Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Important Information
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Course Materials
Course Objectives
This course is designed to help you to become a more effective manager (and employee) by building
skills and raising awareness of critical human resource related issues. All material will be presented in
the context of the current workforce - for example, we will discuss:
• How does human resource strategy tie into overall organizational strategy?
• What legal issues must be considered when practicing human resource management/management?
• How is a changing workforce affecting the way employees are selected, trained, and promoted?
• How does domestic and international human resource management differ?
• What factors impact the design and implementation of compensation and benefit programs?
• How can employees become motivated?
• What should be done to prepare for a career in human resource management/management?
These objectives and others will be accomplished through readings, lectures, discussions, class activities,
videos, guest speakers, quizzes, and exams.
Each of us is responsible for the success of this course. In order for you to maximize your learning
experience, you will need to prepare for class: carefully read and critically think about the information
provided, complete all assignments, be accountable to your classmates by being prepared for class (to
enable them to learn from you and accomplish tasks effectively), be ready to participate in class, and
attend class with a positive attitude. Please note that I will not have time in class to provide in-depth
coverage of all of the assigned material (in short, we will not rehash assigned readings in class). Rather,
we will explore the significance of some of the readings through class discussion and engage in
activities to develop critical thinking and human resource management skills. The quizzes and exams,
Human Resource Management – Syllabus: Fall 2014 – Page 2
however, will require in-depth knowledge of the assigned material as well as understanding how to
apply the information (which will be learned via class assignments and discussions). I have high
expectations as to your capabilities, professionalism, and commitment to learning this material!
This course will make use of the WesternOnline course organization system, electronic mail, and the
worldwide web. I assume that you have an email account, web browsing capability, and a word
processor. The computer labs on campus contain these resources if you do not have them. Please make
sure your email address is up-to-date in all university systems. I send important email messages to the
class via the WesternOnline system and you are responsible for obtaining all such messages. Also, a
copy of the overheads used by the professor throughout the semester and other course materials are
available on the WesternOnline course site. Print and bring the overheads to each class (choose the
“handouts” option before printing to place several slides onto each page). The purpose of these slides is
to help you structure the material presented in class as well as to decrease your writing load so that you
can listen and think as well as participate. Please be aware that the slides are not a substitute for
attending class and only studying these slides is not sufficient for performing well.
Student Participation
I am depending on your involvement in all aspects of the class in order to enhance it for everyone.
Participation is an important component of this class. Much of your learning will take place during class
discussions and activities with the professor, guest speakers, and peers. Thus, it is very important that
you prepare ahead of class and participate in the discussion of these materials. I expect everyone to
contribute to the class (more about this later in the syllabus).
One way to plan for making contributions is to prepare questions or comments about each reading or
assignment that you want to have addressed during the class period. Consider submitting a Confusion
Sheet (located on the course website). Formulate questions for the guest speakers based on the materials
as well. Also, please be willing to respond to the questions and comments of your classmates. I expect
that you will show respect for one another's contributions. While you may not agree with the
perspectives of your peers, I expect that you will express your differences of opinions in ways that
uphold the humanity of the person with whom you disagree. I believe that you will find that engaging in
dialogue about areas of similar and differing points of view will create a positive learning experience in
and of itself. I think that you will also find the process of working through and discussing issues
together to be beneficial to your individual learning in the course.
Furthermore, since most of you have work or school experience, I strongly encourage you to volunteer
comments whenever you see a connection between course material and your own experiences. Don’t
worry if your example seems far-removed or somehow silly; the examples are important for getting you
used to applying course material to concrete situations. Your willingness to share your experiences
makes the course more interesting and enjoyable for everyone. I want all students to meet other class
members and guests, and to be very comfortable and involved. We all have different knowledge, skills,
and experiences and we can all learn from one another! What you get out of the course is, however,
ultimately up to you. If we both do our parts, this course will be a positive learning experience for all of
us. Together we can make this a very delightful experience!
Quizzes
Assessing Knowledge of HRM Principles
There will be six quizzes given throughout the semester to reward a “close reading” of the textbook
chapters, with particular emphasis on understanding key terms and concepts. Items on the quizzes will
be presented as true/false and multiple choice questions to resemble those on our course exams as well
Human Resource Management – Syllabus: Fall 2014 – Page 3
as the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certification Exam. Study guides are
available on the course website to assist in guiding your studying process. It is strongly recommended
that you prepare your responses to the study guide items on a weekly basis. There is also a student
companion website for our textbook (see first page of this syllabus for web address) that provides
practice quizzes. There will be no make-up quizzes during the semester. Students will be expected
to take quizzes in class when scheduled. Failure to take a quiz will result in a score of zero for that quiz.
Exams
Integrating HRM Principles
There will be 3 in-class examinations that correspond to each part of the course. Each exam will be closed
book with no notes allowed and worth 100 points. The exam questions will resemble the quiz questions in
that they will be true/false and multiple choice questions that focus on key terms and concepts (like items
on the SHRM Certification Exam). While you will have to “know” the material (call it memorization),
more importantly you must “understand” the material (in other words, you will have to be able to apply
it). Expect questions on the exams geared toward both types of knowledge. Going through your class
notes and memorizing them will not be enough to do well on the exams. You must be able to integrate
material and make connections across concepts, theories, and practice.
Study guides are available on the course website to assist in guiding your studying process. It is strongly
recommended that you prepare your responses to the study guide items on a weekly basis. There is also a
student companion website for our textbook (see first page of this syllabus for web address) that provides
practice quizzes. Furthermore, we will have a review session prior to each exam that will mimic the
Jeopardy game show like the HR Games offered by SHRM. This should motivate and prepare you for the
exams in this course as well as for the SHRM Certification Exam. I will be happy to discuss having
students participate in the official HR Games and Certification Exam since they are important ways to
build a resume, especially for those entering a career in human resources. Overall, you must be prepared
to be an active participant in the exam review session.
You will be asked to complete an assessment form after Exam 1 (located on the course website) to provide
insights to the professor and to yourself about this exam as well as your specific methods of preparation.
The form is meant to assist you in evaluating and identifying effective and ineffective study habits so that
you can make any needed changes before future exams (the professor will provide assistance if
necessary). This form will also provide the professor with midcourse feedback.
If, for a university approved reason, you cannot take an exam at the scheduled time you must give me
written notice at least one week in advance so that we can make arrangements for you to take the exam in
the Testing Center. After making arrangements with the professor, you must phone the Testing Center
directly to make an appointment to take the exam (309-762-9481). Please note that the Testing Center
must have the test submitted by the professor prior to scheduling your appointment. If the situation does
not allow for advance notification (for example, emergency hospitalization), contact me as soon as
possible after a missed exam. Make-up exams for non-university approved reasons are not guaranteed.
Failure to take any exam at the scheduled time will result in a score of zero for that exam.
Main Topics:
Class Activities
Applying HRM Techniques
Acting as a Human Resource Manager at Stewart Incorporated, you will complete 6 “job” assignments
throughout the semester to contribute to your learning of the required material via the application of the
knowledge gained from the textbook and class discussions. These class activities are a key learning
device for this course - they allow for individualized education and reflection that is otherwise not
possible in a class with 25 or more students. These activities are located on the course website. It is
expected that you will be prepared and approach these activities in a professional and businesslike
fashion. Each class activity is worth 10 points. You must print (and review/prepare) these activities,
and bring them to class on the date noted in the course outline – students will receive a zero for failing
to do so. Students are not allowed to make up these points if unable to attend class or are not
prepared to participate in class.
Class Participation
Sharing HRM Information
Class participation scores will be evaluated based on: 1) the quality of each student's contribution to the
classroom discussion, 2) attendance during class discussions and activities, and 3) classroom conduct.
Class participation scores are worth a total of 80 points, and will be based on your ability to share prior
work/life experience, make connections to current experiences, complete all readings and assignments,
participate in class activities, and engage in meaningful discussions.
Contributions (30 Points) - Students who consistently contribute to the classroom (i.e., at least once every
class session) and advance discussions in a meaningful and productive way will receive the highest grades
(80-100%, depending on quality of input).
"Silent" Contribution: If you don't feel comfortable getting involved in discussions that take place in
class, see me privately about strategies for increasing your involvement. One such strategy is “silent”
contribution. Students may wish to supplement their oral classroom contributions for a given class period
through contributing "silently" by submitting contributions to the professor within 24 hours of the end of the
class period (e.g., a relevant newspaper clipping with description of why it is useful, a link to a relevant
WWW site with description of why site is useful, etc.). As with in-class oral contribution, the "silent"
contributions will be evaluated for quality. Note that "silent" contributions may be used as a supplement to
class contribution, but do not substitute for class attendance.
Completion of “Extra” Forms: Students will be asked to complete extra forms to provide feedback to
themselves, to class members, as well as to the professor on several occasions throughout the course.
Human Resource Management – Syllabus: Fall 2014 – Page 5
The completion of these “extras” will act as part of the course participation grade. There won’t be an
exact numerical grade associated with each of these items, yet their completion will assist us in
discussing key topics and engaging in class activities. They will also allow you to gain skills at
providing/receiving feedback information. What’s the lesson here? As a human resource manager,
oftentimes you are asked to take on some added responsibilities that may not be formally assessed in
your workplace, yet nevertheless contribute to your job and work environment.
Attendance (25 Points) - Woody Allen said “Eighty percent of success in life is showing up”.
Oftentimes topics will be discussed in class that are not covered in the readings and you will be
responsible for this material. Since there will be quizzes, exams, and other activities in class that will
directly impact your grade, attendance will be critical to being successful in this course!
There is a penalty for missing classes. This is because your absence negatively affects your classmates’
experience. Three absences during the semester will result in a large deduction from your attendance
score, with a zero score given for individuals who miss more than three classes. Showing up after class
has begun will count as an absence, as will leaving early. The two-absence allowance should give you
enough flexibility to deal with unexpected illness or emergency. If you are likely to have some regularly
scheduled event during class sessions, you should take this course during a different semester. In the
event that you are absent, it is your responsibility to get the course notes, handouts, etc. from another
student or the course website.
Classroom Conduct (25 Points) - Remember common courtesy at all times. Specifically, please:
• Show respect and consideration for other students, the professor, and any class visitors.
• Turn off cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices. Laptop computers are permitted if used
for note-taking purposes only (it may not be used for checking email messages or surfing the internet
during class time). The professor reserves the right to request a printout of the notes taken in class
on the laptop computer.
• Ask questions when you do not understand the material, the assignment, or anything else in class.
This may be accomplished by asking me (before, during, or after class), by asking other class
members, or by sending me an email message.
Quizzes
Quiz 1 10
Quiz 2 10
Quiz 3 10
Quiz 4 10
Quiz 5 10
Quiz 6 10
Class Activities
Activity 1 10
Activity 2 10
Activity 3 10
Activity 4 10
Activity 5 10
Activity 6 10
Class Participation 80
TOTAL 500
Grading Criteria:
Your work will be assessed based upon your performance level or points earned as shown in the table
below. Remember that I do not “give” grades; rather, you earn your grade.
Grading Criteria
Points Percent
Grade Earned Earned Performance Level
Student demonstrates excellent performance in written work and oral
discussions. Content, organization, originality, analysis, demonstration of
understanding, and application of course material significantly exceed the
A 468-500 94-100 minimum requirements.
A- 448-467 90-93
B+ 433-447 87-89
Student demonstrates above average performance in written work and oral
discussions. Student exceeds the minimum requirements in some, but not all of
B 418-432 84-86 the above mentioned areas.
B- 398-417 80-83
C+ 383-397 77-79
Get Certified! Many students take one of the certification exams offered from SHRM after
taking this course – this is highly recommended as a way to set yourself apart from others
and show employers that you possess knowledge of human resources!
Check with your current employer to see if they will pay the exam fee (for your
professional development). Also, the SHRM Foundation offers student scholarships to
cover the cost of the exam fee and even the SHRM Learning System study materials.
If you have HR experience, then consider taking the PHR Certification Exam:
http://www.hrci.org
If you do not have HR experience, then consider taking the Assurance of Learning Exam:
http://www2.shrm.org/assuranceoflearning/index.html
Sincerely,
Dr. Susan Stewart