Master of Business Administration (Human Resource Management)

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Western Sydney University Parramatta

Program Overview

The Master of Business Administration (Human Resource Management Major) at Western Sydney University, Parramatta City Campus is a two-year, 160-credit-point MBA designed to develop capable business leaders while allowing students to specialise in strategic human resource management. It suits graduates from any discipline who want to build broad business expertise alongside focused HR knowledge in areas such as human capital, workforce planning, employment relations, reward management and organisational capability.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: The first year builds a strong business foundation through subjects including Contemporary People Management, Economics, Marketing Systems and Introduction to Finance, followed by applied subjects such as Information for Decision Making, Integrated Business Experience, Strategic Business Management and Leading for Social Impact. This combination develops an understanding of people, markets, finance and business decision-making while connecting management concepts to contemporary organisational challenges.

Year 2: The second year moves into the Human Resource Management Major, where students complete specialist subjects including Developing Human Capital and Organisational Capability, Diversity, Labour Markets and Workforce Planning, and Employment Relations Professional Practice, followed by Industrial Relations and Workplace Change, Reward Management and Strategic Employment Relations. Students then consolidate their MBA learning through either Business Project A and Business Project B or Internship A and Internship B, giving them the opportunity to apply their knowledge to an organisational challenge or workplace setting.

Focus areas

Focus areas: Strategic human resource management, human capital and organisational capability, workforce planning, diversity, employment relations, industrial relations, reward management, strategic employment relations, business leadership, decision-making and sustainable business practice.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes: Students develop the ability to analyse contemporary business environments, make informed business decisions, manage people strategically, evaluate workforce and employment-relations issues, respond to organisational change, develop recommendations for complex business challenges, and apply business knowledge in professional contexts.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

Professional alignment: The Human Resource Management Major makes graduates eligible for professional accreditation with the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), while the MBA itself is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The School of Business describes AACSB accreditation as an internationally recognised quality benchmark for business education.

Reputation (employability rankings)

Reputation: Western Sydney University holds five stars for employability under the QS Stars rating cited by the university, and its School of Business is described by Western as being ranked among the top 6% of business schools worldwide, with AACSB international accreditation. The university is also ranked 370th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 242nd globally in the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings 2026–27.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Master of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) at Western Sydney University is designed around applying business knowledge to real organisational and HR challenges. At the Parramatta City Campus, students study through the Sydney Graduate School of Management, where postgraduate business education combines theory with hands-on practice and access to industry-informed teaching. The HR major specifically develops practical capability across human capital, workforce planning, employment relations, industrial relations and reward management.

Students can build applied skills through Integrated Business Experience subjects and HR-focused project work, while the Parramatta City campus provides modern learning spaces, group-study areas and library resources. The program's HR specialisation is also professionally aligned with Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) accreditation, strengthening its connection to professional HR practice.

Key experiential learning opportunities include:

Integrated Business Experience: The MBA includes Integrated Business Experience 1 and 2, giving students opportunities to apply business concepts in an integrated, practical learning environment.
Human Resource Management projects: HR-focused applied project work involves selecting an HR or management topic, conducting a literature review, researching HR information and producing a substantial report with recommendations for improved professional practice.
Human capital development: The HR major includes Developing Human Capital and Organisational Capability, allowing students to explore how organisations build workforce capability.
Workforce planning: Diversity, Labour Markets and Workforce Planning develops practical understanding of workforce composition, labour markets and organisational workforce planning.
Employment relations practice: Employment Relations Professional Practice and Strategic Employment Relations connect HR learning with professional employment-relations issues.
Industrial relations: Industrial Relations and Workplace Change gives students a focused understanding of workplace change and industrial relations within organisations.
Reward management: The Reward Management subject develops knowledge of how organisations approach employee rewards and related HR decisions.
Group and collaborative learning spaces: The Parramatta City campus provides spaces suitable for individual and small-group study, while Western Sydney University's learning commons support group study and collaboration with study booths, writing surfaces, power outlets and large LCD screens.
Library resources: The Parramatta City Campus Library provides print and electronic resources for teaching, research and study, together with spaces for individual and small-group learning.
Industry-connected business environment: The Sydney Graduate School of Management (SGSM) provides access to experienced academics and guest lecturers from business, professional and government sectors, helping students connect classroom learning with current industry perspectives.
Professional HR alignment: Graduates of the MBA with the Human Resource Management specialisation are eligible for AHRI professional accreditation, reinforcing the program's connection with recognised HR professional standards

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) at Western Sydney University is designed to prepare graduates for strategic HR and broader management careers across private, public and not-for-profit organisations. The Human Resource Management major develops capabilities in areas such as human capital, workforce planning, employment relations, industrial relations and reward management, giving graduates a strong foundation for people-focused leadership roles.

Typical career roles:

Human Resource Manager
Human Resource Administrator
Human Resource Planning Manager
Industrial Relations Manager

Career support and progression opportunities include:

Career services: Western Sydney University's Employability and Graduate Futures team supports students with career direction, skills development, applications, profiles and interview preparation. Support continues after graduation through the university's global alumni network.
Graduate recruitment: The Graduate Recruitment Accelerator (GRA) helps students understand graduate programs, connect with employers and develop competitive applications, including preparation for assessment centres, video applications and psychometric testing.
Internships and work experience: The Vacation & Internship Program Accelerator (VIPA) helps students find internships and work experience outside course requirements, while CareerHub provides access to additional job opportunities.
Industry-connected learning: Western's Career Activate is co-designed with industry partners and gives students opportunities to work on real-world business challenges. Recent collaborations have included KPMG and EY, with activities involving business problems, workshops and design-thinking challenges.
Industry engagement: The School of Business works with industry partners on graduate employment, guest lectures, simulations, case studies and technology demonstrations, helping students connect their studies with current business practice.
Graduate employment outcomes: Western Sydney University's 2025 Annual Report reports a 74.7% graduate employment rate within six months of graduation, compared with 67.3% for the benchmark shown in the report. This is a university-wide graduate outcome rather than a specific MBA-HR statistic.
Salary information: Western Sydney University directs students to the Good Universities Careers Guide for discipline-level information on employment outcomes and starting salaries. The university does not publish a specific starting-salary figure for this MBA Human Resource Management major on its official program page, so no unsupported salary figure is provided here.
Professional accreditation: Graduates of the MBA with the Human Resource Management specialisation are eligible for professional accreditation with the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI). This provides an important professional credential for building a long-term HR career.
Business-school accreditation: The program is delivered through Western Sydney University's School of Business, which holds AACSB accreditation, providing an additional international quality benchmark for business education.
Graduation and employer connections: Western's graduate-outcomes resources provide information on employers, recruitment processes and the types of roles entered by recent graduates, helping students understand potential career destinations beyond graduation.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the MBA, students interested in research or academic careers can progress into Western Sydney University's Master of Research, which offers a Business major and develops advanced research skills through coursework and an independent thesis. The Master of Research can then provide a pathway toward a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), while the School of Business also offers higher-degree research opportunities specifically across management and human resource management.