HRMT 387 (Strategic Human Resource Management) is a three-credit upper-level business and administrative studies course that was designed to complement HRMT 386 / ORGB 386 (Introduction to Human Resource Management) or a similar course offered at another institution. As a result, HRMT 387 is not designed to cover all human resource management or employee relations issues addressed in such courses. This course has no required prerequisites; however, HRMT 386 or ORGB 386 is recommended.
Students should be aware that HRMT 387 is a cross-listed course, meaning that it is listed under two different disciplines with ORGB 387 (Strategic Human Resource Management). HRMT 387 cannot be taken for credit by students who have obtained credit in ORGB 387. This course is not available for challenge.
Strategic Human Resource Management is made up of three units, three assignments (theoretical) weighing twenty-five percent each, and a multiple-choice final examination worth the remaining twenty-five percent. The three units within this course cover some interesting topics, such as management, managing employee performance, managing employee relations, and international human resource management. In order to receive credit for HRMT 387, students must receive a grade of fifty percent or better on the final exam and achieve an overall course grade of at least fifty percent for the entire course.
Dr. Saud Taj started working at Athabasca University on July 1st, 2016 and has been the coordinator for HRMT 387 since September of 2016. Alongside HRMT 387, he coordinates HRMT 300 (Human Resource Planning). If you would like to learn more about Human Resource Planning, read my Course Exam article for HRMT 300.
I asked about his experience, and he stated, “I graduated from the University Of Glasgow (UK) in 2014 with a PhD in Strategic/International Human Resource Management and spent the first three years of my academic career teaching as a Lecturer of Human Resource Management at Glasgow Caledonian University (UK). I am an expert in the field of ‘Employer Branding’ and ‘Employee Engagement’ and have been researching these phenomenons throughout my academic career. Hailing originally from a small city in Pakistan called Quetta; I started my career as a Customer Services Representative working for a telecom multinational operating in my home town. Due to my interest in teaching and learning, I joined a local public sector university, University of Balochistan, as a part-time lecturer of business and management in 2006. I wanted to build a career in academia, but I knew I had no way to survive until I earned a doctorate degree. Therefore, I started working toward it and was eventually successful in earning funding for PhD degree that resulted in my travel to Scotland to study a master’s degree at the University of Glasgow followed by the PhD.”
He continues, “I have always been very fond of playing cricket and wanted to become a professional cricketer but due to the unavailability of facilities in my home town, I decided to quit the sport and focus on my education to build a sustainable career. My wife is grateful I never became a sportsman due to the immense amount of sole travelling involved in it. My parents live in Pakistan and I have a young family and live with my wife Tabin and our 3 children; my gorgeous girl Saerene, and sons Muhammad, and Umer here. We chose to settle down in Canada due to the rich and peaceful family life this beautiful country has to offer. At the birth of our first child, Saerene, my wife and I went through a lot of emotional jerks that brought forth the philanthropist inside us and resulted in the creation of our on-demand delivery business called ‘Vdropp’ in 2017. The company is a ‘Social and Community Enterprise’ that aims at creating opportunities for our communities and bringing convenience to peoples’ lives with everything delivered to their door at affordable price. We intend to divert 50% of the company’s profits towards social and charitable causes specifically to help pregnant women and educate young children in poor countries. The young business is currently operating in four cities across two countries, Pakistan and Canada.”
Dr. Taj explains that, “HRMT 387 provides a strategic insight to Human Resource Management and extends a student’s understanding about HR’s role in strategic management. Students develop an understanding about HR’s role on the top tables and how crucial it is to deal with this management function in a proper way so as to ensure success and sustainability for the business. Students will learn about the laws and legal requirements in applying HR policies at the top level while also addressing diversity related issues. What excites me the most is the topics that this course covers in terms of HR management which will specifically interest students who intend to take HR as a career or want to pursue entrepreneurship interests as managing employees will be their number one challenge. So this course kind of trains them to prepare rational HR strategies to guarantee business success.”
He continues, “HRMT 387 is a well-structured course with three assignments worth twenty-five each and a multiple-choice final exam worth twenty-five percent. To obtain credits for HRMT 387, students must achieve a composite course grade of at least fifty percent and pass the Final Exam. Students will need to be well-organized and disciplined in their study approach to pass this course with flying colours.”
As for advice, Dr. Saud Taj states “My advice is the same as above, be organized, plan in advance and you will have no problems at all.”
When asked what he believes students will take away from this course, he states “This course has a lot to offer to students who wish to pursue HR careers or want to start their own businesses. It will teach them the real value and importance of HR as a business function in their organizations and how to best approach HR decisions at the top management level. They will also develop skills and knowledge about dealing with HR issues at the top level.”
Whether HRMT 387 is a degree or program requirement of yours, or if the course content that was discussed above is of interest to you, this course will have you learning interesting material surrounding the topic of strategic human resource management.
