Course specification for MGT1001

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MGT1001 Foundations of Human Resource Management

Semester 1, 2020 On-campus Springfield
Short Description: Foundations of HRM
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts
School or Department : School of Management and Enterprise
Student contribution band : Band 3
ASCED code : 080303 - Human Resource Management
Grading basis : Graded

Staffing

Examiner:

Other requisites

Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at .

Rationale

The role of the contemporary human resource professional is to provide the organisation with transformational services, either separate to or in addition to the traditional transactional work of personnel departments of the past. At the core of this transformational role, HRM professionals are expected to comprehend and contribute to the crafting of organisational strategy. This course provides the foundation for the human resource management (HRM) major and therefore provides essential theory for students undertaking studies in this major. This course is suitable for students who are likely to work in the HRM profession but it will, however, also be useful for anyone likely to be involved in managing people within an organisation. The content introduces students to a wide range of topics related to HRM and follows a strategic approach towards understanding the alignment between organisational strategy and human resource management.

Synopsis

This course provides an introduction to human resource management (HRM) that allows students to develop a conceptual understanding of the HRM profession by presenting an overview of the principles, theories and practices related to HRM. The overarching focus of the course is to inform students about how the human resources component positively contributes to the core business by cultivating the organisation's competitive advantage and sustainable value, whether the organisation be a small, medium or large business, or operating as either private or public enterprise. Students will initially explore the linkage between HRM and organisational strategy. For this purpose, the course concentrates on the pervasive influence of strategic human resource management (SHRM) on the HRM functions. After establishing the influence of strategy on the HRM function, the course proceeds to provide students with foundation knowledge across an array of HRM operational responsibilities such as work health and safety, talent management, employment relations, international human resource management and diversity, and HRM into the future.

Objectives

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

  1. describe key human resource management (HRM) concepts and core HRM processes;
  2. analyse the role that HRM principles and processes have in enabling the strategic achievement of organisational goals;
  3. discuss contemporary issues related to HRM;
  4. examine the regulatory environment specific to managing human resources in organisations;
  5. examine the skills and tools that HRM professionals require to effectively advise line and senior managers;
  6. work independently to research, examine and evaluate ideas from a number of texts for the purpose of creating a scholarly script to fulfil the requirements of a written assignment.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Strategic human resource management 20.00
2. The functions and roles of the human resource professional 60.00
3. Human resource management in a changing world 20.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=01&subject1=MGT1001)

Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)

Nankervis, A, Baird, M, Coffey, J & Shields, J 2019, Human resource management: strategy and practice, 10th edn, Cengage Learning, South Melbourne, Victoria.

Reference materials

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.
Beardwell, J & Thompson, A (eds) 2017, Human resource management: a contemporary approach, 8th edn, Pearson, Boston, Massachusetts.
Dessler, G 2012, A framework for human resource management, 7th edn, Prentice Hall, Paramus, United States.
HRM and related journals that may be of assistance in preparing assignments: Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review, Human Relations, HR Monthly, Human Resource Management, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Journal of Human Resources, Management Today, Personnel Management, Sloan Management Review.
HRM-related websites: Australian Human Resources Institute - Australian Institute of Training and Development - Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations - .
Internet sites and readings, as well as other relevant sources will be specified.
Newspaper and other articles that relate to any of the themes or topics covered by the course.

Student workload expectations

Activity Hours
Assessments 50.00
Directed ¾«¶«´«Ã½app 60.00
Private ¾«¶«´«Ã½app 29.00
Workshops 26.00

Assessment details

Description Marks out of Wtg (%) Due Date Notes
ASSIGNMENT 1 10 5 18 Mar 2020
ASSIGNMENT 2 100 45 23 Apr 2020
TAKE HOME EXAM 50 50 End S1 (see note 1)

Notes
  1. This will be a take home exam. Students will be provided further instruction regarding the exam by their examiner via ¾«¶«´«Ã½appDesk. The examination date will be available via UConnect when the Alternate Assessment Schedule has been released.

Important assessment information

  1. Attendance requirements:
    Online: There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.

    On-campus: It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.

  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item.

    Requirements after S1 2020;
    To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.)

  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4)

  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.

    Requirements after S1 2020;
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.

  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.

  6. Examination information:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: An Open Examination is one in which candidates may have access to any printed or written material and a calculator during the examination.

    Requirements after S1 2020;
    This is a closed examination. Candidates are allowed to bring only writing and drawing instruments into the examination. Students are not permitted to take dictionaries, mobile telephones, pagers or other electronic means of communication into the examination room.

  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: The details regarding deferred/supplementary examinations will be communicated at a later date.

    Requirements after S1 2020;
    Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.

  8. ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Student Policies:
    Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene ¾«¶«´«Ã½app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .

Assessment notes

  1. Referencing in assignments:
    Harvard (AGPS) is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use Harvard (AGPS) style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (AGPS) style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide at .

Date printed 19 June 2020