School of Business Administration · Online
Build the expertise to guide workforce strategy and improve the way organizations manage and develop their employees. Conduct original HR research in the Ph.D. program or address an organizational challenge in the DBA program.
Compare the paths
Explore human resource management through original research or its application in business. Each degree combines advanced coursework with an independent dissertation.
Original research
Human Resource Management
Investigate how employment practices and workplace conditions influence employees and organizations. Develop original research that contributes to HR scholarship.
Applied research
Human Resource Management
Use research to evaluate HR practices and address problems such as employee turnover, workforce shortages, or ineffective development programs.
Both 60-credit degrees let you focus on Human Resource Management through four approved business electives.
Human Resource Management in practice
Strong HR leadership connects employee development with long-term business needs. Examine how workforce plans, employment practices, and organizational culture shape the way people work.
Forecast staffing needs and build succession plans for critical roles.
Use workforce data to evaluate hiring, employee development, and turnover.
Assess workplace culture and design change initiatives that support employees.
SHRM’s 2026 Talent Trends research highlights employee training and mentoring as ways employers respond to hiring challenges. Read the SHRM research ↗
The outlook for U.S. human resources managers
Projected employment growth from 2025 to 2035.
Average annual job openings projected from 2025 to 2035.
Median annual pay for human resources managers in May 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These figures cover human resources managers across industries.
Inside the program
Both degrees include foundations, research methods, business inquiry, four approved electives, and dissertation research. The foundation and business inquiry courses differ by degree.
Review the degree requirements and the Human Resource Management electives listed in the updated 2026–2027 catalog. Request the current catalog.
Build the foundation for your chosen doctoral path.
Learn to design studies, analyze workforce data, and interpret employees’ experiences. The research methods sequence covers quantitative and qualitative methods, research ethics, and proposal development.
Choose four approved 3-credit electives, totaling 12 credits. You may combine courses across business focus areas with advisor approval.
Forecast workforce needs, identify skills gaps, and develop staffing and succession plans that support organizational goals.
Prerequisite: PRO703 or PHD703
Use workforce data to evaluate hiring, development, and retention while examining privacy, bias, and the quality of the evidence.
Prerequisite: PRO703 or PHD703
Evaluate hiring, compensation, performance management, and employee relations to identify risks and improve employment practices.
Prerequisite: PRO703 or PHD703
Assess organizational culture and develop an HR change strategy that addresses leadership, communication, and employee participation.
Prerequisite: PRO703 or PHD703
BUS726 requires PRO703 or PHD703. BUS727 requires BUS726. A maximum of 6 independent-study credits may count toward the degree. Course offerings depend on faculty availability, enrollment, and the approved rotation.
Ph.D. students complete a dissertation that contributes original theoretical or empirical knowledge. DBA students complete an applied dissertation that addresses a defined business or organizational problem. Both degrees follow the DIS894 through DIS899 dissertation sequence with guidance from a committee.
Before completing the dissertation, students pass a candidacy examination and defend both the proposal and the final study. Research involving human participants requires IRB approval before data collection.
Support throughout your studies
Each monthly term includes four weeks of instruction. Students usually take one course per term and complete asynchronous coursework by published deadlines. The learning platform remains available throughout the term.
Your academic advisor helps you plan your coursework, choose Human Resource Management electives, and monitor progress toward the degree.
Faculty office hours and virtual consultations provide support with doctoral writing, research design, and research methods.
Your dissertation committee guides the research process from proposal development through the final oral defense.
Tuition
Each course is 3 credits. Your tuition rate is based on your geographic pricing zone. Additional fees apply.
Confirm your tuition with admissions
Source: NMU 2026–2027 catalog, Tuition and Student Payment Schedules.
Pay for each course as you enroll.
The catalog lists a $20 application fee, $50 registration fee, and $200 graduation fee. Ask admissions for an itemized breakdown of all fees before enrolling.
Eligible first-time students receive a 50% tuition reduction on their first course, subject to catalog terms.
Rates are in USD. Approved transfer credit may reduce the number of required courses.
Admissions
Admissions can help you compare the Ph.D. and DBA in Human Resource Management, review your academic background, and identify the next available start date.
Before you decide
Learn about program options, online study, and admission requirements.
This program examines human resource management in business organizations. The separate Public Sector Human Resources Management program focuses on government employment, civil service systems, and public administration.
Students normally take one course per monthly term. The catalog allows up to seven years from initial enrollment to complete the coursework and dissertation. Admissions can help you plan your course sequence.
NMU may accept up to six credits toward the elective requirement after reviewing the course content, academic level, and learning outcomes. Each transfer-credit request is evaluated individually.
NMU reviews international academic credentials and may require a third-party evaluation. Applicants whose prior education was not in English must also provide evidence of English proficiency. Admissions can explain the documentation required for your country.
Coursework is asynchronous and follows published assignment deadlines. Proposal and final dissertation defenses take place in scheduled virtual meetings. Office hours and other academic-support sessions may also be scheduled.
QAHE lists NMU as accredited through March 25, 2027. NMU is not accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. State registration is not accreditation or endorsement.
Admissions can provide current registration and recognition information for review before enrollment.
Ph.D. and DBA in Human Resource Management
Connect with admissions to compare the Ph.D. and DBA in Human Resource Management and choose the path that fits your academic and professional goals.
Fill out the form to get personalized guidance and explore how New Meridian University can support your doctoral goals.
