Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER CANADIAN HR REPORTER February 24, 2014 February 24, 2014 18 FEATURES FEATURES HR EDUCATION Making the choice between an MBA and MHRM Previous experience, career objectives play important part in decision-making By Mary Jo Ducharme M any human resources professionals are be- ginning to consider graduate education to help advance their careers. One im- portant question prospective students often ask is whether an HR professional should pursue an MBA or an advanced degree in HR (MHRM). ere's no easy answer — it really depends on the type of educa- tion already obtained, experience level and career objectives of the individual. It also depends on the details of the particular MBA or MHRM program the individual plans to pursue. MBAs: A way for recent grads to break into HR Many MBA programs off er spe- cialties in HR, but it's important to look closely at the particular courses off ered. ey tend to fo- cus on general management prin- ciples and often do not cover HR fundamentals. Executive MBAs that allow a student to continue working — an option that is attractive to many HR professionals — typically have an even more abbreviated HR component. MBAs can be a good option for professionals who have recently graduated from an HR program and lack work experience, but are well-versed in the hard skills of HR. An MBA will add the cred- ibility and broader knowledge base needed to land a good HR position. An MBA is also recommended for anyone looking to understand business in a broader sense. But it's important to be aware that even the best MBA programs will not give you an understanding of HR if you have no prior experience or education. In addition, many MBA programs of- fer well-funded career counselling and placement services that you won't fi nd in most MHRM programs — again, this would be most valuable to those looking to break into HR for the fi rst time. MHRMs: Work shoulder-to- shoulder with other HR pros A masters degree in Human Re- sources Management typically involves courses that examine the functional and core areas of HR, such as selection, training and compensation. But at the graduate level, these areas are exam- ined from a diff erent perspective. ere is a well-known and oft-re- ferred-to "research-practice gap" in HR, and MHRM programs seek to narrow the distance be- tween research and practice. A central goal of many MHRM programs is to help HR profes- sionals learn how to make deci- sions and implement innova- tive practices based on recent research, rather than on bench- marks set by other organizations — or worse, management fads. MHRM programs also offer invaluable opportunities to think strategically about HR. rough the use of case analyses and other experiential forms of learning, as well as classroom discussions among experienced HR profes- sionals, MHRM programs allow students to gain a richer under- standing of the importance of an organization's context in the prac- tice of HR. As a result, graduates of MHRM programs have rare and market- able skills in understanding how CREDIT: Mega Pixel/Shutterstock SOCIAL > pg. 20 Even the best MBA programs will not give you an understanding of HR if you have no prior experience or education.

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