With so much attention focused on the behavioral sciences during the 1960s and 1970s, the subject of HRM suffered from neglect at some U.S. colleges and universities. Since then, however, equal employment opportunity, international HRM, employee rights, concern for productivity, cost of employee benefits, and other current issues have rekindled interest in HRM courses and in HRM as a major field of study.
In the past, many HR professionals entered the field with degrees in liberal arts and sciences, having perhaps taken a few business courses as electives. However, as certification requirements and other factors became essential for professional status, a bachelor’s degree and even a master’s degree in business have become more important.
In addition to business courses, students planning careers in HRM should take courses in such areas as personnel and organizational psychology, industrial sociology, economics, industrial engineering, and electronic data processing. A knowledge of computer operations is essential for processing and reporting personnel data to gauge the performance of HR programs.
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