University of Melbourne
Master of Human Resource Management Online
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
- Course Type: Master's
Accredited by the AHRI, this course helps you build the strategic, legal and data capabilities to lead people functions, from HR analytics and workplace law to wellbeing, inclusion and organisational change.
Course overview
The Master of Human Resource Management is an online postgraduate degree offered by the University of Melbourne for professionals who want greater strategic influence over how organisations manage and support their workforce. It suits current HR practitioners looking to move beyond day-to-day tasks into senior roles, as well as professionals from related fields such as business, management, marketing, finance or economics who want to formalise experience in hiring, mentoring and supporting teams.
Students will complete 10 compulsory subjects, covering the breadth of contemporary HR practice. You'll learn to critically examine business issues and make evidence-based HR recommendations that support organisational sustainability. The scope of your studies will cover workforce capability, performance and reward, employee wellbeing and inclusion, along with leading organisations through change. The course includes a subject in HR data and analytics that builds familiarity with digital tools and frameworks for data-driven decisions, while law and HRM bridges legal compliance and workplace culture. The Strategic HRM subject brings these areas together, developing the leadership and strategic expertise needed to lift organisational and staff performance.
This course is delivered online to gives students choice of how and where they study, with the option to engage live or at a time that suits them. Flexible study options are designed to fit around existing work and life commitments, including the ability to take breaks from study or accelerate progress. Learning draws on industry engagement and real-world case studies. The accessible one-on-one support is available from application through to graduation. Towards the end of the course, students will study either an HRM industry project in the coursework pathway or an HRM research project in the research pathway, investigating a significant human resource management challenge of their choice.
Accreditation by the AHRI means the course reflects the standards of Australia’s leading HR professional body and it is taught by the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Business and Economics, which holds AACSB and EQUIS accreditation. The research pathway offers a route towards a PhD in human resource management, although progression to doctoral study is not guaranteed. Graduates can apply their learning in roles such as human resource manager, human resource analyst, employee experience consultant, workplace relations manager or director of people and culture.
Key facts
What you will study
To successfully graduate from the Master of Human Resource Management, students must complete 150 credit points
- HRM Fundamentals
- Strategic Skills for HR Decision-Making
- People and Capability
- Performance, Reward and Recognition
- HR Data and Analytics
- Employee Health and Wellbeing
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Change and Transformation
- Law and HRM
- Strategic HRM
- HRM Industry Project or HRM Research Project
Entry requirements
Admission criteria
You must have one of the following to be considered for this course.
- A bachelor's degree or equivalent in human resource management.
- A bachelor's honours degree or equivalent in any discipline area.
- A three-year undergraduate qualification and at least 50 credit points or equivalent of graduate study in any discipline area.
- A three-year undergraduate qualification in any discipline area and at least two years of relevant full-time work experience.
- A minimum of six years relevant full-time work experience.
English language requirements
- Applicants are required to satisfy the University's English language requirements for graduate courses. For those seeking to meet these requirements through a standard test approved by the Academic Board, a performance band of 6.5 is required.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Prior studies may be credited towards your degree and potentially reduce the duration of your course. This is known as Advanced Standing (also known as credit or recognition of prior learning).
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
- Bridge the gap between compliance and culture, gaining law expertise from Australia’s #1 law school (QS World Rankings by Subject 2026).
- Develop a practical and evidence-based toolkit to effectively navigate the complex world of HR.
- Become equipped with digital tools and frameworks to make data-driven decisions that deliver real organisational value.
- Gain advanced leadership and strategic expertise to transform business potential and staff performance.
- Benefit from an AHRI accredited qualification that reflects the standards of Australia's leading HR professional body.
- Graduate with a globally recognised degree, taught by the AACSB and EQUIS-accredited Faculty of Business and Economics.
- Engage with industry and real-world case studies to prepare you to become a confident, capable and high-impact HR leader.
Career outcomes
This transformative qualification will help prepare you for a variety of roles, such as:
- Director of Human Resources
- Director of People and Culture
- Employee Experience Consultant
- Human Resource Adviser
- Human Resource Analyst
- Human Resource Manager
- Leadership and Engagement Manager
- Workplace Relations Manager
Fees and FEE-HELP
Cost per 12.5 credit points in 2026: $4,936 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Estimated total cost for 12 subjects in 2026: $62,194 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Fees are subject to annual review by the university, with any new rates effective from the beginning of each calendar year.
A student’s fee may vary depending on:
- The number of subjects studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of subjects.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students.