Do you have a passion for working with others? Do you want to influence and impact an organization’s culture, or shape and lead a company’s strategy?

You might be suited for a career in Human Resource, where you’ll help manage a company’s most important resource, human talent! A modern human resource professional helps to acquire, develop, and retain manpower through the development and execution of employee development opportunities as well as gain sharing and profit-sharing strategies, amongst others.

The sector is currently seeing steady demand and growth opportunities here; a strong HR industry is necessary to support the transformations Singapore’s businesses and workforce undergo, in reaction to rapid technological advancements and constant disruption.

If you’re up for the challenge, we’ve compiled a starter list of courses that’ll help kick-start your HR journey! These courses are also applicable for existing HR professionals looking to upskill! As always, we’d like to emphasise that this list is not an endorsement of the courses within. Do conduct your own research, too, to make sure you pick a course and school that’s a right fit for you!

– Course fees are based on the latest figures on each course’s page and are accurate as of Mar 2019.

Short Courses

• HR Singapore – Certified Human Resource Administrator – CHRA® course

HR Singapore runs Singapore’s first free HR forum community and provides HR Certification, HR Law Seminars, HR Workshops and HR Consultancy Services. Their Certified Human Resource Administrator Course was the first professional HR certification launched in Singapore and its trainers all possess at least two decades of experience in the Human resources field. Successful graduates will be able to affix  “CHRA®” behind their names.

Duration: 8 days, once per week

Curriculum: One module will be covered for each day. The modules are 1) HR Functions, 2) The Employment Act, 3) Job Analysis, 4) Recruitment, 5) Selection, 6) Training Administration, 7) Performance Apprasial and 8) Overview of Compensation. 

Course Fees: SGD 3,550 for those in the HR Singapore community. The full course fee is SGD 3,680. The course is SkillsFuture credit claimable and UTAP funding eligible.

• NTUC LearningHub – WSQ Implement Recruitment and Selection Methods

This course, as its name implies, is a WSQ Level 3 learning course teaching HR professionals and other related personnel how to recruit and select manpower. NTUC LearningHub also has a range of HR courses on offer, ranging from masterclasses to CIPD Qualification courses and others. Do check out their HR portal, too, which is filled with resources that HR professionals can consult to help them with specific HR matters. Registration for the portal is free.

Duration: 25.5 hours long total, 3 days (9am-6pm) plus 7.5 e-learning hours

Curriculum: How to select appropriate recruitment and selection methods (internal and external factors employment laws and practices), facilitate implementation of recruitment and selection methods, and reviewing the application of recruitment and selection methods.

Course Fees: SGD 727.60, the course is SkillsFuture, WTS and SDF funding eligible.

• Singapore University of Technology and Design – Introduction to HR Analytics and Basic Statistical Analysis

This day long workshop aims to teach HR practitioners techniques in data science that they can use to make sense of people data. To maximize the hands-on training and discussion time that the session provides, participants are advised to attend with their colleagues or co-workers.

Duration: 1 day (9am-5pm)

Curriculum: Statistical techniques such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), practice sessions, assessment consisting of a presentation and written test.

Course Fees: SGD 856. The course is SkillsFuture funding eligible.

Diplomas

(Includes graduate diplomas)

• Management Development Institute of Singapore – Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management

Awarded by MDIS, a not-for-profit professional institute, graduates of this diploma will be able to use the title, GDip. HRM, after their names. They will also be eligible for entry into the Master of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) awarded by the University of Sunderland, UK. MDIS is EduTrust certified.

Duration: 9 months (part-time)

Curriculum: Modules include Employee Relations, Human Capital Management, Managing Compensation and Benefits, Organisational Behaviour as well as Organisation Development

Course Fees: SGD 4,600.21 (GST inclusive)

• Nanyang Polytechnic – Specialist Diploma in Human Resource Management

New to HR and need some help? This course is for you! Open to both HR professionals and working professionals with no HR experience, Nanyang Polytechnic’s Specialist Diploma comprises of two Post-Diploma Certificates—one in HR & Talent Management and the other in Performance and Compensation Management. Currently, 3 course modules have received accreditation from the Institute of Human Resource Professionals (IHRP).

Duration: 12 months part-time, 2 evenings weekly (7pm-10pm).

Curriculum: There will be 8 modules covered. They are Talent Acquisition*, Talent Management*, Strategic International HRM, Organisation Development and Change Management*, Employment Law, Employee Relations Management, Performance Management as well as Strategic Compensation Management.

Course Fees: SGD 2,340. The course is SkillsFuture credits claimable and is also eligible for the SkillsFuture Study Award for Human Resource.

*Accredited by IHRP

• Singapore Polytechnic – Diploma in Business Practice (Human Capital)

Part of Singapore Polytechnic’s PACE initiative, the Diploma in Business Practice (Human Capital) gives a broad overview to business with a specialization in HR. Open to both HR and non-HR professionals, it will cover topics such as marketing fundamentals, organizational management, technology in business as well as learning and talent development. Upon successful completion, programme graduates can choose to enroll in relevant part-time degree programmes at SUSS.

Duration: 2.5 years part-time at minimum. Classes are held in the evening.  

Curriculum: Comprises of 5 modular certificates. This comprises the Certificate in Business Fundamentals, the Certificate in Business and Technology, the Certificate in Business Management, the Certificate in Human Capital as well as the Certificate in Talent Management.

Course Fees: SGD 2,383.45 for Singaporeans <40, SGD 1,588.95 for Singaporeans >40, SGD 6,355.80 for PRs (misc. fees excluded). You might pay less depending on initiatives you are eligible for (UTAP funding being one available option).

• SHRI Academy – Diploma in HR Leadership with Business Partnering

Part of the Singapore Human Resource Institute, a not-for-profit professional HR body widely known within the local HR circle, this Diploma is a new offering in response to the growing need for HR personnel to take on business-partnering roles. The Diploma covers the areas of Financial Acumen, Technology as well as People Management. Successful graduates can choose to enroll in the Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management with Organisational Psychology (Top-Up), and can affix “DipHRLBP“ after their names. SHRI Academy is EduTrust certified.

Duration: 16 months part-time, twice weekly

Curriculum:  8 modules covering Accounting with Finance, Attracting and Developing Employees, Business Laws, Business Management & Leadership, Employment Legislation & Practices, Engaging & Growing Employees, HR Statistics & Analytics, as well as Organisation Behaviour.

Course Fees: SGD 5,585.40 for self-sponsored individuals, SGD 5,285.40 for company-sponsored individuals (SDF). This course is also eligible for UTAP funding, SkillsFuture credits usage as well as the SkillsFuture Study Award for Human Resource.

Degrees

• Curtin Singapore – Bachelor of Commerce in Management and Human Resource Management

Curtin Singapore is a campus of Curtin University Australia, a public research university that came in 250^th in the QS World University Rankings 2019. Curtin Singapore promises small classes sizes, with lecture having no more than 80 students, and programmes identical to those offered in the home campus.  Graduates of the following programme can apply for membership with the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) and the Australian Human Resource Institute (AHRI). Curtin Singapore is EduTrust certified.

Duration: 2-3 years full-time (part-time also available)

Curriculum: Study modules such as Asian Management, Selecting and Promoting Staff, Introduction to Business Information Systems as well as Business Ethics.

Course Fees: SGD 36,288 for locals, SGD 51,840 for international students

• Kaplan Singapore – Bachelor of Business in Human Resource Management (Single Major)

Awarded by Murdoch University (ranked 73^rd in Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2018), this is a single degree taught through lectures, tutorials and workshops. Graduates of the following programme can apply for membership with the Australian Human Resource Institute (AHRI). For those who are interested, you can also choose to double major in Criminology or Public Relations. Kaplan is EduTrust certified.

Duration: 28 months, 16 months for applicants with eligible credit exemptions. Part-time and full-time options are available.

Curriculum: Study modules such as Creativity and Innovation, Workplace Law, and Advanced Human Resource Perspectives.

Course Fees: SGD 18,489.60 for locals and PRs for part-time, SGD 19,003.20 for full-time (excluding misc. fees),

• Singapore University of Social Sciences – Bachelor of Human Resource Management

SUSS’s full-time Bachelor of Human Resource Management is the first and only one of its kind to be offered in a local university. Students are required to undergo a 6 month work attachment, an overseas experience and a community engagement. What we find interesting is the huge choice of over 30 minor options, some interesting ones being Military studies, Translation, and Algorithmic Development.

Duration: Part-time and full-time (with minor) available.

Curriculum: Study modules such as Human Capital Metrics and Work Motivation focused around three competencies: Business, Psychology and HRM.

Course Fees: In SUSS, fees are charged per semester based on the amount of courses a student chooses to take per semester. The following figures (after Government subsidies) are thus estimates:

Singaporeans <40: SGD 15,217.54 – 15,218.61

Singaporeans >40: SGD 6,087.23 – 6,091.51  

PRs: SGD 27,333.15 – 28,405.29

• SHRI Academy – Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management with Organisational Psychology (Top-Up)

Awarded by Edinburgh Napier University (Scotland), the Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management with Organisational Psychology is a year-long programme comprising 6 modules. Lectures will be taught by on-campus lecturers from Edinburgh Napier University and tutorials led by experienced HR practitioners. The University was awarded 5 stars for the Teaching, Employability and Internationalisation categories in the QS Stars University Ratings 2018.

Duration: 12 months

Curriculum: The modules for this degree are Strategic Management in a Global Context, Human Resource Development, Organizational Change Management, Managing the Employment Relationship, Work Psychology as well as Individual Differences.

Course Fees: SGD 15,945.00. This course is also eligible for UTAP funding, SkillsFuture credits usage as well as the SkillsFuture Study Award for Human Resource.

We hope this list has been helpful and wish you all the best in your HR journey! If you’ve taken a course that’s been helpful that we’ve yet to mention, do let us know through the comments! We’d love to add it in to help our readers better.