Stephen F. Austin State University’s Nelson Rusche College of Business has expanded its degree options with a new human resource management major.
“We believe this new major will assist students wanting to work in the human resource field,” said Dr. Mitch Crocker, chair of the management, marketing and international business department.
The creation of this major is in response to students requesting a specific degree in the human resource field. Also, Crocker said the college has been seeking opportunities to offer more specialized degrees.
“We believe that students equipped with the knowledge this degree program affords would enjoy greater success in their professional careers, and simultaneously, this degree would elevate the stature of the university,” Crocker said.
Students majoring in human resource management would take four foundation courses: human resource management, employee and labor relations, compensation and benefits, and employment and agency law. In addition, students could select 12 more hours from courses such as training and development, supervisory management, organizational behavior, and negotiations and alternative dispute resolution. Students also are encouraged to pursue an internship prior to graduation.
“We find that students who have emphasized courses in HR and obtained work experience in the field are highly sought after when they graduate,” said Dr. Marcus Cox, who teaches some of the human resource management courses. “Our goal is to continue to grow our network of organizations, both locally and throughout the state, that are willing to offer internship experiences for our students.”
Alumni who are interested in offering internship opportunities in their human resource departments are encouraged to contact Crocker by email at rcrocker@sfasu.edu.
“At the end of the day, we want our students to be successful in their chosen professions,” Crocker said. “For those students wanting to work in the field of human resource management, we believe this new major will give them the skill set they need to hit the ground running.”
