NCI Course Details

Combined with a practitioner-recognised qualification in the area of HRM, namely CIPD, this course is geared towards people wishing to continue or progress in their professional development in HR or wider roles in the organisation.

‘Block teaching’ is used to provide the opportunity for more in-depth development of knowledge within modules. An applied approach to teaching is used within the programme with lectures interspersed with exercises, use of case study analysis, group activities in class, debate on contemporary issues as well as independent learning

This course is aimed primarily at individuals seeking an academic qualification at postgraduate level while also wishing to advance their career to assume positions at senior management level with a specific focus on human resource management.

Applicants are required to hold a minimum of a 2.2 honours degree in either a cognate or non-cognate area at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

For applicants whose first language is not English, please note the English language entry requirements.

For international students, please visit NCI's Your Country section to view the specific entry requirements for your region.

The college operates a Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) scheme meaning non-graduates with extensive professional experience and other prior qualifications may also be considered for the course.

National College of Ireland has implemented a Bring Your Own Device policy for all courses. Specifically, students are expected to successfully participate in lectures, laboratories and projects using a portable computer (laptop/notebook) with a substantial hardware configuration.

The minimal suitable configuration is:

Processor:

• Intel 7th (or higher) generation processors (Core i-3, ii-5, -7,i-9-7x)
• or AMD Ryzen 3rd generation processors, running at 2.0GHz and above (Intel Atom/Celeron or AMD Athlon/Sempron Processors may cost less, but may not meet your requirements)

Random Access Memory (RAM):
8 GB minimum

Solid State Drive (SSD) Capacity:
256 GB minimum

Wireless Card:
802.11 a/b/g/n compliant with Bluetooth Capability (incompatibilities have been noted with the Qualcomm Atheros Wireless Adapters and software device drivers)

Graphics Card:
Direct X9 or later

Supported Operating Systems:
Windows 10 Home/Pro

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure their computer is functioning correctly and that they have full administrator rights. NCI cannot provide support for these personal devices.

Student Laptop Loan Scheme

A Laptop Loan Scheme is available for eligible students to assist them in completing their chosen course.

The Master of Arts in Human Resource Management is awarded by QQI at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications. Graduates with relevant work experience will be eligible to apply for Chartered Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) after successful completion of the first 3 semesters. A membership fee will be payable directly to CIPD.

This award will allow transfer to level 9 research degrees and in some cases progression to taught doctoral courses at level 10 on the NFQ. Students who successfully complete the first 3 semesters of the course may choose to exit the course at that time with the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in HRM.

Core Modules

• Leading and Managing
• Human Resource Management in a Strategic Business Context
• People Resourcing
• Employment Law
• Employee Relations
• Managing and Developing Talent
• Research Methods
• Dissertation

Elective Modules

• Organisational Design and Development (10 credits)
• Mediation and Conflict Management (10 credits)
• Strategic Reward Management (10 credits)
• International HRM (5 credits)
• HR Analytics (5 credits)
• The Science of Decision Making (5 credits)

Learners are required to choose one 10-credit and one 5-credit elective from the suite of electives offered above.

The course content as shown above is for indicative purposes. The college reserves the right to re-order the schedule of modules offered.

Note: all modules count towards the final award classification. Elective modules are subject to availability and a minimum number of students required to run a module.

For more information on the modules taught on this course view our module descriptors.

Students need to be available 09.00-21.00 Monday - Friday (Class days and times vary).

Please note that exams can be scheduled during the morning, afternoon or evening Monday to Saturday.

On-campus face-to-face classes.

September Starts

1 year taught plus a final dissertation: 2 semesters (Sep-Dec and Jan-May), dissertation due in August

January Starts

(where available and subject to numbers) 1 year taught plus a final dissertation: 2 semesters (Jan-May and Sep-Dec), dissertation due in May the following year and graduation in November.

The cost of this course is €8,300 total fee.

(EU/Ireland applicants, fees revised annually)

You can spread the cost of this course with a direct debit plan.

NCI Scholarships

We offer a range of scholarships and discounts for both NCI and non-NCI graduates. Current NCI students and alumni can avail of a 25% discount on this course by applying for our Master's Edge Scholarship.

View our full list of scholarships.

The course fee for international students for September 2024 is €15,000.

From the January 2025 intake onwards, the course fee for international students will be €17,000. Fees will be revised annually.

For more information on international fees, please visit International Fees & Funding and International Scholarships. 

Learn more about studying at NCI as an international student.