Applications for our master’s programs must be completed through the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School. Please visit their website to learn more about application requirements and deadlines.
Penn State’s residential Master of Science (M.S.) in Human Resources and Employment Relations (HRER) is a two-year, 39-credit program. The mission of the School of Labor and Employment Relations’s M.S. in Human Resources and Employment Relations program is to prepare students to excel in a variety of human resource management and employment relations roles by developing students’ functional knowledge, business acumen, global and ethical awareness, and analytical and strategic thinking skills required to facilitate employee and organizational success. Further, the program highlights the growing importance of diversity in the workforce and the globalization of public and private organizations.
In addition to the base HRER program, there are two options available
The HR option prepares students for a career in the human resource management field, whereas the ER option prepares students for a career in employment relations. All students receive some exposure to the other field, but coursework in each option is focused on preparing students for success in either the HR or ER professions.
Every five years, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)—the professional body representing HR practitioners in the United States—reviews programs for alignment with its academic curriculum. The school last completed the renewal process in 2020 and the M.s.S in HRER (HR Option) is confirmed to be in alignment. As a student in the program, you can be sure that you are receiving an appropriate education for building your career in HRM and will be well-prepared for future professional certifications.
In addition to the requirements listed on the Fox Graduate School website, students interested in the Master of Science in Human Resources and Employee Relations must provide a writing sample Preferably an individually written essay or research paper that you submitted in a college course (Please note: your resume is not considered to be a writing sample). Our program also requires that students have a minimum overall undergraduate grade-point average of 3.00 to be considered for admission.
At most universities, students in master’s Programs, like our M.S. in HRER, are usually expected to cover their own tuition and living costs. This is because these programs prepare students for attractive, well-paying jobs and the cost of the program is seen as an investment that will pay for itself many times over in the course of a career. Many students take out low-cost student loans to help cover their costs.
However, the Penn State M.S. in HRER program does have financial aid available for a limited number of students. This aid usually takes the form of graduate assistantships that pay a modest stipend and provide a full-tuition scholarship. In return, students serving as graduate assistants are expected to work ten–twenty hours a week assisting faculty with research or teaching. Financial aid is awarded on a competitive basis to the students with the strongest academic and professional records.
For full consideration, students interested in being considered for assistantships or scholarships must complete their application to the program by February 1 preceding the fall they wish to enroll. Students applying to begin the program in spring may ask to be considered for aid, but most aid is usually awarded in the fall for the entire academic year.
Note: Eligible IUG or J.D./M.S. students will be contacted by the Graduate Staff Assistant (Erin Hetzel) towards the end of the spring semester preceding the final year they will be a full-time student in the M.S. program to ask if they wish to be considered for aid.
Penn State University and the School of Labor and Employment Relations value racial, ethnic, and international diversity in its student body.
Our students’ diversity contributes to a vibrant community. Recently, our students have come from a variety of countries including Colombia, Nigeria, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, South Korea, Canada, India, and Italy.
Because the language of instruction at Penn State is English, international applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test or a total score of 80 with 19 on the speaking section on the internet-based test (iBT). The minimum acceptable composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.
The TOEFL/IELTS is not needed for permanent U.S. residents or anyone with a Penn State or other U.S. institution’s undergraduate or Master’s degree, including international students.
International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement if they have or about to receive a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a college/university/institution in any of the following countries: Australia, Belize, British Caribbean, and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Wales. You must submit a transcript that shows you have attended college in one of these approved locations.
The U.S. government requires schools to determine that individuals can meet expenses without resorting to unlawful employment or public funds. To be issued an I-20/DS-2019, you must:
Please visit Global Penn State for more information on these requirements as well as sources of scholarship and financial help.
It is important that international applicants understand that employment opportunities for full-time positions and internships in the United States are restricted by strict immigration laws. Because of this, an increasing number of U.S. organizations are only able to hire U.S. citizens and permanent residents. We provide career assistance and some of our international students are ultimately successful in obtaining internships and full-time employment with U.S. companies, but many are not. Although we will assist you in finding U.S. based internships and jobs, we cannot guarantee a U.S. based internship or job upon graduation.
The Penn State Master’s of Professional Studies degree in Labor and Global Workers’ Rights program focuses on global workers’ rights, work and gender in the global economy, employment relations system around the world, and strategic corporate research and organizing campaigns.
During the summer months, students participate in an internship with a United States trade union or worker-oriented organization and write a capstone project.
The deadline for applications for the next academic year is in January. Assistantships are available and awarded based on need and the quality of the application. Applicants are strongly encouraged to acquire some complementary support from their trade union, labor federation, or related organization.
The School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) will offer the Master of Professional Studies program in Labor and Global Workers’ Rights (LGWR) for the final time in the 2024-2025 academic year.
The LGWR program, tailor-made for labor activists, was established in 2013 by Professor Mark Anner and began receiving students in 2014. Due to the dedication of Professor Anner and other School of LER faculty, over the last decade, the program admitted over 60 students from all five continents, over half being female or with non-binary gender identities.
Through the LGWR program, our students and alumni have obtained intellectual and practical movement resources and become part of global labor movement networks. LGWR students have actively promoted awareness and action around workers’ rights both locally and globally. The program’s alumni continue to devote themselves to the global labor movement.
Although the program will be closing, the School of LER’s Center for Global Workers’ Rights, which has worked closely with the LGWR program, continues to serve as a reference point for research on local, national, and global labor issues.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the partners of the LGWR program, including AFL-CIO, the Global Labour University, and the Global Union Federations network, as well as the College of the Liberal Arts, and the School of LER faculty, staff, and alumni, who have all made invaluable contributions to the program.
This online master’s in human resources and employment relations can help you develop strategic programs and policies that align with your organization’s business goals. Build expertise in people and culture, diversity and inclusion, talent management, ethical decision-making, and employment law.