1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 These regulations shall be read in conjunction with the Faculty Regulations and the General Regulations.

1.2 As a result of globalization and environment challenges such as the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP) and its successor the Zimbabwe Programme for Economic and Social Transformation (ZIMPREST), interest in the study of Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management has been growing tremendously and it continues to grow. It can be asserted almost uncontroversially that the growing interest in the subject in Zimbabwe has culminated in the introduction of a degree in Human Resource Management at Midlands State University.

1.3 Like elsewhere the world over, one of the key problems facing organizations in Zimbabwe is the sourcing and utilization of “labour resources” to provide the productive effort needed to achieve organizational goals. In reality an organization only exists through its people and cannot achieve success without their effort, commitment and loyalty. This can never be fully guaranteed since we are dealing with the most unpredictable resource, the human resource.

1.4 The overall task of human resource management therefore, is to develop strategies, policies and procedures, which will facilitate employee effort, commitment and loyalty. In short human resource management is about managing the employment relationship. If the organization is to achieve its goals the employment relationship needs to be stabilized and made reasonably predictable.

1.5 Human Resource Management can be seen in general terms as addressing crucial questions in three areas as follows:1047

1.5.1. Employee Relations

How we can manage relationships, both individual and collective, with and between members of the workforce so as to maintain peace, motivation and commitment.

1.5.2. Employee Resourcing

How we can ensure that the organization obtains the correct number and quality of people, their work is organized efficiently, that they are well rewarded and have conditions of work encouraging efficiency.

1.5.3. Employee Development

How we can develop our people to ensure that they fulfill the organization’s short and long term skill requirements.

 

2. CAREER PROSPECTS

2.1 The aim is to develop and equip the student with skills as a social scientist. Ultimately it is hoped that students will be provided with an opportunity for personal and career development so that they become graduates who are flexible and adaptable.

2.2 Job opportunities for Human Resource Management graduates exist in the following disciplines; Management, the Labour Movement, the Civil Service, Research, consultancy, the Law, Academia and many others.

3. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Normal Entry

For normal entry into BSc Human Resource Management Honours Degree programme, candidates should have at least two passes at `A’ Level in the following subjects: Accounting, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Management of Business and Any `A’ level area of study involving the study of Literature 1048

3.2 Special Entry

3.2.1. Candidates who have successfully completed the Institute of People Management of Zimbabwe (IPMZ) National Diploma or have obtained equivalent qualifications may apply for entry into BSc Human Resource Management Honours degree programme.

3.2.2. Candidates admitted under 3.2 may be exempted from certain modules at the discretion of the department.

3.2.3. No candidates admitted under regulation 3.2 shall complete the degree programme in less than three years.

3.3 Mature Entry

Refer to Section 3.3 of the General Regulations.

3.4 Visiting School

3.4.1 The aim of the visiting school programme is to provide academic support to those Human Resource Management practitioners who are already in the field but need to upgrade their skills in the area. Ordinarily, these individuals hold qualifications lower than BSc in Human Resource Management studies.

3.4.2 The degree programme will be completed in three years with academic levels 2 and 3 running concurrently.

3.4.3 To qualify for normal entry into the BSc Human Resource Management Studies Programme (Visiting School), candidates should have at least five `O’ level passes including English and Mathematics. In addition, a candidate must have;

Either

A Diploma in Human Resource management

OR

Any other relevant tertiary qualification

And

– At least 5 years working experience in the relevant field

– Proof of employment in a relevant field.

4. GENERAL PROVISIONS

4.1 The Bachelor of Science Human Resource Management Honours Degree is a four year programme.

4.2 Students go for work related learning during the third level of study

 

5. ASSESSMENT

5.1 Methods of assessment shall include continuous assessment, examinations, work related learning supervision and dissertation.

5.2 The weighting will be computed as follows:

Continuous Assessment 40%

Examination 60%

5.3 Dissertation

5.3.1. After a dissertation has been submitted and marked, a student may be required to defend it before the Departmental Board of Examiners.

5.3.2. The highest mark that may be awarded to a dissertation submitted after due date is 50%.

5.3.3. A dissertation that attains a failure mark within supplementable range may be resubmitted within three months after the publication of results and the highest mark attainable shall be 50%

6. FAILURE TO SATIFY EXAMINERS

Refer to Section 9 of the General Regulations.

7. WORK RELATED LEARNING GENERAL GUIDELINES

Refer to Section 8 of the Faculty Regulations.

8. PROVISION FOR PROGRESSION

Refer to Section 6 of the Faculty Regulations.

9. GRADING AND DEGREE CLASSIFICATION

Refer to Section 10 of the Faculty Regulations

10. DEGREE WEIGHTING

Refer to Section 11 of the Faculty Regulations.

11. HONORARY DEGREES

Honorary Degrees will be awarded to individuals who will have distinguished themselves in the field of Human Resource Management and Community Service. The Human Resource Management Department may offer the following degrees:

Honoris causa

11.1 Doctor of Public Service (D.P.S)

11.2 Doctor of Science (DSc)

12. PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Level 1 Semester 1 (All modules are compulsory)

Code	Description	Credits
HRM 109	Industrial Relations	4
HRM 102	Principles of Economics	4
HRM 101	Management and Labour	4
CS 101	Basic of Communication Skills	4
HCS 115	Introduction to Information Technology	4
HRM 119	Principles of Accounting	4

Level 1 Semester 2

Code	Description	Credits
HRM 104	Labour Economics	4
HRM 112	Organisational Communication	4
HRM 113	Principles of Training	4
HRM 115	Principles of Sociology	4
HRM 117	Principles of Human Resource Management	4
PSY 102	Principles of Psychology	4

Level 2 Semester 1

Code	Description	Credits
HRM 202	Organizational Behaviour	4
HRM 213	Human Resource Policy and Practice	4
HRM 214	Principles of Marketing	4
HRM 215	Business Law 1	4
GS201	Introduction to Gender Studies	4
HRM 219	HIV/AIDS in the Workplace	4

Level 2 Semester 2

Code	Description	Credits
HRM 203	Elements of Labour Law	4
HRM 207	Social Research Methods	4
HRM 210	Work Place Industrial Relations	4
HRM 212	Occupational Health and Safety	4
HRM 218	Business Law 2	4
HRM 220	Public Sector HRM	4

Level 3 Semester 1 and 2: Work Related Learning

Code	Description	Credits
HRM 301	Work Related Learning Report	15
HRM 302	Academic Supervisor’s Report	15
HRM 303	Employer’s Assessment Report	10

Level 4 Semester 1

Code	Description	Credits
HRM 402	Management of Change	4
HRM 403	Strategic Human Resource Management	4
HRM 410	Leadership and Ethics	4
HRM 409	Human Resource Development	4

Level 4 Semester 2

Code	Description	Credits
HRM 401	Comparative Industrial Relations	4
HRM 406	Dissertation	4
HRM 411	Entrepreneurship	4
HRM 412	Gender and the World of Work	4

MODULE SYNOPSES

HRM101 MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR

The module serves as the basis of introducing students to key theories and concepts of the evolution of management and labour issues. At the end of the module students are expected to understand the hostilities that exist between management and labour and be able to think critically, analyse the innate conflict between the two groups and come up with solutions of managing the conflict. Students will appreciate the origins of various approaches and models that shape the discipline of people management.

HRM 102 PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS

This module is intended to enable students to: Understand and appreciate basic economic principles. For example, students will be exposed to the principle of supply and demand and shown how this affects the management of the human resource.

HRM 104 LABOUR ECONOMICS

This module is intended to enable students to; examine how labour markets operate in practice, introducing the concepts of unemployment and wage rigidity; analyse labour market theories in relation to human resource management with a focus on the `flexibility’ notion.

HRM 109 INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

This module is intended to enable students to; Understand and appreciate the employment relationship; understand and appreciate the origins of industrial relations and the `worker problem’; understand the theoretical issues underpinning the collective bargaining role of trade unions.

PSY 102 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

Refer to the Department of Psychology.

HRM 112 ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION

This module is intended to enable students to; understand the meaning and role of communication in an organization with specific reference to the management of the human resource; understand the different strategies which managers can use to enhance the effectiveness of communication in an organization, understand the barriers to effective communication in an organization and how to overcome them.

HRM 113 PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING

The module is intended to enable the students to; understand and appreciate the training of employees, evaluation of training and understand and assess the skills required in the organizations.

HRM 115 PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY

This module is intended to enable students to; understand the human being as a social entity and understand the influence of formal and informal relationships on the human being. It explains how individual behaviour is shaped and constrained by culture.

HRM 117 PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMNT

The module is intended to enable students to understand and appreciate the origins and current role of human resource management and the academic debates around the future direction of the occupation. Students will appreciate the distinction between the Industrial Relations model and the HRM model with regard to the relationship between workers and their unions on one hand and the management and owner of businesses on the other hand. The module exposes students to some of the key theories and approaches to HRM. It also explores the philosophy of Human Resource Management vis-a-vis Traditional Personnel Management.

HRM 119 PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTING

This module is intended to enable students to; have an appreciation of basic accounting principles, understand how accounting statements are prepared and be able to interpret them for decision making in the management of the Human Resource.

GS 201 INTRODUCTION TO GENDER STUDIES

Refer to the Department of Gender Studies

HRM 202 ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

This module is intended to enable students to; understand and appreciate the behavioural and management science revolution, appreciate the various systems in organizations, analyse individual behavior, motivation and leadership; understand the meaning of organizational culture and how it influences the way workers behave in the organization.

HRM 203 ELEMENTS OF LABOUR LAW

This module is intended to enable students to; highlight the basis and significance of the contract in the employment relationship. It enables students to analyse the contract of employment in terms of the legal regulations of economic activity within the labour market.

HRM 207 SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS

This module is intended to enable students to; understand the techniques widely used in gathering, interpretation, analysis and presentation of data in social science research. It exposes students to both quantitative and qualitative techniques of research.

HRM 210 WORKPLACE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

This module is intended to enable students to; analyse real life workplace industrial relations problems and cases and come up with practical and workable solutions. Students gain a broader understanding of the situation they are going to encounter during their work related learning.

HRM 212 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

This module is intended to enable students to; to appreciate the need for effective management of health and safety programmes in the workplace; conceptualize issues of environmental health and safety and occupational health; examine various theoretical strands to issues of environmental and occupational health; identify and discuss different forms of health and subsequent occupational intervention strategies; outline various organizational stressors among employees in Zimbabwe and strategies for managing such; familiarize with various statutory requirements governing occupational health and safety and identify causes of occupational hazards and accidents and methods of dealing or preventing such.

HRM 213 HUMAN RESOURCE POLICY AND PRACTICE

This module is intended to enable to understand the meaning and differences between human resource policies and procedures. Students will appreciate the nature and content of human resource strategies and how to develop them, e.g. employee resourcing, employee reward, etc. students will familiarize with key human resource policy areas and the respective procedures.

HRM 214 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING

The module seeks to give students an appreciation of the marketing function and the day to day activities of the same. The rationale is that the Human Resource function should have an understanding of the marketing function as the interface with the organisations’ external stakeholders, to find ways to contribute to the bottom line.

HRM 215 BUSINESS LAW 1

The module gives an introduction to general principles of law and its interpretation. The module includes such laws as the law of contract and sales, agency, negotiable instruments, insurance, partnerships, law of delict, insolvency and consumer protection. It will enable human Resource practitioners to operate effectively in a highly litigious industrial relations environment.

HRM 218 BUSINESS LAW 2

The module gives a thorough understanding of Company Law and how companies should be run and directed. Human resource students will also be equipped with the skills necessary for good corporate governance practice. An understanding of case law and statute laws will also enable students in appreciating the use of judicial precedents in making correct judgements.

HRM 219 HIV/AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE

This module is intended to enable students to; understand the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS at the workplace and craft comprehensive HIV/AIDS policies and proffer workable strategies to help the infected and affected for the benefit of the organisation and society at large. Students will also appreciate the various statutory instruments or labour laws on HIV/AIDS to safeguard against possible litigation on discrimination in the recruitment and selection, promotion, termination of employment, etc. of people living with HIV/AIDS.

HRM 220 PUBLIC SECTOR HRM

The module explores HR practices in governmental and quasi-governmental organisations like local authorities and parastatals. The role of government policy influencing such practices is articulated since government provides the legal framework for such HR practices. The themes to be covered include the legal framework of HR practice in governmental and non-govermental organisations, recruitment and selection practices, staff retention practices, talent management practices, HRP, performance management, reward management, disciplinary procedure and organisational ethics.

HRM 401 COMPARATIVE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

This module is intended to enable students to; investigate the extent to which globalization has brought about similarities in industrial Relations systems between countries and in particular countries in the SADC and EU and examine the difficulties in framing, interpretation and enforcement of social legislation.

HRM 402 MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE

This module is intended to enable students to; understand what change is and why it is important to manage it; understand the various models and types of change; understand the significance of change and how they can facilitate change in organizations and understand resistance to change and how to overcome it.

HRM 403 STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

This module is intended to enable students to; understand what policies and strategies are how they usually develop, describe the basic types of strategies and policies, show how strategies may be implemented in practice and suggest guidelines to help make strategies and policies in practice.

HRM 409 LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS

The module exposes students to various theories and approaches to leadership. It also enables students to appreciate the various ethical dilemmas leaders face in the work situation.

HRM 410 HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

The module is intended to enable students to; know how managers can invest in the workforce to promote both individual and organisational effectiveness. The students will be exposed to such issues as career management, succession management, management development programmes, etc.

HRM 411 ENTREPRENEURSHIP

This module is intended to enable students to appreciate the significance of entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe; appreciate the entrepreneurial processes- from finding and evaluating good business opportunities to new venture start-up and growth issues. Students will also learn the importance of entrepreneurial behaviour as a critical success factor in new business creation.

HRM 412 GENDER AND THE WORLD OF WORK

This module enables students to appreciate the impact of gender on how employees relate at the work place. It analyses issues such as discrimination, equal opportunities, sexual harassment, workplace romance, workers with family responsibilities, work -life balance etc. It also gives students an appreciation of the international legal framework concerning gender issues in Zimbabwe and whole the world.

HRM 404 MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS

This module is intended to enable students to; understand and appreciate the importance of making decisions to create a product; decisions to create demand; decisions to create capacity. It is also intended to make students appreciate managerial economics at a deeper level.

HRM 407 MICRO-COMPUTERS IN HRM

The quality of decisions made about people and the quality of services provided by the HR department are largely dependent on the quality of information and records available. In this regard this module seeks to; expose students to the potential benefits of Information Technology (IT) as applied in a computerized human resource information system. The module will alert students to some of the problems affecting the use of IT in the management of the human resource.