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Sitting along a table, three Drake University students attend a class for the Human Resources Management Concentration

Human Resources Management Concentration

Help organizations thrive by learning to find, empower, and retain their most important resource.

College of Arts & Sciences | On-Campus

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What You'll Learn

Develop core skills for attracting, engaging, and guiding employees in Drake University’s Human Resources Management Concentration. Open to students curious about careers in this field, this interdisciplinary program examines theories of organizational behavior and effectiveness and the components of human resources management, including recruitment, compensation and benefits, training and development, labor relations, and occupational health and safety.

Electives from at least two distinct areas help you build additional knowledge in domains like risk management, leadership, economics, and psychology. Outside the classroom, internships and other experiences let you see the nucleus of every organization in action and establish professional contacts.

For future employers, this pairing both speaks to your grasp of people management methods and your readiness for entry-level HR and related roles.

About the Human Resources Management Concentration

  • Acquire key knowledge for jobs in HR and related fields.
  • Find abundant internship opportunities with major corporations in Des Moines, a regional center for business and home to members of the Fortune 500.
  • Customize your training with electives from the Zimpleman College of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Education.

Program Facts

  • On campus
  • 25-26 credits for the concentration

Program Options

The Human Resources Management Concentration is open to students in any major. Learn more about required courses and options to shape the curriculum to your goals.

Human Resources Management Concentration

Explore organizational behavior, human resources management, and statistics in core courses, and build focused competence through a generous selection of electives.

Complementary Majors

Craft a specialized professional profile by combining the Human Resources Management Concentration with complementary majors like Business Law, Management and Organizational Leadership, Psychology, Economics, or Information Systems.

Meet the Faculty

Faculty who oversee the concentration bring a combination of business experience, scholarly expertise, and research activity into the classroom, blending theory with practical, real-world insights.

Dr. Chris Kliethermes

Dr. Chris Kliethermes

Associate Professor, Psychology

Dr. Maria Clapham

Dr. Maria Clapham

Professor, Psychology

Ina K. Purvanova, PhD

Ina K. Purvanova, PhD

Professor, Management and Organizational Leadership

All Faculty Members

Outside the Classroom

Broaden your human resources knowledge and career preparation on campus and through opportunities in the Des Moines community.

Pointing to a laptop, two Drake students collaborate on a project for the Human Resource Management Concentration

Internship

Gain valuable on-the-job experience in human resources and apply what you’re learning with enterprises in Des Moines and beyond. Internship opportunities may be pursued during the school year or the summer.

A student organization related to Human Resource Management gathers in a classroom on Drake's campus

Student Organizations

Accelerate your growth and extend your network as you engage with your peers in the Drake Society for Human Resources Management and other professional student organizations.

Careers & Skills

All industries and companies benefit from adaptable people management professionals. Drake’s concentration positions you for these roles. You’ll hone analytical skills as you learn statistical methods and examine real-world workplace scenarios. You’ll also build a nuanced understanding of human psychology and team dynamics alongside strategies for effective communication in professional settings.

Opportunities

  • Benefits administrator
  • Human resources assistant
  • Human resources coordinator
  • Human resources specialist
  • Recruiting coordinator
  • Training coordinator
  • Graduate training in Management, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, or Organizational Behavior

Skills

  • Human resources management
  • Knowledge of human psychology in a workplace context
  • Organizational leadership
  • Professional communication
  • Statistical analysis
  • Understanding the dynamics of organizational behavior
Sitting in a common area, two Drake students discuss career options in the human resources management field

Salary & Growth Outlook

$

Median salary for human resources specialists in 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Related Programs

Discover other ways to complement your Drake major with strategic knowledge and specialized skills.

Risk Management and Insurance, Minor

Strengthen your résumé with broad knowledge of insurance, risk management, and finance while sharpening your analytical tools for any data-driven career.

Actuarial Science, Minor

Build core actuarial science knowledge and analytical skills alongside any other Drake major, with the Actuarial Science Minor.

Entrepreneurship, Minor

Embark on a proven process that equips you for entrepreneurial leadership, ready to distill your unique vision into a market-ready, changemaking business.

Take the Next Step

Establish the groundwork for a career in human resources, adding in-demand skills to your major through Drake’s concentration.

Contact

Maria Clapham, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Email: maria.clapham@drake.edu

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