The major in Human Capital Management and Leadership prepares graduates to manage and lead individuals, teams and projects in a variety of contexts across all functional areas of business in profit and not-for-profit environments. The diversified course of study includes coursework in leadership, diversity and cross cultural management, human resources, executive decision making, and human capital consulting. The content, skills and practices learned in human capital management and leadership are transferable across many industries, functions and roles. In addition, students seeking careers specializing in the human resources function can select courses that directly specialize their training.
Major and Minors
Human Capital Management and Leadership Major
Graduates in Human Capital Management and Leadership go into a range of careers including consulting, human resource management, talent acquisition, and sales. To prepare students for these careers, the major offers courses in negotiation, compensation and benefits, personnel law, leadership, motivation, change management, cross-cultural management, human capital metrics and strategy. Senior Management and Leadership majors are required to take a client-based course in which they complete a consulting project for an external client.
Student learning objectives of the HCML major include:
- HCML students will be able to analyze human resource problems, propose appropriate solutions, and evaluate those solutions.
- HCML students will be able to measure and analyze domestic diversity, cross-cultural diversity, and equity and inclusion issues and understand their implications for organizational management.
- HCML students will be able to utilize leadership frameworks and theories to analyze and understand differences in leadership effectiveness across organizational contexts.
- HCML students will be able to assess the effectiveness of workplace programs and policies and make evidence-based recommendations for improvement.
- HCML students will be able to make CEO-level decisions and articulate the reasons behind their decisions using established strategy frameworks.
MGT 291. Introduction to Management & Leadership introduces theories and practices of how to attract, develop, and retain a competitive workforce. The class includes a mix of conceptual models and experiential exercises to help students manage themselves and their work relations with others and to gain an understanding of how organizations utilize this knowledge to design competitive management practices.
MGT 303. Human Resource Management introduces modern human resource management practices and their relationships to organizational effectiveness. Topics covered include human resource planning, recruitment, selection, training and career development, performance appraisal, compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations, and employee rights. These topics are brought to life through a mix of case studies and experiential exercises.
Prerequisite: MGT 291
MGT 304. Diversity and Cross-Cultural Management focuses on how to manage diverse individuals in a number of environments, both internationally and domestically. In addition to learning about the major drivers and outcomes of national culture, students will become more adept at thinking about management and leadership issues from multiple perspectives through class discussions of case studies, experiential exercises, and class projects. Particular focus is placed on how to leverage diversity, equity, and inclusion for sustained competitive advantage.
Prerequisite: MGT 291
MGT 404. Compensation Management explores the design and evaluation of compensation programs that attract, retain, and motivate employees. MGT404 applies course concepts through case studies and other hands-on activities.
Prerequisite: MGT 303 or permission of instructor.
MGT 405. Negotiations and Conflict Management focuses on both the informal conflict management processes employees use in their daily work life as well as the formal negotiation process used to ensure employee participation and fair treatment in the workplace. Students learn conflict management and negotiation skills through exposure to various conceptual models and a variety of hands-on negotiation and conflict management experiences.
Prerequisite: MGT 303 or permission of instructor.
MGT 406. Talent Acquisition and Development provides an in-depth exploration of the components of successful talent acquisition and development programs, including demand and organizational needs forecasting, internal and external recruitment strategies, selection tools, training program design, and other employee development strategies. The course includes experiential exercises focusing on the creation of comprehensive talent acquisition and development programs that align with organizational goals, mission, and strategy.
Prerequisites: MGT 303.
MGT 414. Employee Engagement and Motivation provides an in-depth examination of concepts, principles, and theories of motivation and their relationship to work behavior and work contexts. Historical and current perspectives are explored, emphasizing integration and application through case studies, group projects, and/ or computer-based simulations.
Prerequisite: MGT 291.
MGT 415. Leadership and Learning investigates current leadership thinking and behavior in formal organizations. The course emphasizes theory, research, and applications of leadership in order to guide students’ personal leadership development and an understanding of the relationships among leadership, power, decision-making, and organizational culture in modern organizations.
Prerequisite: MGT 291.
MGT 416. Leading Organizational Change offers an in-depth study of behavioral topics critical for the success of contemporary organizations, including organizational theory, organizational design, organizational change and development, organizational culture, job stress, organizational conflict, and group dynamics. Extensive in-depth readings and a major project form the basis of the course.
Prerequisite: MGT 291.
MGT 474. Human Capital Consulting focuses on measuring and analyzing human problems to make data-driven recommendations that support the organization’s operating and strategic goals. MGT474 is a project-based course that includes client projects and/ or immersive semester-long team-based simulations.
Prerequisites: MGT 303.
MGT 495. Executive Decision Making and Strategy integrates the concepts learned in business core courses to address strategic issues facing any organization. This course examines business problems from a cross-functional perspective, employing analysis methodologies from human capital management and leadership, finance, accounting, statistics, law, operations, and economics. It incorporates a variety of case studies and/or team-based simulations to reinforce key concepts.
Prerequisites: FIN 301, MGT 291, MGT 295, and MKT 291, senior standing, or permission of instructor.
Minors
Human Capital Management and Leadership
Management of people and organizations is a broadly transferable skill which will help any major supervise others, integrate diverse individuals and diverse functions, and develop successful individuals and teams to meet organizational goals.
Management
This program is designed to provide non-business students with a broad understanding of the concept of Management. It is designed specifically for majors in College of Arts and Science, School of Education, Health and Society, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. It has requirements that overlap with other majors, especially Dietetics, Economics (A&S), Psychology, Public Administration, Strategic Communications, Mass Communications, SLAM, Social Work, Pre-business, Environmental Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, General Engineering, Paper Science and Engineering, and others.