92 | JADE
AIKATERINI KOSKINA
Rationale and objectives
The stated aim of the bachelors’ degrees at Keele University is to
develop ‘a well rounded graduate who is capable of making positive
and valued contribution in a complex and rapidly changing world’
(Programme Handbook). This is in line with the University’s strategic
plans 2015-2020 to provide not only programmes of study that are
current, academically rigorous and vocationally relevant, but also
help students acquire the necessary skills to make a smooth transition
from education to work. Developing Professional Knowledge and
Practice in HRM is a second year undergraduate module designed
to help students manage that transition successfully. Specifically,
this module is designed for HRM students and seeks to address
employability knowledge and skills as part of the professional
accreditation of the undergraduate HRM courses by the Chartered
Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
The module aims to develop a critical understanding of a range of
issues that are central to the HRM profession and the competencies
needed by HR professionals. Specific objectives addressed by the
module include:
• To demonstrate a critical understanding of HRM as a profession.
• To develop knowledge of contemporary business issues
affecting the HR function in various environments.
• To analyse the business and external contexts of HRM and their
implications for employment practice.
• To demonstrate a critical awareness of own knowledge and
skills in relation to the HR profession through reflective practice.
Development
Having established that an employability module would enhance the
curriculum, its development progressed through three key stages.
Stage 1 focused on the design of the module’s content. Both primary
and secondary research was conducted in order to determine
what knowledge, skills and attributes needed to be addressed by
the module. Primary research involved interviews with graduate
recruiters, career specialists and former students. Secondary
research involved the review of various publications mainly by the
CIPD and the Higher Education Academy.
This stage established the parameters of the module and the skills
it should be addressing:
• Identification and evaluation of HRM and organisational issues