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Education, Human Resource Development and Training BA(Hons)

Places available in clearing. Find out more.
Places available in clearing. Find out more.

Overview

The effective training and development of people is essential in educational organisations and businesses. This Education, Human Resource Development and Training BA(Hons) course will give you the chance to develop the skills and confidence needed to work within Human Resource departments. You’ll also be ready, following graduation, to potentially pursue other careers focused on training and development.

Why study Education, Human Resource Development and Training BA(Hons)

During your time on this course, we’ll support you to develop your theoretical knowledge and practical skills. You’ll also gain a better understanding of different learning cultures and styles, and motivation theories.

Following this degree, you’ll be ready to work confidently and efficiently alongside others, to meet individuals’ and organisational needs and how to develop personnel and teams.

We’ll support you to develop your ability to critically reflect on your own personal educational development and to plan a bespoke training programme suitable for your chosen career. During your time with us, you’ll be able to access our extensive professional and academic network in education, education studies and human resources.

Targeted at those who work in the industry and want to apply some of their skills to Human Resources (HR), this course will help you better understand wellbeing, while developing the skills needed to build quick processes and inspire teams.

You’ll get access to our resources for life, too, helping you hone your skills within human resource development, education, and development studies. Following this course, you might go on to work in a wide range of careers, or pursue further education in, for example:

  • Human resources management/strategy
  • Teaching
  • Human resource development
  • Community studies
  • Welfare
  • Leadership/management studies.

Education at Huddersfield is top in Yorkshire* for Assessment and Feedback, too, scoring 90 per cent based on experimental statistics from the National Student Survey 2023.

The following positive scores combined to produce this theme: 89 per cent of students felt the marking criteria used to assess their work were clear, 85 per cent felt the marking and assessment on their course had been fair, 93 per cent felt assessments allowed them to demonstrate what they have learned, 96 per cent felt they received assessment feedback on time and 89 per cent felt feedback helped them to improve their work.

*Institutions in Yorkshire with turnover of over £100 million.

Entry requirements

To find out if you’re eligible to start this course in September 2025 and get more information on how to apply, please see our Clearing pages or call our Clearing Helpline on 0333 987 9000.

If you’re interested in studying this course in September 2026, please view the 2026-27 course information.

Course Detail

Core modules:

Human Resources

This module seeks to cover basic theories of human resource management and development within educational institutions, particularly organisations you’ve attended or had some involvement in. The module explores the Human Resource practices employed within organisations, with a particular emphasis on staff development. Assessment is via a timed on-line exercise focusing on your knowledge of theories, models and practices of human resource management and development plus a written report on a specific aspect of human resource practice in an institution you know well.

Theories and Strategies for Learning

This module introduces you to a variety of key skills intended to support your transition into higher education. The module encourages the development of academic study and communication skills necessary for success on your course along with academic tenacity and resilience. It encourages you to harness your organisation skills, have aspirations and develop self-efficacy.

Self, Society and Welfare

This module develops your understanding of society. Firstly, it examines social policy issues in society, such as poverty and inequality, and how the state responds to them through ‘welfare’, as well as through ‘rights’ and ‘citizenship’. You will then investigate the formation of identity and social differentiation by examining key sociological concepts such as social class, gender, the family, ethnic identity and disability.

Perspectives in Learning and Development

This module introduces significant theories and research which underpin development and learning for children, young people and adults. It considers a range of key concepts to explain the basis of development and learning. It identifies the different dimensions of development (cognitive, linguistic, social, moral) and locates these aspects of development in their cultural and social context and in an international context. It focuses on different transitions that children and young people must make as they develop into adulthood and introduces students to different perspectives on the processes involved in learning and development.

Core modules:

Health and Wellbeing at Work

Through this module you will explore different aspects of the health and wellbeing at work and become equipped to evaluate the wider public health agenda, national trends and supporting legislation. For the first part of your assessment (50%) you will present to your peers a discussion of a health promotion aimed at children or young people. For the second part (50%), you will evaluate how legislation, policy and research support the chosen promotion and how it may impact on a selected group of children or young people.

Philosophical Approaches to Education

This module explores the impact of different philosophical systems on the way that education is conceived and put into practice. You will have the opportunity to design an ideal educational system based on your own unique philosophy and representing your own values.

Social Policy, Inclusion and Inequality

This module focuses on differing theoretical and ideological understandings of social inclusion, and the role of social policy in response to experiences of exclusion in modern British society.

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Raise your awareness of current legislation, policies and procedures which exist to promote children and young people’s rights and to keep them safe. Knowledge, skills and qualities required to work with children, young people, their families and carers and other professionals in safeguarding contexts. Critically explores broader safeguarding concepts (such as CSE and PREVENT).

Core modules:

Human Resource Development and Training

This module seeks to introduce the theories and practices of human resource development, helping you to understand the theoretical considerations in organising and delivering training. Assessment is typically the development of a training package and written report and aims to help you develop effective skills for developing training in the workplace.

Planning Your Final Year Project

This module will help you to learn how to design and conduct a final year project. It does this by exploring a range of research and design approaches, strategies and methods. The module helps you to design a project that utilises your knowledge and abilities, carry it out and evaluate its outcomes. Your final year project will focus on an empirical research, policy or practice development, documentary research, policy analysis, entrepreneurship activity, or other options in negotiation with your tutor. The module guides you towards gaining a thorough, critical understanding of project planning and evaluation, research protocols, methods, ethics and ways of doing data analysis. By the end of the module you’ll be confident and capable of designing your own rigorous and valid project.

Final Year Project

This module allows you to pursue your academic and work-related interests and to demonstrate the breadth of knowledge, understanding, and strengths that you have developed during your degree studies. You will review critical understanding of project planning and evaluation, research protocols, methods, ethics, and analysis. You will be supported in the selection of a focus for your final project, in the development of an application for ethical approval, and at each stage of your study. Your final year project will focus on an empirical research, policy or practice development, documentary research, policy analysis, entrepreneurship activity, or other options in negotiation with your tutor. This module is your opportunity to work together with a supervisor to confidently and rigorously undertake a valid project.

Option modules:

Choose one from a list which may include:

Leadership and Management in Professional Contexts

This module seeks to develop your understanding of theories of leadership, management and the organisation of professional practice. You’ll have the opportunity to explore relevant theory and practical factors such as mentoring arrangements, group structures, staff development and the leadership of change in professional practice. Assessment typically involves the development of an annotated bibliography and a poster presentation.

Helping in Context (Counselling, Coaching and Mentoring)

This module develops your understanding of theories concerning counselling, coaching and mentoring. In doing so, it will improve your effectiveness in responding to and working with the needs of individuals in a variety of contexts. You will have an opportunity to develop your helping skills and evaluate the use of different helping approaches.

You’ll be taught through a series of lectures, seminars, tutorials and interactive workshops. On average, 16%* of the study time on the course is spent with your tutors (either face to face or online) in lectures, seminars, tutorials etc. You’ll also have a personal tutor who’ll be assigned to you throughout your degree to support your ongoing wellbeing and ensure that you have a positive learning experience.

*based on 2022/2023 timetables

Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your course.

Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

  1. The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. We were the only university in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West to achieve Gold ratings in all three aspects of the TEF among those announced in September 2023. In fact only 13 Universities, out of the 96 that were announced in September 2023, were Gold in all three ratings.

  2. Our teaching staff rank first in England for the proportion with higher degrees and teaching qualifications, as well as being top five for those holding doctorates (HESA 2025). So you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.

  3. We are second in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 24 since 2008 (2025 data).

  4. We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

Visit ‘Our experts’ page where you’ll find in-depth profiles of all our academic staff

At Huddersfield, you'll study the Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* so that you gain valuable qualities and experiences that could help you to get the career you want, no matter what your field of study is. On completion of the Award, you'll receive a GPA certificate from the University of Huddersfield, alongside the specialist subject skills and knowledge you gain as part of your degree, which may help to set you apart from other graduates.

Giving students access to the Global Professional Award is one of the reasons the University won ‘Best University Employability Strategy’ award at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2021. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.

*full-time, undergraduate first degrees with a minimum duration of three years. This does not include postgraduate, foundation, top-up, accelerated or apprenticeship degrees.

Placements

During the course, there will be opportunities to visit local organisations to gain an insight of how different businesses manage their Human Resources function. Visits to these organisations may incur travelling costs.

Education at Huddersfield


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Important information

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons:

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and if you are unhappy with the change we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff being unable to teach due to illness, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to pandemics, other disasters (such as fire, flood or war) or changes made by the government.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will consult with affected groups of students and any changes would only be made in accordance with our regulations. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you let us know before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for any additional tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so and you may be eligible for an exit award depending on how far through your course you are.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.