In addition to the course description, many of the courses here contain a link to view a recent syllabus. Available syllabi are posted here to help students get a better idea about the key topics in each course. Note carefully that courses and instructors change. Do not rely on a syllabus found here as a guarantee of future instructors, readings, assignments, and the like. Course descriptions for courses in other departments can be viewed in the University Course Database.

HRIR 5021. Systems of Conflict and Dispute Resolution. (4 cr)
Introduction to theoretical and practical treatment of conflict settlement in interpersonal, work-related, community, business, and international settings. Lectures, discussions, observations of actual dispute resolution sessions, and lab exercises with students participating in dispute resolution simulations applied to real world conflicts.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2003

HRIR 5022. Managing Diversity. (2 cr)
Ways to effectively manage increasingly diverse workforce. Human resource practices examined with respect to diversity. How to incorporate diversity into decision making to enhance organizational performance.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2006

HRIR 5023. Employment and Labor Law for the HRIR Professional. (2 cr)
Application of statutes and case law to work settings. Civil rights and equal opportunity. Discrimination and harassment. Compensation and benefits. Employee protection and privacy, labor relations. Emphasizes application and ability to recognize legal aspects of HRIR issues.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 5025. Comparative and International Human Resources and Industrial Relations (2 cr)
Emergence, evolution, structures, functions, and current challenges of labor movements in industrialized societies. Critical differences in key human resource management practices. Industrial relations systems and collective bargaining in comparative perspective. International labor organizations.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2007

HRIR 5026. Innovative HR Leadership in the Context of Change and Uncertainty. (2 cr)
Overview of leadership in managing human resources. Historical evolution. Major theories/models. Principles of effective HR leadership in practice. Effects of uncertainty/change on leadership style/practice. HR leadership as powerful management tool.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 5054. Public Policies on Employee Benefits: Social Safety Nets . (2 cr)
Analysis of social safety nets through government-mandated employee benefits: workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, social security, health insurance. Rationale for social safety nets. Administration/evaluation of existing programs. Effects on worker well-being and on behavior of employers/workers. Need for reform
Download syllabus for: Fall 2006

HRIR 5061. Public Policies on Work and Pay. (3 cr)
Analysis of public policies regarding employment, unions, and labor markets. Public programs affecting wages, unemployment, training, worker mobility, security, and quality of work life. Policy implications of changing nature of work.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2006

HRIR 5062. Personnel Economics. (2 cr)
Application of economic tools to problems in human resources and industrial relations. Human capital and training. Incentives and information. Hiring and turnover.

HRIR 5991. Independent Study in Human Resources and Industrial Relations. (Cr ar [may be repeated for cr])
Individual readings or research topics in human resource management.

HRIR 8000. Graduate Topics in Human Resources and Industrial Relations. (Cr ar)
Selected topics.
Download syllabus for:
Spring 2008 - Human Resources from the Executive's Perspective

HRIR 8001. Business Principles for the HRIR Professional (4 cr)
Nature/functions of business corporations. Role of HRIR in business. Markets, competition, profitability, employment, investment. Introduction to finance/accounting. Global business pressures and HRIR. Trends for future.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 8011. Using Data and Metrics in Human Resources and Industrial Relations. (4 cr)
Theory/applications of methods of data analysis for using data in HRIR decision-making. Descriptive/inferential statistics, especially hypothesis tests and confidence intervals. Regression analysis. Identification of appropriate techniques. Avoiding unreliable inferences. Introduction to HRIR metrics.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 8014. Human Resource Information Systems. (2 cr)
Hardware and database fundamentals, software applications, security issues, vendor evaluation, system and software development and design issues, and strategies for gaining user acceptance.

HRIR 8023. International Human Resource Management. (2 cr)
Growing U.S. interdependence with the rest of the world and its implications for human resource management policies and practices at home and abroad.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 8031. Staffing, Training, and Development. (4 cr)
Introduction to staffing processes (recruitment, selection, promotion, demotion, transfer, dismissal, layoff, retirement); training development theory and techniques as mechanisms for influencing individual and organizational outcomes, such as performance, satisfaction, and climate.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 8032. Staffing and Selection: Strategic and Operational Concerns. (2 cr)
Theory and practice related to staffing decisions (recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, dismissal, layoff, retirement) in organizations. Legal environment in which staffing decisions are made. Staffing from strategic and organizational perspectives.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 8033. Employee Training: Creating a Learning Organization. (2 cr)
Theory, research, and practice related to design and implementation of employee training programs. Instructional design, training techniques, transfer of training, and program evaluation and costing. Role of employees, unions, and firm policies and practices in training process.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2006

HRIR 8034. Employee Development: Creating a Competitive Advantage. (2 cr)
Career development and planning, employee and management development techniques, and organizational and employee concerns related to mobility, job stress, balancing work and family, obsolescence and plateauing, and cross-cultural assignments.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 8141. Organizational Theory Foundations of High-Impact HRIR. (2 cr)
Economic aspects of individual/group behavior in organizations. Individual/collective rationality, information, incentives, coordination problems, contracts. Impacts on HRIR decisions/outcomes. Solutions/approaches to problems in organizations at micro/macro levels.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2008

HRIR 8241. Organizational Behavior Foundations of High-Impact HRIR. (2 cr)
Psychological aspects of individual/group behavior in organizations. Individual motivation, attitudes and job satisfaction. Leadership. Organization design/culture. Impacts on HRIR decisions/outcomes. Solutions/approaches to problems in organizations at micro/macro levels.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2006

HRIR 8042. Organizational Structure and Performance. (2 cr)
How different organizational practices (e.g., employee empowerment, job enrichment, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, individual incentives, information sharing, integration mechanisms) affect organizations in their competitiveness, profitability, workplace safety, employment stability, and wages. Coherence of system of organizational practices.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2005

HRIR 8043. Comparative Organizations and HRM Systems. (2 cr)
Variations in organizational practices related to variations in ownership (profit, nonprofit, government, cooperatives), economic systems, culture, technology, market structure, etc. Organizational practices: employee empowerment, job enrichment, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, individual incentives, information sharing, and integration mechanisms. International comparisons.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2003

HRIR 8044. Motivation and Work Behavior in Contemporary Organizations. (2 cr)
In-depth study of major topics in microlevel organizational behavior. Accountability, organization citizenship behaviors, forms of organizational attachment, motivation, and issues of equity and justice.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2007

HRIR 8045. Organizational Development, HR Metrics, and the Balanced Scorecard. (2 cr)
Nature/conduct of organizational change. Enhancing organizational effectiveness, improving quality of work life, increasing productivity, and facilitating problem solving through diagnostics, interventions, metrics, and scorecards. Intervention/evaluation strategies/processes. HR professional as consultant.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2007

HRIR 8051. Compensation and Benefits. (4 cr)
Economic and behavioral theory and research on pay program applications. Effect of laws and regulations on pay. Work design, job analysis, and job evaluation. Performance measurement and evaluation. Incentive programs. Managerial and executive compensation. Comparative perspectives. Costing and forecasting.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2007

HRIR 8052. Compensation Theory and Applications. (2 cr)
Relationship between economic and psychological theories and the design and operation of compensation programs. Demographic influences on compensation program outcomes. Statistical analysis applied to pay program design and administration. Global pay variations. Current pay issues and controversies.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 8053. Employer-Sponsored Employee Benefits Programs. (2 cr)
Design and administration of nonmandatory compensation benefit programs: medical expense insurance, pensions, profit sharing plans, disability, and other employee benefits. Effects of providing benefits on workers' incentives with regard to performance, acquisition and maintenance of human capital, mobility, and risk sharing.

HRIR 8071. Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining. (4 cr)
Evolution of U.S. labor unions and public policy, bargaining environment and structure, goals and negotiations, contract administration and results. International comparisons, labor management cooperation, and newly emerging issues.
Download syllabus for: Spring 2007

HRIR 8072. Labor Movements in a Changing World. (2 cr)
Labor movement philosophies. Critical evaluation of labor movement growth and adjustment to environmental change. Domestic and international perspectives of labor movement innovations.

HRIR 8073. Dispute Resolution: Labor Arbitration (2 cr)
Arbitration to resolve grievances and impasses arising out of the collective bargaining agreement's administration and negotiation. Arbitration law and legal issues, procedures and practices, case presentation, management rights, discipline and discharge, evidence, contract language interpretation, and remedies. Newly emerging approaches.
Download syllabus for: Fall 2007

HRIR 8074. Labor-Management Negotiations. (2 cr)
Analysis of the nature of negotiations with applications to private and public sector collective bargaining. Nature of conflict and dilemma between competition and cooperation. Determinants of bargaining strategies, tactics, outcomes, and impasses. Newly emerging issues.

HRIR 8101. HRIR in Practice: Strategy, Execution, and Ethics. (2 cr)
Types of strategies. Developing/executing HRIR strategies. Project management. Ethical frameworks, issues, and considerations in HRIR.
Download syllabus Spring 2008

HRIR 8102. Capstone Project. (2 cr)
Remington
Application of related knowledge, concepts, and methods to a practical problem in human resources and industrial relations. Benchmarking of related best practices in research and in practice. Full development, analysis, and proposed recommendations for implementation or improvement of the selected problem.

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