WGU, SHRM Collaborate to Meet Workforce Demands with New Master's Program

SALT LAKE CITY – (Aug. 1, 2023) – Western Governors University (WGU) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) announced today the creation of WGU’s Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management (MSHRM), with the SHRM Inclusive Workplace Culture specialty credential included in the curriculum as the capstone experience. Students will also earn a WGU certificate in HR Technology and Analytics for Decision Making.

The MSHRM degree offered through WGU’s College of Business, starting Nov. 1, is tailored to meet the demands of employers. Students will gain marketable expertise in strategic HR management, diversity, equity and inclusion for career advancement, business acumen, and upskilling opportunities.

The degree program aligns with SHRM academic standards and focuses on the most sought-after skills requested by employers and includes 10 courses covering business acumen, management, communications, strategic HR management and data-driven decision-making. The degree path also includes these essential courses: Managing Human Capital, HR Compliance and Ethics, Talent Acquisition and Development, Future-Focused Total Rewards, HR Technology and People Analytics, and the Inclusive Workplace Culture capstone.

“WGU’s College of Business is proud to collaborate with the Society for Human Resource Management for the creation of the Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management, which is infused with the SHRM Inclusive Workplace Culture specialty credential,” said Mitsu Frazier, executive dean and senior vice president, WGU College of Business. “The new MSHRM program will help the HR professional who is looking to take their experience to the next level by helping them acquire the most current and future focused in-demand skills.”

“We are very pleased about our long-term relationship with WGU and their competency-based approach to building HR knowledge, skills and professionalism,” said Nick Schacht, SHRM’s chief commercial officer. “SHRM’s purpose is to elevate HR – its function in organizations and HR professional competencies. WGU’s alignment with the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge and the practical realization of our principles through WGU degree programs helps SHRM achieve our mission of building better workplaces and a better world.”

This new program demonstrates the college’s ongoing mission to continually innovate and develop education pathways that provide opportunity and promote lifelong skill development that meets the needs of the HR field. The MSHRM program reflects real-time, modern business needs and students are connected to the most up-to-date information to help them immediately thrive in the world of business.

Students enrolled in the HR program are eligible to join the online WGU SHRM virtual student chapter, which connects over 700 WGU business students. As the leading association for HR professionals, SHRM and the WGU SHRM Virtual Student Chapter help students continue their education and networking within the HR field through events, presentations and other resources to prepare them for success in the field of HR management.

Business in the 21st century is moving at a faster pace each day. With rapidly changing technologies, global challenges and cultural shifts, companies need to accommodate these new advances and require professionals to embrace change and innovation. A 21st century business education needs to provide students with the skills and immediacy that they need to succeed in this new world and help them execute those skills to adapt and move ahead of today’s world of innovation. The WGU College of Business curriculum is a model of the 21st century business world, and graduates are poised to thrive. To learn more about the College of Business’s HR offerings, visit the WGU College of Business’s HR degree webpage.

About SHRM

SHRM creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. As the voice of all things work, workers and the workplace, SHRM is the foremost expert, convener and thought leader on issues impacting today's evolving workplaces. With nearly 325,000 members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 235 million workers and families globally. Learn more at SHRM.org.