HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module builds on knowledge gained from the level 4 People Practices module and aims to equip students with an overview of the theoretical HRM concepts, frameworks, and contemporary HR trends in a range of organizations. There is specific focus on how HRM may add value to organizations and the business case for ensuring organizations workforces are diverse. This module focuses on but is not limited to HRM through a UK lens, this module prepares students for the final year module Global HRM.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

STOKES Michelle (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

• Equality Diversity and Inclusion


• Forms of Discrimination and Intersectionality


• Disability and Neurodiversity in the workplace


• The Role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and similar institutions


• Employer Brand from a HRM perspective


• Inclusive Talent Management


• The Social Justice Case


• The Diversity Management Perspective


• Optimal Distinctiveness Theory

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Alternative assessment for group presentation – individual coursework

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

How they have developed transferable skills through teamworking and to illustrate their understanding of HRM challenges contemporary organizations experience.

  Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Group presentation (addresses learning outcomes: 3 and 4)

• Individual Coursework (addresses learning outcomes: 1 and 2)

• Students will receive feedback on their performance during the module such as verbal feedback in workshops and informal feedback to support development of the final summative assessment.

Module aims

• Develop knowledge of concepts and frameworks widely used in HRM.
• Justify the case for the role of HRM in organizations.
• Identify sources of data that are pertinent to the HR profession.
• Develop students' knowledge about the impact of discrimination and exclusion in the modern workplace with a specific focus through a UK lens.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices and the role HRM plays in organizations. Students will learn the essential practices for managing equality and diversity, including the necessity for this to be embedded in all HRM organizational policies and practices including employer branding and talent management. The learning strategy is designed to (1) develop their knowledge for the application of transferable skills in practice, (2) encourage evidence-based critical thinking in applying their knowledge and adopting HR practices. The module also aims to give students an understanding of broader processes, theories and concepts that are important in HRM: such as the impact of the COVID pandemic on attraction and retention of employees, the UKs withdrawal from the European Union and the implications on the UK labour market, and the role HRM plays in contributing to organizational performance. The specific focus of this module is to develop students understanding of the core relevance and business need for management of effective equality diversity and inclusion policies, and practices in modern workplaces. This module is taught through a series of weekly lectures and weekly workshops. 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN2133

Other information

This module promotes the Student Competency Framework Pillars as follows:

Global and Cultural Capabilities

Students on this module work together to make a group presenation. Each group receives formative feedback from the Module Leader and peer feedback during workshops.The demographic topography of our students, and members of staff, is rich and diverse. Therefore, students acquire and develop global and cultural intelligence by interacting with each other in completing the assessment.

Employability

The module is designed to equip students with a deep understanding of how HRM may add value to organizations and the key principles of upholding equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. Up to date knowledge of best practice, key HRM trends, and analysing HR reports are essential skills for a HRM graduate job role.  

Resourcefulness & Resilience

Peer feedback is embedded as part of the structure and content of the module workshops. Giving and receiving feedback may be challenging for some students but the module leader will share tools and techniques to develop students ability to give and receive feedback. This will build students communication skills and their resilience to overcome personal fears.

Sustainability

Attracting, retaining and developing staff is a key area of human resource management that can enhance organisational reputation and success, sustainable people management practices is critical for a successful HR manager. Specifically adopting flexible methods of attracting and retaining staff is key to organziational success students will develop knowledge about innovative approaches organiszations may adopt.

Digital Capabilities

Students will develop their digital capabilities by being encouraged to access digital platforms such as LinkedIn; CIPD podcasts; the University virtual learning environment, Surrey Learn; communicating in their groups via MS teams and/or Whatsapp groups.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.