5 Concentrations for a Master’s in Human Resources

Updated October 2, 2020

Master's in Human Resources Areas of Concentration

Health Care Management
Business Administration
Organizational Leadership
Accounting
Data Science

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as the global workforce grows, the industry of human resource management grows within and alongside every industry. From manufacturing to information technology, HR managers fulfill the essential tasks of not just determining how many staff a company needs, but in quantifying necessary skill sets, hiring workers, and working alongside company management to determine future growth.

Master's degrees in human resources are becoming more common – and more and more HR majors are choosing a concentration to enable them to be more employable in their industry of choice. Here are five concentrations for a Master's in Human Resources.

1. Health Care Management

With public health care on the rise globally, HR managers with this concentration are in demand more than ever in the medical industry. Whether the degree holder works in a hospital, at the Center for Disease Control or with an agency that helps to manage Medicaid and Medicare, health care management is becoming an immensely popular concentration because of how many job opportunities the candidate will gain access to.

2. Business Administration

A concentration in business administration can help launch the degree holder into upper-tier jobs within the HR industry because it helps the HR manager to understand their work in the broader context of company operations and to better understand and fulfill the company's needs. It also helps the HR manager to actively participate in the planning and growth of company enterprises. A concentration in business administration can lead to high-powered positions in companies with global reach and economic impact, making it one of the most popular concentrations for master's degree candidates in HR.

3. Organizational Leadership

Organizational leadership has become another popular concentration in master's degree programs in human resources. With intensive classes in psychology and sociology, as well as organizational ethics and smaller group dynamics, a concentration in organizational leadership enables HR managers to not only assist mid and upper management professionals in developing effective leadership styles, but in resolving workplace problems – especially those that may arise between workers and managers. A concentration in organizational leadership also enables HR managers to hire more effectively, taking a candidate's experience, personality, and style into account when making hiring decisions.

4. Accounting

Degree candidates who take a concentration in accounting may find their way into not only the role of HR manager, but in determining, publishing, and managing the budget and finances of the human resources department. A thorough understanding of accounting, in tandem with HR skills and knowledge, will help HR managers not only hire effectively, but also within the company's means financially.

5. Data Science

Data science has become an immensely popular concentration in a variety of majors, and HR is no exception. A concentration in data science assists the HR manager in determining a huge range of contributing factors to a company's success or failure, from consumption of resources and the usage of company time to what perks and salaries its employees are most – or least – satisfied with. A concentration in data science will also enable HR managers to determine what skill sets are performing best in company context and work to employ more workers with those skill sets with a package that will keep them happy and focused.

No matter what industry HR managers choose to work in, each of these concentrations will assist the master's candidate in gaining access to an excellent position and participating actively in their company's success.