University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business Launches New Executive Master of Human Resources Program to Meet Growing Demand for Advanced HR and Business Knowledge

COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- With the growing need for human resource professionals across the country to become active strategic partners in their organizations – managing issues from workforce planning and leadership succession to global outsourcing and health insurance management – many are now recognizing they must enhance their knowledge of business and HR issues in order to advance their careers.

Recognizing this need, the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business, with its long history of academic experience and faculty expertise in the human resources field, is now launching a new Executive Master of Human Resources (EMHR) degree program for working HR professionals located throughout the country.  

The 20-month, 45 credit hour degree program, which begins its first session in September 2010, was developed specifically to provide working HR professionals and those from the business line wishing to enter HR with both a foundation of business knowledge and a deep understanding and expertise of the increasingly complex array of human resources issues.  Using experiential learning and new classroom technology, participants will be part of a unique "Learning Community" of HR professionals located throughout the country.  

"The EMHR program, more than any other program of its kind for working HR professionals, combines the academic grounding, global perspective and real-world experience that will be critical for every HR manager who wants to accelerate their career and move to senior levels of management in the organization," says Christine LaCola, Assistant Dean and Director of Graduate Programs at the Moore School.

The primary goal of the program was to create an innovative program that will help develop leaders within the HR field, says Dr. Brian Klaas, Chairman of the Department of Management at the Moore School and Academic Director of the EMHR program.

"At its core, this program is designed to help students develop strategic perspectives, analytical tools, leadership and consulting skills, and the capacity to understand the needs of multiple stakeholders," he says.  "It is designed to help students understand both the core functional areas within human resources and how the changing business and global environment impacts the management of HR.  It is clear that HR professionals are facing new and complex challenges."

Program Builds on HR Expertise

The new offering builds on the Moore School's successful full-time Master of Human Resources program, which began in 1982, and draws from a faculty that has broad expertise in areas such as employee relations, executive compensation, small group and team dynamics, cross-cultural behavior, leadership development, employee productivity, global strategy and organizational culture.

"The Moore School has emerged as a leader in graduate education and research in the human resources field over the past two decades," said Moore School Dean Hildy Teegen.   "When we look at the important role that business education plays in promoting sustainable enterprise and  economic development, it is critical that we focus more attention on the effective management of resources—and particularly of human capital.  The EMHR is a timely and innovative addition to our academic portfolio."

New Modes of Delivery

The EMHR program uses what the School calls "multi-modal learning" to maximize an executive's learning potential and enable participants to continue working while attending residency sessions on campus and using web conferencing, downloadable podcasts and online team rooms.

"In many of our executive programs, we are beginning to use new technologies that are fundamentally changing the way we think about global learning and teaching," said Raymond Smith, Associate Dean of Executive Education at the Moore School.  "The use of various modes of learning in the EMHR program will enable executives to interact with professionals in other locations and gain fresh insights about the international and organizational diversity of HR issues."

"Ultimately, what we are doing is creating a true 'learning community,'" he adds.  We provide participants with an opportunity to learn relevant theory, models and best practices; while, participants bring actual issues they are facing from the workplace and we put it all together for them in a way that makes the learning actionable and helps them improve their HR practices and role."

Enables Global Participation

The structure of the program allows for both U.S. and international participation with four one-week residencies.  Classes are taught virtually via web-conferencing, podcasts and virtual teamwork.  The program begins with a week-long session at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC.  Two additional week-long sessions will be held in the middle of the program - one internationally and one in Columbia.  The program concludes with a week-long session on campus in Columbia where students deliver final presentations and cap off their experience.

Significant input for this program came from the School's long-standing Advisory Board for its full-time Master of Human Resources program which includes senior HR executives from major corporations such as Shell Oil, NBC Universal, Bank of America, Interstate Brands and Cisco.

"The EMHR curriculum represents real, progressive change in thinking around the business of human resources education, which is just fantastic," said Marc Chini, Executive Vice President of NBC Universal and member of the EMHR Advisory Board.  "Many HR Professionals are going to want to go back to enhance and upgrade their education while gaining a Moore School experience.  They will be able to do it without giving up the roles they are in today, which is a big advantage."

About the Moore School

The Moore School of Business is among the highest-ranked business schools in the world for international business education and research. Founded in 1919, the school has a history of innovative educational leadership, blending academic preparation with real-world experience through internships, consulting projects, study-abroad programs, and entrepreneurial opportunities. The Moore School offers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as distinctive executive education programs. In 1998, the school was named for South Carolina native and New York financier Darla Moore, making the University of South Carolina the first major university to name its business school after a woman.  For more information, visit http://www.moore.sc.edu

SOURCE University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business

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