Human Resources




What is Human Resources Management/ Industrial Relations?

Human Resources Management is the specific process of staffing, training, developing, motivating, and appraising a sufficient quantity of qualified employees to perform activities necessary to accomplish organizational objectives.  It involves developing precise activities and an overall organizational climate to generate maximum employee satisfaction and efficiency.

Industrial Relations involves managing the relationship between union and non-union workers in all work settings.  Course work emphasizes the unionization process, collective bargaining, the collective agreement, and mediation/arbitration.  As a Human Resources Management/ Industrial Relations major, you will learn skills essential to supervising or managing others, including interpersonal communication, problem-solving and decision making, conflict resolution, training, and negotiation.


Career Opportunities

As a graduate, you may start in a number of areas such as planning, staffing, compensation, training, evaluating, health and safety, or collective bargaining.  Graduates are currently employed as human resource managers, directors of industrial relations, labour relations specialists, occupational health and safety coordinators, and recruitment specialists.  Employment opportunities in the Human Resources Management/Industrial Relations field exist in private business enterprise, public institutions, labour unions, and not-for-profit organizations.

Professional Certifications Available After Graduation

  • CHRP: Certified Human Resources Professional
  • IPMA-CA: Canadian Personnel Professional
  • IHRIM: Membership with the International Association for HR Information Management

Honours Bachelor of Commerce Requirements for Human Resource Management/ Industrial Relations Major

Please cross reference both the program structure and all courses listed on this page with the University Course Calendar for any updates.  Please review the overall structure and Faculty Regulations of Business programs for more information.


YEAR ONE (HB Commerce: Human Resource Management/ Industrial Relations Major)


Admission Requirement

The minimum requirement is satisfactory completion of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) including 6 Ontario Academic Courses (or equivalent) with an overall average of at least 70%.  Students must have completed OAC English I (or equivalent).  Two of the three OAC maths (or equivalents) are recommended.  Students with one of the three OAC maths will be considered.

Required Courses

Note: scroll down the linked page of "View Calendar Description" to find the specific course.

Elective Courses


YEAR TWO (HB Commerce: Human Resource Management/ Industrial Relations Major)


Admission Requirement

Satisfactory completion of all courses required for Year I - Honours Bachelor of Commerce with an overall average of at least 60%.

Required Courses

Note: scroll down the linked page of "View Calendar Description" to find the specific course.


YEAR THREE (HB Commerce: Human Resource Management/ Industrial Relations Major)


Admission Requirement

  • Satisfactory completion of Year II - Honours Bachelor of Commerce with an overall average of at least 70% based on all Year II courses
  • The student must meet the pre-requisite for each elective selected.

Required Courses

Note: scroll down the linked page of "View Calendar Description" to find the specific course.



Elective Courses

  • One and One Half FCE Business OR Economic Electives
    • View Business Course Calendar Descriptions
    • View Economic Course Calendar Descriptions
    • Take one and a half FCEs from the following courses:
      • Business 3033 - Management Information Systems
      • Business 3051 - Law
      • Business 4018 - Training and Development
      • Business 4058 - Current Issues in Human Resources Management
      • Business 4078 - Communications for Managers
      • Business 4098 - Human Resource Planning
      • Business 4218 - Managing Organizational Change
      • Business 4278 - Compensation Management
      • Business 4298/Nursing 4272 - Occupational Health and Safety
      • Business 4418 - Administering the Collective Agreement
      • Business 4438 - Strategies in Negotiation
      • Business 4458 - Managing Diversity
      • Economics 3111 - Labour Economics
  • One Open FCE Elective

YEAR FOUR (HB Commerce: Human Resource Management/ Industrial Relations Major)


Required Courses

Note: scroll down the linked page of "View Calendar Description" to find the specific course.



Elective Courses

  • Two FCE Business OR Economic Electives
    • View Business Course Calendar Descriptions
    • View Economic Course Calendar Descriptions
    • Take two FCEs from the following courses:
      • Business 3033 - Management Information Systems
      • Business 3051 - Law
      • Business 4238 - Research in Human Resources Management
      • Business 4258 - Research in Labour Relations
      • Business 4018 - Training & Development
      • Business 4058 - Current Issues in Human Resources Management
      • Business 4078 - Communications for Managers
      • Business 4098 - Human Resource Planning
      • Business 4218 - Managing Organizational Change
      • Business 4278 - Compensation Management
      • Business 4298/Nursing 4272 - Occupational Health and Safety
      • Business 4418 - Administering the Collective Agreement
      • Business 4438 - Strategies in Negotiation
      • Business 4458 - Managing Diversity
      • Economics 3111 - Labour Economics
  • One and One Half Open FCE Electives
  • One Non-Business Open FCE Elective