are predicted to continue growing for the foreseeable future as well.
The cost of a human resources degree varies widely, but you can expect to spend more than $36,000 per year as a full-time, in-state undergraduate student, according to the Education Data Initiative. The exact amount you pay for your degree is dependent on factors such as:
• Your residency status (in-state or out-of-state)
• The length of the program
• The number of college credits you earn in high school
• The amount of financial aid you receive
Another factor that affects cost is how you complete the program. Online programs tend to cost less compared to on-campus programs.
An HR degree isn’t considered any more difficult than other business-related programs. The topics you study are complex, but with an interest in human resources, appropriate study habits, and utilization of assistive resources your school provides, there should be few – if any – obstacles you can’t overcome to complete the degree in a timely fashion. Additionally, HR degrees usually don’t have many math, science, or writing requirements, which makes them all the easier.
Human resources management is the most popular option for preparing to enter the human resources field. However, there are other options. Undergraduate programs in business administration or management are also common. While a bachelor’s degree is a good start, the best path forward is getting a master’s degree. Doing so opens many more doors for you, including jobs in higher levels of management that have more responsibilities and better compensation.
You’ll need four years of full-time studies to complete an undergraduate degree in human resources. Most programs require around 120 credits to graduate, meaning you’ll need to take 12-15 credits each semester to meet the four-year deadline. However, many students take additional courses each semester and graduate in less time. Conversely, studying part-time usually requires at least five years to complete a typical human resources bachelor’s degree.
A common position for someone with a human resources bachelor’s degree is a Payroll Specialist. These workers manage all aspects of payroll, from collecting and processing timesheets to ensuring timely payment to employees to conducting periodic payroll audits. There are many other positions you might qualify for, though, including the following:
• Human Resources Assistant
• Human Resources Specialist
• Recruiter
• Training and Development Specialist
• Benefits Manager
Payroll Specialists earn around $53,200 per year, based on median salary information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The pay for human resources-related positions varies widely, though. Human Resources Specialists earn a median annual salary of $64,240. Training and Development Specialists make slightly less at $63,080. However, the pay ranges for these and other HR positions vary from the mid-$30,000s to well over $100,000 per year. Factors affecting your potential salary include your education level, your experience in HR, and the company you work for, among others.
According to Indeed, the highest-paying bachelor’s-level HR job is Compensation Manager. The national average salary for this position is more than $86,500 per year. Other HR careers with good wages include Labor Relations Specialist ($86,441), Human Resources Manager ($70,862), and Benefits Manager ($68,119).