MBA in Strategic Human Resource Management
The career specialization in Strategic Human Resource Management develops managers and professionals who help organizations align people management and employee relations strategies with organizational goals and strategy. The program provides students with the breadth to work as human resource generalists and consultants as well as the in-depth expertise needed for more specialized roles in HR.
MBA students in Strategic Human Resource Management receive specialized knowledge to build on a strong foundation of business skills.
Real Results
Leading corporations and organizations provide outstanding opportunities for Strategic Human Resource Management students by offering information on internships, employment and interaction inside and outside of the classroom. Students graduating with an MBA in Strategic Human Resource Management typically enter high-potential programs where they are provided with a series of challenging and developmental job assignments. Such programs provide an excellent springboard for future advancement and successes. Over the past several years, starting salaries for graduates have averaged $80,000 not including signing bonus. Companies who have recruited students in recent years include:
- American Family Insurance
- Cisco Systems
- DaimlerChrysler
- DuPont
- ExxonMobil
- GE
- IBM
- Intel
- Kraft
The MBA core course curriculum provides students with a broad grounding in the functional areas of business— including accounting, finance, management, marketing, economics and operations—while additional courses target business skills and practices in ethics, data analysis, and decision making. The specialization in Strategic Human Resource Management builds upon this foundation by providing specialized knowledge in the strategic management of human resources —including compensation, staffing, employee and labor relations, managerial consulting and negotiation. Strategic thinking and quantifying the impact of HR decisions on business performance are also emphasized. Classes are taught by world class faculty, including individuals who are highly sought after as advisors by other universities and businesses.
What Employers Say About Our Graduates
“IBM has recruited human resource professionals at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for many years. We’ve consistently found the kind of bright, resourceful, forward-thinking people we are seeking to join us at IBM, the kind of high-quality talent we need to take our HR initiatives to the next level.”
Joanne McCree
Vice President of Human Resources (retired)
IBM Systems Group
“Without being self serving, I’ve found the recruits from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business to be prepared in trifecta business capabilities: analytics, people and organization sense and strategic smarts. This is one of the reasons UW-Madison recruits have been successful across most functions and disciplines at Kraft.”
Gary Conte
Vice President, Human Resources
Kraft
Advisory Board
Advisory Board executives visit campus to participate in classes and to advise Strategic Human Resource Management MBA students. The Advisory Board also provides the faculty with important information regarding the changing needs of the human resource profession and how they translate into the competencies needed by students planning to enter the field. Current Advisory Board members include executives from the following corporations:
- Frito-Lay/Pepsico
- GE Healthcare
- IBM
- Kraft
What Alumni Say About the Program
“Wisconsin’s specialized MBA program allowed me to combine the specific training of a Human Resources program with the required business acumen necessary to be a successful HR Partner. The MBA coursework enabled me to be successful at General Electric by helping me to understand the operating and financial plans and speak the language of the business unit I support. In addition, the friends that I made in the MBA program guarantee that I have a network of multi-functional business contacts across the globe. I continually ask questions and share ideas with them to obtain a cross-functional and cross-industry perspective.”
Jaime Holte, MBA 2005
Human Resources Leadership Program, GE Healthcare
Waukesha, WI
“My MBA focusing on Human Resources at Wisconsin was
a great experience because I had all the benefits of a full general MBA program with the additional benefits of a niche group of faculty and fellow students with similar interests to me. The program is very personal and provides opportunities for interaction with high-level HR executives and major companies that recruit for HR professionals with MBA degrees. It’s a great match because companies are looking for the broad business skills provided by an MBA and the specific knowledge and experience in HR that Wisconsin is able to provide.”
Matthew Newman, MBA 2004
Human Resources, Partner, IBM
New York, N.Y.
What Recent Graduates Say About the Program
“As the role of Human Resources becomes increasingly strategic, it is important that as human resources professionals, we not only have extensive functional knowledge, but also the business savvy necessary to be a true business partner. I have found that the MBA program at UW-Madison in Strategic HR Management is providing me with both the functional knowledge I will need to succeed in Human Resources as well as the core business knowledge that comes with the Wisconsin MBA.”
Anne Fahrendorff, MBA Class of 2007
HR Advisor, ExxonMobil
Houston, Texas
“The focused curriculum of the UW MBA has allowed me to dive deeper into the realm of business by specializing in Human Resource Management. Upon graduation, I will have an advantage in the industry because of the added exposure to specific HR content. Going back to school for my MBA at UW-Madison has helped me learn and grow more professionally than I thought was possible!”
Sarah (Pluck) Condella, MBA Class of 2007
HR Leadership Program, GE Healthcare
Milwaukee, Wis.
Contact
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Strategic Human Resource Management Professor Larry (Chip) Hunter, Director |