Bachelor's Degree
Human Resources (HR)
Online Bachelor's Degree Program
CLASSES START
Jan 6th
36 Mo. Program Length | 122 Credits |
Online Format | $515 Cost Per Credit |
Bachelor's Degree
Human Resources (HR)
Online Bachelor's Degree Program
Advance your HR career with Herzing University
| Accreditation | IACBE accredited,1 Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission |
|---|---|
| Curriculum | SHRM-aligned curriculum2 |
| Transfer credit | Up to 91 approved credits |
| Pathways | Earn dual credit towards an MBA program |
| QuickPaths | Transfer credit, stackable credentials, and adaptive learning technology build a faster pathway to a higher education with Herzing University |
Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best online bachelor's programs in 2024
Overview: Bachelor of Science in Human Resources
The Bachelor of Science in Human Resources degree is a 122-credit undergraduate program which prepares you for a career as an HR manager or specialist.
The online degree program provide students with fundamental knowledge and skills in HR management, employment and labor law, compensation and benefits, training and development, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and much more.
Career-focused curriculum
Discover the crucial knowledge and skills required to succeed in your work and build a foundation for continued career growth.
Flexible schedule
You can take classes during the day or in the evening. We strive to be as flexible as possible for busy non-traditional students.
Virtual services
Access to extensive virtual services, including academic advising, tutoring, support services, technical support and library services.
Lifelong support
We support your ongoing career advancement by providing comprehensive, personalized student services with lifelong career coaching.
Rolling admissions
No application deadlines to worry about. Apply when you’re ready and prepare to get started soon.
Classes Start January 6th
Learn More Today
Curriculum
Human Resources bachelor’s degree classes & curriculum details
The bachelor’s in human resources curriculum includes core management courses, human resource management courses, business and open electives, and personal and professional development courses.
Our program prepares you to apply training and development, career planning and counseling to improve individual productivity, job satisfaction, employability and organizational effectiveness.
All classes are delivered online with a required capstone or internship.
| Program | Monthsi | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science in Human Resources | 36 | 122 |
i. Average number of months for students to complete program
Program availability varies by location
Required Management Core Courses
All courses, 36.00 semester credit hours, are required.
or BU 600 Leadership and Organizational Behavior 3.00 semester credit hours.
or BU 630 Project and Operations Management 3.00 semester credits
or BU 421 Operations Management or BU 550 Research Methods and Decision Making 3.00 semester credit hours
Required Courses in Human Resources Management
All courses, 27.00 semester credit hours, are required.
Business Elective Courses
A minimum of 9.00 semester credit hours is required. Students may take any business, accounting, human resources, or economics course. Students who are qualified to take dual-credit courses may also take approved graduate courses.
Open Elective Courses
A minimum of 9.00 semester credit hours is required. A minimum of 3.00 semester credit hours must be at the 300 to 400 level.
Required Capstone or Internship
3.00 semester credit hours are required.
Required Courses in General Education
Students enrolled in this bachelor's degree must complete a minimum of 36.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines. Refer to the General Education section of the catalog for specific information about courses within each discipline. 12.00 Semester Credit Hours in Communications 9.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities (must include 3 semester credit hours of cultural diversity) 6.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics 3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Science 6.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Personal and Professional Development Courses
2.00 semester credit hours is required.
SHRM aligned
Become certified faster with our SHRM-aligned curriculum
Our bachelor’s degree and MBA curriculums have been approved by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) to be fully aligned with their HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates.2
SHRM is an organization dedicated to advancing the human resources profession, working to ensure HR meets fast-evolving business needs. Their SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) competency-based certification for early- and mid-career professional is a widely recognized and respected HR certifications among employers.
By completing our SHRM-approved program, you can reduce the experience requirement needed to sit for the SHRM-CP exam and become certified.
Dual Credit
Save time and money by earning dual credit
Students enrolled in Herzing University’s human resources bachelor’s degree program can get a head start on earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Qualifying undergraduate students who pursue a Herzing bachelor’s degree in human resources may apply up to 12 credits toward an MBA degree.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition & Cost
The cost of tuition for the Bachelor of Science in Human Resources program is $515 per credit.
You can potentially earn even greater savings by transferring credit from prior college coursework, applying for financial aid, or potential partnership opportunities through your employer.
Our goal is your career advancement. That’s why we are always working to improve our curriculum and processes to make our program as affordable as possible while preparing you best for success in your work.
You may be eligible for multiple scholarships and grants, both through Herzing University and several national scholarship websites.
Veterans, Active Duty U.S. Servicemembers, and spouses may qualify for a 10% tuition discount or tuition reduction to $250 per credit.
Requirements
Admissions requirements
Prerequisites to enroll in the Herzing University Human Resources bachelor's degree program include:
- Prior education requirement. Completion of high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
- Entrance testing. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to succeed in college-level courses via prior ACT/SAT scores, completion of prior college credit, or additional entrance testing.
- Availability of time, personal commitment, and a professional attitude. We exist to help enthusiastic students fully committed to reaching their highest career goals. Our faculty and leadership are dedicated to helping you reach them.
You will need to meet and interview with a Herzing University admissions advisor and complete an enrollment application to be admitted into the program.
If you have any additional questions regarding admissions into the program, please contact our admissions team.
Eligible states for enrollment: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, District Of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands.
Classes Start January 6th
Waived Enrollment FeeCareers
What can I do with a bachelor’s degree in HR?
Human resources is a broad field that offers employment opportunities in a variety of fields. Here's what you can potentially do with a human resources degree:
- Compensation or Benefit Analyst/Manager
- Human Resources Specialist
- Human Resources Generalist
- Human Resources Manager
- Labor Relations Manager
- Corporate Recruiter
- Training and Development Coordinator
- Training and Development Manager
How can I advance my career? You can take the next step by pursuing an MBA. HR professionals with a master’s-level education may qualify for higher HR positions, such as Director of Human Resources or VP of Human Resources.
Job outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of human resources managers is projected to grow 5% from 2022-2032, faster than the projected average across all U.S. occupations.*
Earn the education you need to continue advancing in a growing career field and better your chance of finding the job you’ve always wanted. We exist to help you take the first step and support your lifelong learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
A master’s degree in human resources can help prepare you to lead teams, departments, and direct entire organizations. An advanced degree, such as an MBA in Human Resources, can help give you a competitive edge when applying for executive roles, such as chief HR officer or director. An MBA in HR also provides you a unique combination of business skills, leadership training, and advanced human resources knowledge.
A human resources degree is an academic degree awarded to students when they complete a two or four-year program with a focus on human resources or human resources management.
Generally, undergraduate HR programs provide students a learning foundation needed to help manage and develop diverse workforces. A company's human resources department oversees almost everything related to employees from recruitment, hiring, and training to employee motivation, retention, benefits, and other services. That is why HR courses are focused on providing leadership, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills needed to help companies and their employees be successful.
The skills and traits required for success as a social worker overlap with those of a human resources manager or professional. Both careers require strong communication skills, empathy, and a desire to help both individuals and groups thrive.
However, there are significant differences in the day-to-day life of HR professionals vs. social workers, including work environment, schedule, who you’ll work with, and types of problems you’ll be solving.
Learn more about the difference between human resources and social work careers.
Yes! A bachelor’s degree in human resources can prepare you for a long, successful, profitable career in a variety of roles and industries. HR is a very flexible degree that can be applied to a number of specialties, including benefits administration, training and development, and recruitment. If you enjoy helping people and businesses thrive, a bachelor’s degree in HR could be a great fit.
Yes, you can earn your degree in human resources online with flexible course options that fit your schedule.
Herzing’s program includes core HR classes helping you to build a strong foundation in human resources, as well as additional business management and elective courses. You can transfer in up to 91 approved credits from prior college classes you’ve taken.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), human resources specialists earn an average salary of $76,060 per year ($36.57 per hour).*
The BLS reports the average pay for an HR manager was $74.39 per hour or $154,740 per year. Those at the top of their field may earn a higher salary depending on their experience and education (for example, if they have a graduate degree).
Human resources is a growing field. According to the BLS, Employment opportunities for HR managers is projected to grow 5% from 2022-2032, faster than the average for all U.S. occupations. This is due in part to growth of existing companies and new companies forming. HR professionals are also needed to help understand and administer complex employment and benefit laws.
To become an Human Resources (HR) manager, you can best qualify with at least a bachelor’s degree and a few years of experience. Some employers might prefer that HR manager candidates have a master’s degree in human resources or an MBA with an emphasis in human resources.
Some people choose to pursue specialized certificates in human resources. Certifications are not always necessary to become an HR manager; however, they can help you demonstrate your expertise and help you stand out from the competition. There are several types of HR certificates, including:
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), available through the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).
- SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) for early- and mid-career professionals and the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) for senior-level practitioners, available through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
To be successful in human resources, you’ll need an education focused on human resources, organizational development, or business. In addition to that, specific skills that HR professionals benefit from include:
- Communication skills: As an HR professional, a major part of your role is communicating with employees. You must be able to express yourself clearly in both oral and written communications.
- Organizational skills: HR professionals must be extremely organized and able to manage different projects and programs.
- Decision-making skills: As an HR manager, you may be responsible for making important decisions regarding hiring and firing people, as well as company-wide rules and regulations.
- Training and development: Many people look to human resources to help provide guidance on training and career development. You should be able to either perform this training or help direct employees as they seek to grow their career.
- Teamwork: HR professionals often work with many different departments and are part of cross-functional teams. It’s important to be able to work well with others, to see their point of view, and work together to reach goals that will best help the company be successful.
Generally, yes. It can be possible to work in the human resources field without a degree; however, to advance in your HR career employers may require a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree can help prepare you for higher level HR roles, such as manager or supervisor.
To become a director, vice president, or chief HR officer, it can be beneficial to have an MBA in addition to several years of experience.
Program Finder
Human Resources Degree Programs
Showing 1 program for the Online campus
This program prepares individuals to apply integrated training, organizational development, career planning, and counseling skills to the design, management, and evaluation of programs to improve individual productivity, employability, job satisfaction, and organizational effectiveness. The program includes instruction in psychology, organizational behavior, principles of adult education, occupational counseling, skill testing and evaluation, program design, consulting practice, organizational development, and applications for issues such as training, management development, customer service, and lean management.
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Accreditation
Accreditation & Disclosures
1. The Business Division at Herzing University has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11960 Quivira Road in Overland Park, Kansas, USA. For a list of accredited programs please refer to our IACBE member status page.
Download the IACBE Public Disclosure of Student Achievement
2. The Herzing University Bachelor of Science in Human Resources and Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Human Resources have been approved by SHRM as being aligned to SHRM’s curriculum guidelines.
Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
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Everything went by quickly, and I’m so excited to begin my new career in HR as a grad!
