Landing a fulfilling career in Human Resources (HR) might seem straightforward – pursue an HR degree, right? While a degree specifically in Human Resources Management is certainly a strong path, it’s far from the only one. The dynamic field of HR encompasses a wide spectrum of specializations, from the data-driven world of people analytics to the interpersonal aspects of employee relations. This breadth means that professionals from diverse educational backgrounds can successfully transition and thrive in HR.
As Deborah Guenther-Alexiou, MSHR, SHRM-SCP, an adjunct instructor of business at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), aptly puts it, “HR has something for everyone.” Whether you lean towards the analytical side, with interests in payroll or people analytics, or are drawn to the human-centric areas like recruiting, employee relations, and succession planning, HR offers a niche for your skills and passions. This versatility opens up exciting possibilities, allowing you to choose a degree program that genuinely interests you while simultaneously developing skills applicable to a thriving career in human resources.
What is the Best Degree for Human Resources?
For those aspiring to entry-level HR positions, a bachelor’s degree is generally the foundational requirement. Rhett W. Beyer, a training director and MBA adjunct instructor at SNHU, emphasizes this point: “In most companies I have worked for, a 4-year degree is required to get a starting HR position—and then additional education to grow to senior levels.” Beyer suggests a strategic approach to education: “My recommendation is to find what you enjoy most about the field of HR and then tailor the rest of your education to support that.”
Considering an HR certificate can also be a valuable stepping stone. It provides a focused introduction to the field, allowing you to explore HR fundamentals without immediately committing to a full degree program. This experience can solidify your interest in HR or guide you towards a related degree path that still equips you with essential HR skills.
For those aiming for leadership roles and senior-level positions, a master’s degree becomes increasingly important. Many recruiters for management roles prioritize or even mandate graduate credentials, demonstrating a commitment to advanced knowledge and expertise in the field.
What are the Different Types of HR Degrees?
If you are specifically drawn to human resources, an HR degree is a direct and effective route. At the undergraduate level, a Bachelor’s in HR Management provides a comprehensive introduction to the field. For graduate studies, a Master’s in HR Management offers advanced specialization and career progression opportunities.
These HR-specific programs delve into the multifaceted responsibilities of an HR department, exposing you to various career paths within HR. They are designed to cultivate the specific skills needed to excel as an HR professional in today’s evolving workplace.
Another popular option is a Business Administration degree with a concentration in Human Resources. This path provides a broader understanding of business principles while still allowing you to specialize in HR through focused coursework. Business degrees with an HR concentration are available at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels, offering flexibility based on your career goals and educational background.
Some institutions, like SNHU, integrate industry-recognized credentials into their HR programs. These credentials, often developed by organizations like the HR Certification Institute (HRCI), provide valuable validation of specific skills and knowledge. Examples of such credentials include:
- HR Ethics Series: Common Ethical Challenges
- HR Ethics Series: Issues in the Workplace
- Fostering an Inclusive Culture
- Leading and Managing Change
- Negotiations: Resolving Disputes
Dr. Ranjit Nair, CEO and SNHU adjunct instructor, highlights the growing trend of specialized HRM degrees: “More recently, universities like SNHU are offering specialized and modern degrees in HRM at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and these can be a great stepping stone into several HRM positions.”
Furthermore, many HR programs align their curriculum with certifications from prominent organizations like HRCI and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). This alignment prepares students for professional certification exams, such as:
- HRCI Associate Professional in Human Resources® (aPHR®)
- SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP®)
- Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP®)
While certification preferences can vary among employers, Rhett Beyer, holding a SHRM-SCP® certification, underscores the value of pursuing and maintaining these credentials for professional development and industry recognition.
Explore what you can do with an HR degree.
Other Degrees to Consider
It’s important to recognize that a direct HR degree isn’t the only gateway to the field. Many successful HR professionals come from diverse academic backgrounds. If your degree is in a field other than HR, you can still build a thriving HR career.
Dr. Nair, for instance, holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA in Information Systems. His career path began in technology and finance before transitioning to HR management, where he has now built over 25 years of experience across talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, talent management, and learning and development. “The technical skills I acquired through my undergraduate and graduate degree helped me to become that well-rounded professional,” Nair reflects.
Here are several non-HR degree programs that can be excellent pathways to a human resources career:
- Business Degree: Beyond a business degree with an HR concentration, a general business degree provides a strong foundation in business principles, applicable to various HR functions. Core business knowledge is invaluable for understanding the strategic role of HR within an organization.
- Psychology Degree: A psychology degree provides deep insights into human behavior, motivation, and interpersonal dynamics. This knowledge is highly relevant to employee relations, organizational development, training, and recruitment within HR.
- Communication Degree: Effective communication is at the heart of HR. A communication degree hones skills in written and verbal communication, conflict resolution, and interpersonal communication – all crucial for HR roles involving employee communication, training, and relationship management.
- Data Analytics or related fields: With the increasing importance of data-driven decision-making in HR, degrees in data analytics, statistics, or related quantitative fields are highly valuable. People analytics, compensation analysis, and HR metrics are growing areas within HR that require analytical expertise.
- Sociology Degree: A sociology degree provides a broad understanding of social structures, organizational behavior, and group dynamics. This sociological perspective is beneficial in understanding workplace culture, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and employee engagement within HR.
Lisa Jammer, an HR adjunct instructor at SNHU, emphasizes the importance of transferable skills: “A professional with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than HR can position themselves for an HR career by highlighting transferable skills in their resume, utilizing volunteer opportunities to build transferable skills, seeking an HR certificate or certification and completing projects in their current jobs that align with the day-to-day operations of HR professionals.”
Be Strategic with Electives
Maximizing your elective choices during your degree program can further enhance your HR career prospects. Electives offer a chance to gain specialized knowledge and skills relevant to specific HR areas.
“For example, a student interested in pursuing an HR analytics role may want to take electives that build their knowledge of data analysis and analytics,” suggests Jammer.
If your major is outside of HR, strategically choosing HR-related electives can provide valuable foundational knowledge. Guenther-Alexiou recommends electives in areas such as:
- Compensation and benefits administration and payroll
- Employee relations and conflict resolution
- Federal and state regulations and labor laws
- Performance management
- Recruiting, hiring, and onboarding
Additionally, Guenther-Alexiou points out the value of courses in accounting, general business, communication, and information technology. “Skills in those areas can help you work with different individuals and departments organization-wide,” she explains.
Consider adding an academic minor to your program using your electives. An academic advisor can help you select a minor that complements your HR career goals and aligns with your existing coursework and interests.
Learn more about what minors are and how they can benefit you.
Is it Hard to Get into Human Resources?
Breaking into any new career field can feel daunting, but the HR field offers encouraging prospects for newcomers, particularly career changers. Often, prior professional or academic experiences can be surprisingly relevant to HR roles.
Guenther-Alexiou notes, “HR is not necessarily a difficult field to break into because, many times, individuals will have had previous work experience that involves the people element or management.” Even without direct HR experience, joining HR organizations and associations offers valuable networking opportunities and industry connections.
Starting with entry-level HR positions like HR coordinator or assistant is a recommended approach. Guenther-Alexiou shares her own experience: “When an HR coordinator position opened up in the company [where I worked at a resort], I threw caution to the wind and applied for the position,” she recalls. “To my surprise, the HR director hired me.” Building upon this start, she earned a master’s degree and HR certifications, ultimately becoming an HR director herself.
Jammer’s career transition into HR from accounts receivables and treasury roles further illustrates the feasibility of career change. “To successfully transition, I located a mentor, completed informational interviews, accepted volunteer opportunities to expand my transferable skills and pursued HR courses,” Jammer explains. “After 18 months, I was able to transfer into the HR profession, and it’s been extremely rewarding.”
To enhance your candidacy for HR positions, Jammer recommends:
- Thorough Research: Gain a clear understanding of different HR roles and the organizations you are interested in. Explore job descriptions and company profiles to inform your job search.
- Relevant Credentials: Demonstrate your qualifications through a bachelor’s degree, professional certificates, and industry certifications. These credentials signal your commitment to HR and provide tangible evidence of your knowledge and skills.
- Skill Development: Acquire relevant skills through professional experiences, volunteer work, or internships. Nair highlights recruiting, talent acquisition, and people analytics as popular HR internship areas.
- Strategic Networking: Build connections with HR professionals through informational interviews and professional associations like SHRM or the Chamber of Commerce. Beyer emphasizes that networking can “raise brand awareness of who you are and what you bring to the table that can differentiate you from other candidates.”
Nair concludes optimistically, “So long as the desire to work in HRM is there, and you have certain skills and competencies, making the career transition to HRM can be quite seamless.”
What Skills Do I Need for HR?
The specific skills needed in HR will vary depending on your chosen role, but certain soft skills are universally valuable across all HR specializations.
Jammer identifies written and verbal communication as paramount: “HR professionals are required to draft policies, communications, training, strategic plans, etc.,” she explains. “Additionally, they verbally strategize with leaders, communicate change, facilitate resolution and much more.”
Additional interpersonal skills considered essential by HR professionals and SNHU adjuncts include:
- Active Listening and Confidentiality
- Adaptability, Flexibility, and Resilience
- Collaboration, Cultural Curiosity, and Empathy
- Perseverance and Strong Work Ethic
- Strategic Thinking and Problem-Solving
Furthermore, familiarity with the following areas is highly beneficial for HR success:
- Business Acumen
- Leadership Principles
- Organizational Development
- Relationship Management
- Social Awareness
Ultimately, a well-rounded skill set encompassing both business understanding and people skills is crucial. Beyer emphasizes the importance of becoming a business partner: “One of the key differentiators I have seen between successful HR professionals and non-successful HR professionals is the ability to become a business partner,” he states. “It doesn’t mean you have to specialize in every area of a business, but it does mean you need to understand the business well enough to understand how decisions made in HR will affect business overall.”
As you refine your HR career interests, carefully review job descriptions to pinpoint the specific skills that are most essential for your target roles and focus on developing those competencies.
How to Become a Human Resources Manager
How to Become a Human Resources Manager
For those passionate about HR, aspiring to become an HR manager is a natural career progression. While extensive experience can pave the way to management roles, Nair suggests that a master’s degree signals serious career ambition: “Having a relevant graduate degree tells your employer that you are intentional about moving into more senior roles,” he says.
While a bachelor’s degree in any field can be a starting point for entering HR, Beyer recommends an HR-specific or strong business-focused degree for management aspirations: “I’d recommend one with (an) HR focus, or, at a minimum, a strong business focus,” he advises. “Both will help you better understand some of the higher-level requirements that come with working in HR.”
Two excellent graduate degree options for aspiring HR managers are a Master of Science (MS) in HR Management or an MBA program. The choice depends on your desired level of specialization. An MS in HR Management offers focused, in-depth HR knowledge, while an MBA provides a broader, holistic understanding of business management principles. Both degrees cultivate essential competencies for HR leadership.
Nair outlines key competencies developed through these programs: “These competencies include being a change champion, a relationship builder, a technology integrator, an innovative thinker and a credible activist to drive the engagement of employees in the workplace.”
Discover more about SNHU’s bachelor’s in HR management: Find out what courses you’ll take, skills you’ll learn and how to request information about the program.
Rebecca LeBoeuf Blanchette ’18 ’23G is a writer at Southern New Hampshire University. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
