Essential Information
Only a few Tennessee colleges offer certificates in human resource management. Most schools offer degrees in business administration with focuses in human resources or human resource management; master's degrees in human resources are also available. Several of these programs allow students to complete an internship for added practical experience.
While certification is not required to work in the field, many human resources management professionals seek credentials from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI), which offers a certification test to individuals who meet education and experience requirements. No specific degree or certificate is required for certification. Here are brief overviews of several public and private universities in Tennessee that offer human resource management programs.
Christian Brothers University
Located in Memphis, Christian Brothers University offers a bachelor's degree in business administration that lets students choose management as a concentration. Students complete 121 credit hours of courses including general education courses such as English composition and math as well as business courses such as managerial accounting, business law and global supply chain management. Electives in human resources management include labor law, staffing and reward systems. A practicum and project are required.
Southern Adventist University
In Collegedale, Southern Adventist University offers a 124-credit bachelor's degree in management with a concentration in human resource management. In addition to general education courses, the program includes business fundamental courses such as accounting, macroeconomics, microeconomics and business law. Students learn about organizational behavior, international business and business strategies. They may have the opportunity to travel abroad as missionaries or on educational and study trips.
Tennessee Wesleyan University
Students can earn a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis on human resource management at Tennessee Wesleyan University's Athens campus and through evening classes at both the Athens and Knoxville campuses. Students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management. The program totals at least 128 semester hours and includes 36 hours of core business courses. Required human resource management courses include labor relations, business ethics, personnel law and human resources planning
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee in Knoxville offers undergraduate and graduate programs in human resources management. In the bachelor's degree program, students combine two areas of emphasis. Human resource management students may also study entrepreneurship, information management, international business or marketing. The master's degree program in human resource management calls for 33 credit hours of full- or part-time study. Courses include labor relations and staffing, and students without a business degree may have to take general business courses. Internships are required for students without human resource management experience
School Comparison: At a Glance
| School Name | School Type & Setting | Human Resource Management Certificate and Degree Programs Offered | Undergraduate/Graduate Tuition & Fees (2018-2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Brothers University | Four-year; private not-for-profit; large city | Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (concentration in Management) | $32,820* |
| Southern Adventist University | Four-year; private not-for-profit; large suburb | Bachelor of Business Administration in Management (Human Resources emphasis) | $21,950* |
| Tennessee Wesleyan University | Four-year; private not-for-profit; distant town | Bachelor Science Business Administration (Human Resource Management emphasis) | $24,300* |
| University of Tennessee | Four-year; public; midsize city | Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Human Resource Management , Master of Science in Human Resource Management | Undergraduate: $13,006, in-state; $31,426, out-of-state, Graduate: $13,120, in-state; $31,308, out-of-state* |
Source: *NCES College Navigator
