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Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources  | Undergraduate Degree Program

Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources

Online Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources

Advance your HR career with Ottawa University’s Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources (BAHR) program. As a student of our accelerated Human Resources online degree program, you will master the skills needed to take a leadership position in benefits, recruiting, or training for organizations in every industry. Whether it be local government, private corporations or non-profit charities, every business or organization needs a vital HR team of professionals to attract, retain, train, and manage employee benefits and programs.

Every organization wants to attract the most qualified employees and match them to jobs for which they are best suited. In the past, human resources specialists performed the administrative function of an organization, such as handling employee benefits questions or recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new staff in accordance with policies established by top management. Today’s human resources specialists manage these tasks, but, increasingly, they also consult with top executives regarding strategic planning. They have moved from behind-the-scenes staff work to leading the company in suggesting and changing policies.

Human Resources Concentrations

Ottawa’s human resources online degree offers several concentrations that allow you to tailor your degree in an area of specialization, such as:

Human Resources Online Degree Curriculum

The curriculum for our accelerated, online HR degree prepares graduates for the workforce. Ottawa University’s human resources online degree is designed to help you increase your human resources skills to positively impact the lives of others. Students will understand the challenges of employment and staffing; the complexities of compensation and benefits; the policies and programs that promote employee responsibility, production and satisfaction; and the methods to hire, retain, and terminate employees based on legal policies and ethical parameters that protect both the rights of workers and the interests of the company. 

For curriculum and course descriptions, please download our Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources program overview.

SHRM-Approved

Ottawa University’s BAHR degree fully aligns with SHRM’s HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates. Throughout the world, only 252 programs in 201 educational institutions have been acknowledged by SHRM as being in alignment with its suggested guides and templates. The HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates were developed by SHRM to define the minimum HR content areas that should be studied by HR students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. They are part of SHRM’s Academic Initiative, created in 2006 and revalidated in 2010, to help the Society define HR education standards taught in university business schools across the nation and help universities develop degree programs that follow these standards.

Why Should I Earn a Degree in HR?

If you’re wondering if it’s worth it and asking yourself, “What can I do with a human resources graduate degree?” think about this: There are a number of HR career paths and advancement opportunities in just about every of industry imaginable. Today, those holding a human resources graduate degree perform beyond the requisite administrative functions, but increasingly consult with top executives regarding strategic planning. They have moved from being behind-the-scenes administrators to leadership roles whereby they are oftentimes involved in changing company policies.

Flexible Schedules

Ottawa University's online programs are designed to work around your schedule and give you the skills you need to get ahead in your career. We know you are busy! That’s why our courses are 100% online so you can study on your time. This online Human Resources degree program is designed for working professionals, which means you don't have to quit your job or leave your other responsibilities behind to get your degree. 

“Ottawa really helped me learn everything I could and take it right into my career. Ottawa also made it possible to work and gain valuable experience while I earned my degree”.

Anthony Gammon '21, Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Brookfield, WI

Are you ready to learn more about our human resources online degreeContact us today!

Related Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Management

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Administration

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Human Resources is offered at the following locations.

  • Overland Park, Kansas
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Brookfield, Wisconsin
  • Online

Education and Qualifications for Human Resources

Most positions in Human Resources require a bachelor’s degree. However, advanced degrees are increasingly becoming more important, which is why many of our graduates go on to complete their Master of Arts in Human Resources or Master in Business Administration. Additionally, specific certifications for specialty areas, as well as national certification for broader human resource competencies, should be considered.

Human Resources Careers 

Human resources workers perform the administrative function of businesses and organizations, such as handling employee benefits questions or recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new staff in accordance with policies established by top management. Career settings in this area can include roles such as a human resource generalist or recruitment specialist. Whichever HR career path you choose to follow, a bachelor’s degree in human resources from Ottawa is the right first step to take.

There are a number of HR career paths and advancement opportunities in just about every industry imaginable. This is especially true when considering that every organization wants to attract the most qualified employees and match them to jobs for which they are best suited. For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of human resources professionals is projected to grow 10% from 2020 to 2030. The average wage for human resources specialists was $63,490 in May 2020. 

Careers in Human Resources

  • Benefits administrator
  • Benefits manager
  • Compensation specialist
  • Employee relations manager
  • Human resources assistant
  • Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) specialist
  • Human resources manager
  • Payroll specialist
  • Training coordinator
  • Training manager

Human Resources Foundation Courses

Accounting for Business Operations | ACC 20364 (4 credits)

Introduces operating activities of business. Emphasis on using income statements to plan and evaluate the operations of a for-profit entity.

Macroeconomics | ECO 20163 (3 Credits)

Focuses on inflationary consequences of monetary and fiscal policies designed to eliminate poverty and unemployment, significance of money and government deficits on attainment of goals of high employment and economic growth in a non-inflationary environment and role of the dollar in international trade.

Microeconomics | ECO 20263 (3 credits)

Study of the role of prices in allocating and developing scarce resources to meet the needs and demands of consumers, the impact of the profit motive on business size and efficiency, the economic power of large-scale business firms, the interplay of private and public choice through price controls, business regulation and taxation.

College Algebra | MAT 10643 (3 credits)

Emphasizes problem solving techniques using algebraic concepts. The focus of the course is directed toward exploring how algebra is used in the social and physical sciences. Topics covered include fundamental concepts of algebra, equations, and inequalities, functions and graphs, systems of linear equations, exponential and logarithmic equations, composition and inverse functions.

OR

Discrete Mathematics | MAT 20043 (3 credits)

Offers an intuitive exposure to mathematical concepts useful in a wide variety of disciplines.  The course focuses on concepts associated with propositional logic. 

 

OR

Business Mathematics | MAT 20143 (3 credits)

Focuses on basic mathematics skills, business mathematics applications and problem-solving strategies. Concepts include properties of real numbers, fundamental operations of rational numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, numerical and graphical descriptions of data, basic probability, and logical thinking.

Business Statistics | OAD 30763 (4 credits)

Focuses on basic methods of research design and analysis of data including descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics include mean, median, mode, frequency distributions, range, standard deviation, probabilities of sampling selection, Z-score, T-value, regression and correlation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, and Chi-square analysis.

OR

Quantitative Methods in Business | OAD 31564 (3 credits)

Emphasis on the managerial application and implications of quantitative analysis techniques. From the management of resources to financial forecasting, financing and investment, the course incorporates the use of quantitative analysis techniques using software applications including Microsoft Excel and Tableau to assist in practical business decision-making and managing organizational goals and strategies. Students employ quantitative analysis to an integrated case study.

Business Ethics | OAD 31664 (3 credits)

Introduces development of personal and group norms required for workplaces. Topics include moral reasoning in business, employee rights and responsibilities of corporations.

*MAT 20043 is recommended to fulfill the foundation requirement. 

Human Resources Major Courses

Employment Law and Policies |  OAD 30264 (4 credits)
Examines development and continuing changes in legislative and judicial influence on the workplace. Special emphasis given to NLRB, OSHA, EEOC, and DOL agencies.

Human Resources Administration |  OAD 32563 (4 credits)
Focuses on process and management of personnel function including task specialization, selection and placement, development and training, collective bargaining, appraisal, and compensation.

Employment and Staffing |  OAD 32864 (4 credits)
Investigation of policies and procedures used for effective employment and staffing, consideration of external and internal recruitment, selection procedures, internal staffing process, application of job design, and analysis as related to procedures of employment.

Behavior in Organizations | OAD 30063 (3 credits)

Study of human behavior in work organizations. Focuses on individual satisfaction and motivation as related to organizational structure, nature of task and locus of power. Topics include small group formation, maintenance, organizational conflict, communications and leadership.

OR

Management | OAD 30563 (3 credits)

Discusses process for managing organizations including planning, organizing, leading and evaluating. Examines administrative role in organizations and concepts relevant to its function and historical development of administrative thought. 

Compensation and Benefits |  OAD 41564 (4 credits)
Examines human resource functions of salary administration, job evaluation, compensation, legal requirements, and benefit designs (including medical, life, retirement, and flexible benefits). Emphasis on role of compensation and benefits in attracting, retaining, and motivating employees

Training and Development |  OAD 41764 (4 credits)
Studies current principles and practices in personnel planning, employee training and development. Topics include skill assessment, recognition of organizational and individual needs, and establishing learning objectives and methodologies.

Seminar in Applied Human Resources |  OAD 49200 (4 credits)
Capstone course that guides student in the integration of functional content areas in the field of professional human resources. Addresses human resource issues and applies human resource theories and techniques to problems and cases through a process of decision-making.

For complete curriculum and course descriptions, please download our Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources program overview.

Full Degree Catalog

University Accreditation

Ottawa University, as a whole, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Specific degree programs within our institution have also been accredited by relevant bodies within the field:

We are proudly recognized for our commitment to student excellence by the following designations:

Why Choose Ottawa
Almost all courses in Ottawa University’s programs are available online and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. We make it easy for you to transfer credits in order to help keep tuition costs down. We also offer courses in accelerated 8-week terms in order to reduce your time to completion. These are just a few of the reasons why we are proud to be the best, fastest, and most affordable option locally in the Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Phoenix areas, as well as serving students nationally through our online degrees.

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