Study human resource management in Groningen and gain knowledge and skills in topics like leadership and consulting, HR analytics, strategic HRM, team management and employee well-being.
How to develop effective HR strategies and policies that are beneficial for both employees and organizations? Can you use data and HR analytics to predict employee performance and reduce burnout? What strategies do HRM managers employ to prioritize well-being, mental health, and work-life balance?
In the MSc Human Resource Management, you will study these HRM questions in the context of current societal and technological developments and be in charge of your own professional development. The programme in Groningen is a small-scale, diverse, and social programme with strong ties to real-world business practices. A standout feature is the dedicated HR analytics course where you will harness the power of data science, digital HR systems, and data visualization tools (PowerBI) to evaluate organizational HR performance.
You learn about the strategic and operational perspective of HR. How do HRM strategies aim at employee well-being contribute to attracting and retaining top talent, and why is this crucial for an organisation's sustainability? On a strategic level, you will study how to match the supply and demand of personnel and anticipate how this is affected by global and digital changes. On an operational level, you will learn about the recruitment, selection, performance, and well-being of employees. To help you kickstart your career right after graduation, we introduced a new course for you to gain practical skills and work on personal development. Next to the core courses, the MSc HRM includes a wide variety of elective courses on various topics such as stress and health, sustainability, technological development, internationalization of business, business ethics, and digitalization.
This programme prepares you for a professional HR career in any organization at any level (including HR recruiter, HR analytics, HR business partner, or Chief HR officer). Employability and Professionalization activities are integrated throughout the year. You will work with a coach to develop your professional skills, you will have the opportunity to join career development and networking events and take part in the mentoring programme. HR professionals will be the mentors and provide you with feedback on assignments and career advice.
You will start by studying the recent developments in the
strategic HRM field and how this knowledge can contribute to an
individual (performance, well-being) and organizational outcomes
(profits, market share, corporate social responsibility). In the HR
analytics course, you learn to make decisions based on a
combination of data-driven insights and practical considerations.
Throughout the whole year, you will work on developing professional
and personal skills such as communication, teamwork, and personal
leadership. You will practice building up these skills in and
outside the classroom in the Professional Skills course.
Applying what you study is a strong feature of the programme so
expect to work in project groups on assignments such as: how to use
personnel instruments and make fair and ethical decisions; and how
to use data analytics to predict the well-being of employees.
Semesters | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
Professional Skills for HRM (5 EC) | ||||
Strategic HRM (5 EC) | ||||
Electives A MSc HRM (15 EC) Options are: Work Design and Team Processes; Leadership; Personnel Economics; HRM & International Labour Law; HRM & Nederlands arbeidsrecht. More information can be found on Ocasys. | ||||
Electives B MSc HRM (5 EC) A few examples are: Business Research and Consulting; Data-driven Business Processes; Comparative Corporate Governance; Energy Transition & Innovation; Innovation & Entrepreneurship; Strategic Supply Chain Management. The full list of electives can be found on Ocasys. | ||||
HR Analytics (5 EC) | ||||
Personnel Instruments (5 EC) | ||||
Master's Thesis HRM (20 EC) |
Programme options |
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Master Internship (specialization) Opportunity to gain work experience by doing an internship in the second semester of your study. You will be rewarded 15 ECTS on top of your programme. Your thesis will be postponed to the third semester. |
Double Degree Master International Business and Finance (Shanghai) (specialization) Are you interested in an international career in or involving China? Study in Shanghai after your FEB Master's programme in Groningen and gain first-hand knowledge and experience of China and the economy, finance and culture. |
Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence Focus Area (specialization) Focus on the digital transformation within our society and understand how to successfully implement digital transformation in business. A successful digital transition allows businesses to conquer markets, witness industries converging, and step into the realm of winner-takes-all dynamics, like dominating tech-giants like Google and Facebook. |
Healthy Society Focus Area (specialization) Focus on tackling problems that impact healthcare providers and their societal partners in their day-to-day work. Issues such as scarce human resources combined with a higher, more complex demand for care, and more demanding citizens require solutions, which you will think about and design. |
Specific requirements | More information |
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previous education |
To be eligible for admission to this Master, you need to hold an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree from a research university in one of the following - or closely related - fields: Business Administration, Economics and Business Economics, International Business. To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, we will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. For more information, please visit: https://www.rug.nl/feb/apply-msc. |
other admission requirements |
The information about entry requirements is an indication of your admissibility. Every application will be reviewed individually by the Admissions board so the admission decision may differ from the indication in this table. |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Business Administration | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
Economics and Business Economics | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
International Business | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
Industrial Engineering and Management | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
Econometrics and Operations Research | University of Groningen |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Psychology (NL) | University of Groningen |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of In addition to your BSc programme, you need a customised entry package of 15 EC. For more information, visit https://www.rug.nl/feb/education/study-programmes/pre-msc/customized-entry-packages/msc-hrm |
Sociology | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements with a maximum of In addition to your BSc programme, you need a customised entry package of 15 EC. For more information, visit https://www.rug.nl/feb/education/study-programmes/pre-msc/customized-entry-packages/msc-hrm |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Econometrics and Operations Research | Erasmus University Rotterdam |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Economics and Business Economics | Erasmus University Rotterdam | No additional requirements |
Fiscale Economie | Erasmus University Rotterdam |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
International Business Administration | Erasmus University Rotterdam | No additional requirements |
Business Administration | Erasmus University Rotterdam | No additional requirements |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Public Administration Science | Leiden University |
No additional requirements More information:For profile Economics, Public Administration and Management. |
Computer Science | Leiden University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of For profile Informatica & Economie: you need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Business Analytics | Maastricht University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Business Engineering | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
Econometrics and Operations Research | Maastricht University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Economics and Business Economics | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
Fiscale Economie | Maastricht University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Global Studies | Maastricht University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
International Business | Maastricht University | No additional requirements |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Accountancy | Nyenrode New Business School |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Business Administration | Nyenrode New Business School | No additional requirements |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Business Administration | Radboud University Nijmegen | No additional requirements |
Economics and Business Economics | Radboud University Nijmegen | No additional requirements |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
International Business Administration | Tilburg University | No additional requirements |
Economics | Tilburg University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation | Tilburg University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Econometrics and Operations Research | Tilburg University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Fiscale Economie | Tilburg University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Actuarial Science | University of Amsterdam |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Business Administration | University of Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
Business Analytics | University of Amsterdam |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Economics and Business Economics | University of Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
Fiscale Economie | University of Amsterdam |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Econometrics and Data Science | University of Amsterdam |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
International Business Administration | University of Twente | No additional requirements |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Economics and Business Economics | Utrecht University | No additional requirements |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Business Analytics | VU University Amsterdam |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Econometrics and Operations Research | VU University Amsterdam |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Economics and Business Economics | VU University Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
International Business Administration | VU University Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
Business Administration | VU University Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
Management and Consumer Studies | Wageningen University | No additional requirements |
Economics and Governance | Wageningen University |
Via a pre-master with a maximum of You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster. |
Students with a Dutch diploma can apply directly to Studielink. More information on the steps to apply .
Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
---|---|---|
Dutch students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 |
Specific requirements | More information |
---|---|
previous education |
To be eligible for admission to this Master, you need to hold an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree from a research university in one of the following - or closely related - fields: Business Administration, Economics and Business Economics, International Business, Technology Management. To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, we will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. For more information, please visit: https://www.rug.nl/feb/apply-msc. If you have any questions concerning admission to this programme, please contact our Admissions Office: https://www.rug.nl/admissions. |
language test |
IELTS Academic overall score 6.5 (Speaking 6, Writing 6.5); TOEFL internet-based overall score 90 (Speaking 20, Writing 24); Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (overall score 176, Speaking 169, Writing 176). |
other admission requirements |
Not meeting the pre-education requirements for direct entry? Please read more about our pre-Master programmes . |
Students have to apply via Studielink and the Progress Portal (replacing the previous system, Online Application System OAS) of the University of Groningen. After you apply for the programme of your choice, the Admissions Office will evaluate your educational background and assess your eligibility. Your application will be assessed on an individual basis. More information on how to apply.
Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
---|---|---|
Dutch students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 |
After completing this programme you can work as a human resource manager in any type of organization. Our alumni are working in companies such as PostNL, Rabobank, Valcon, Kuehne + Nagel, and Inditex.
With the knowledge you gain and the professional skills you develop, you will be ready to take positions in personnel management, training coordination, recruitment and selection, or working conditions management will suit you. It is possible to pursue an academic career as well.
Our research-driven education is strongly rooted in business practice and society. At the heart of our teaching approach is (interdisciplinary) research and in collaboration with external partners, students and professors conduct projects on societally relevant topics.
The MSc HRM
is linked to the research department of
Organizational Behaviour.
Members of this
department perform research in the areas of creativity and
innovation, teams, diversity, leadership, ethics, compliance, and
health. One example of our members is Prof. dr. Floor Rink. As a
researcher on diversity, she focuses on the way that people with
different opinions or backgrounds function within organizations.
She explains how people with different opinions or backgrounds
function within organizations, how to promote more career
opportunities for minorities, and whether new employees really
bring more innovation.
Please
visit the website of the research institute
Organizational Behaviour
to learn more about
the research conducted within the MSc programme.
The choice to study the MSc HRM was not too difficult as I love to work with people. Especially the stress and health of employees and labour law were topics that interested me. I liked the programme in Groningen because of the courses taught and because it has an international classroom.
I get to work in project groups and this way I learn a lot about working with different cultures, which might be helpful when you start a career in an international company. The programme also has a practical side where some group projects include having interviews with someone from the HR work field. During my study, I got involved in the master's committee where I organize events with alumni or companies. These kinds of events really help students to prepare for their future career. If you are interested in getting to know more about the strategic part of HRM, labour law, stress aspect of employees and combining all of this with working in international groups, I recommend the MSc HRM in Groningen.
Are you a student with an HBO Bachelor's degree? In the beginning, I had to get used to the new way of learning. My tip for you is from the beginning to make a clear planning and take enough time to study for the exams. This will help you make the transition from your Bachelor's to the Master's easier.
After the BSc Business Administration (Bedrijfskunde) at the faculty, I decided to stay in Groningen and chose a master's programme that focused on the human aspect of business and not only on processes and procedures.
What I like about the MSc HRM is that is not just theory-driven but the practice is highly incorporated into the programme. For example, we work on company-based assignments and attend guest lectures from professionals in the field. I take various interesting HR-related courses, such as leadership and personnel instruments. What is interesting about this master’s programme is that you can also take elective courses from other fields, I am taking at the moment marketing and communication. Already during your study, you get help with career preparation. I attended workshops about HR job opportunities and worked on business cases. As part of the programme, all students get to have a mentor. I found somebody via the alumni network of the faculty. A few weeks ago, I visited him in Utrecht and we had an interesting conversation about personal values and how important it is that they should match with the company’s mission and vision.
Do you want to learn more about the programme? My advice is to attend the FEB Master’s Day to get more information and speak to current HRM students to get a feeling for what it is like to study here. This master’s degree is definitely worth it to discover. Besides the interesting courses, you can pursue a lot of (HR) related extracurricular activities, such as the master community and the programme committee to upgrade your CV.