What degree do I need to be a human resources manager?

If you want to help ensure that relations between employees and employers remain positive, you might be interested in becoming a human resources manager. This career requires you to not only be great at communicating and helping to find compromises, but also have a degree. You will also need some experience in this field, which means you will likely need to be an human resources specialist for a few years before being promoted to manager. Before you get started in this profession, consider the type of education you should focus on getting.

College Degree

You will need a bachelor’s degree if you eventually want to become a human resources manager. In particular, you should obtain a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources. This type of degree should focus on teaching leadership skills, organization, teamwork, and ways to handle adversity in the workplace.

When the job market for this field is more competitive than usual, you might benefit from getting a master’s degree. This is not uncommon for most careers in management, and human resources is no exception. In this case, you could get either a get a Master of Science in Human Resources or a Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on human resources. You may even be able to get this degree online, since some colleges offer this type of program remotely.

Additional Requirements

You do not need a specific certification to work in this field. However, you will likely need some experience in human resources before you can obtain a management position. This means you can try applying for human resource specialist jobs once you have a related degree. After you have a few years of experience in this position, you may be eligible to become a human resources manager.

If you have trouble finding a job as a human resources manager, you can also gain experience by getting an internship. This can be done toward the end of your degree program or shortly after you graduate. You can also prepare for management in general by becoming a manager in another line of work while you complete your degree or look for human resources jobs. This way, you will be well prepared with the education and experience required of a human resources manager.