Human resources professionals can find career paths in industries from tech and business to healthcare and education. Some of the most critical HR skills include understanding employee relations, benefits management, and an in-depth knowledge of employment law.
Learners considering an HR career or established professionals looking to satisfy continuing professional development credits can turn to online HR certificates and courses. These online programs are self-paced learning experiences with course content ranging from entry-level fundamentals to advanced skills like talent management and creating employee training programs.
Free Courses in Human Resources Management
Online courses in Human Resources Management (HRM) allow active and aspiring professionals to earn the skills they need to advance or start their career path. These short courses provide flexible and affordable alternatives to affordable online human resources degrees. Most programs include free certifications, but some require additional payments to access and share your certificate. Some students will qualify for financial aid to cover these costs.
1. HRCI Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate
The HR Certification Institute is one of the top credential providers in the HR industry. This online course delivers entry-level knowledge of many of the most essential skills associated with HR work, including employee relations, talent acquisition, and compensation. This program is divided into five modules that take most learners about five months to complete.
2. Human Resource Management: HR for People Managers Specialization
This certificate program offered by the University of Minnesota and Coursera covers the decision-making and leadership skills required to be an effective HR manager. Course materials include monitoring employee performance, compensation, and onboarding methodologies. Most learners complete this program in around two months.
3. Human Resources Analytics
Data has become a large part of HR strategy and project management. This course teaches students how to most effectively use data in HR-related decision-making, including the role of data through an entire employment lifecycle. This program includes hands-on practice, video lessons, and assessments that can be completed in around five hours.
4. Generative AI for Human Resources (HR) Professionals Specialization
Generative AI has become more present in all business areas, and HR functions are no different. This certificate program was created by IBM to allow working HR professionals to upskill with this emerging technology.
This one-month course includes fundamental knowledge of AI, as well as applications specifically to HR, such as its role in hiring, performance management, and more.
5. The Manager's Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Managing People at Work
This online HR management course covers critical skills like decision-making, conducting interviews, and conflict resolution. Coursework in this certificate program truly focuses on the human part of human resources management and revolves around skills concerning employee engagement and retention.
6. Payroll & HR Management
Payroll and benefits management is one of the most important roles for HR managers. This program focuses on aspects of payroll management and income tax regulations. This certificate is offered by Tally through the Coursera platform.
Although students will work primarily with Tally software, many of the concepts and knowledge of tax law can be applied to other payroll programs.
7. Leading: Human Resource Management and Leadership Specialization
HR professionals often serve leadership roles within their companies by setting policies and monitoring employees. This certificate teaches leadership and management skills at both organizational and individual levels.
Coursework will require learners to review their leadership tendencies and adapt them to fit within their organization. Students can complete this program at their own pace, but most complete it in around three months.
8. Diversity and Inclusion for HR Professionals
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace goes beyond hiring. This course covers topics like reviewing biases in a workplace and how to foster a welcoming environment.
This program is based on lessons taught at the University of California Irvine and is taught by UCI instructors. Coursework is designed to be completed in around 16 hours and combines interactive readings, video lessons, and discussion prompts.
9. Safer Recruitment
Recruiting isn't limited to business roles. HR professionals working in schools or other childcare facilities can benefit from completing this program to learn more about safely recruiting childcare workers.
Skills covered include performing background checks, onboarding practices, and background on regulations for childcare. This online course can be completed in less than three hours.
10. Fundamentals of Human Resources
Students considering human resources career prospects can benefit from learning more about the field through this free online certificate course. This course provides learners with entry-level explanations of the most important HRM skills like the employment cycle, employee relations, and organizational changes.
This program takes most learners between an hour and a half and three hours to complete.
FAQs About Free Online HR Courses and HR Certification
Online human resources courses provide learning opportunities to beginners and established professionals alike. Both groups of students often have questions about the worth of these certificates and what you can do with them.
Is an HR Certification Worth It?
HR certifications are worth it, no matter where you're at in your professional journey. Many of these programs can be completed for free or can be made free with grants and scholarships. The programs are affordable ways to learn new skills for aspiring HR professionals or satisfy continuing education requirements for working professionals.
Can You Work in HR With Just a Certificate?
Many career opportunities are available to learners who only have certificates. Some common jobs for those who don't hold a degree include training supervisors, benefits specialists, and human resources generalists. HR professionals who only have certificates might not have as many career advancement opportunities as their coworkers with HR degrees.
Which Certificate Is Best for HR?
The best certificates for HR come from the HRCI and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). These programs are considered the most prestigious in the industry, but they usually require applicants to have worked in the field or hold a bachelor's or master's degree in human resources.
Enroll in Online Training and Development Courses Today
Most online HR certificate courses are self-paced, which means learners can start them at any time. Use our resources to get a better understanding of the certificate programs available and research affordable online HR degrees. Once you've found programs that fit your educational and career goals, our site has contact information that you can use to reach out and enroll in a certificate program today.
