Human Resources and Labor Relations (Master's) at Michigan State University

Programme overview

The Master of Human Resources and Labor Relations (MHRLR) at Michigan State University is a professional programme covering human resource management, labor relations and workplace law. Cohorts are kept to 50-60 students per year, with class sizes of about 20-30, and the curriculum is SHRM academically aligned. A shared BA/BS-MHRLR pathway and a dual MHRLR/JD with the MSU College of Law are also offered.

Faculty: School of Human Resources and Labor Relations | Department: School of Human Resources and Labor Relations | Duration: 36 credit hours (12 courses) | Intake: Spring and Fall | Study mode: full-time | Location: East Lansing, MI, United States

What you will study

A 12-course, 36-credit curriculum spanning eight core knowledge areas, with 5 required courses (HR Practices and Decisions, Organizational Behavior for HR and LR, Collective Bargaining, Economics of HR, Quantitative Methods for HR Analyses) and 7 electives such as Compensation, Talent Acquisition, HR Strategy, International HR, Labor Law, Employment Law, Leadership, Negotiations and HR Analytics; a study abroad course in South Korea is available.

Career pathways

The school places master's students in internships and full-time HR and labor relations roles, with 20-25 companies recruiting on campus each year; summer internships average $36/hour and the average salary for recent graduates is $86,000.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants submit an online application, a personal statement, official transcripts, three letters of recommendation (two from faculty or instructors; the third may be from an employer or academic advisor) and a resume. GRE or GMAT is optional; applicants who do not submit scores provide an Academic Statement instead. International applicants need TOEFL iBT 100 (no sub-score below 19, writing at least 22), paper-based 560 or computer-based 225, or IELTS overall 7, and must show proof of funding of $39,000. Spring 2027 document deadline: October 15, 2026; Fall 2027 applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the cohort is full.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants can start in fall (late August), spring (January) or summer (May) in the MPH programme; intake terms for other graduate programmes are set by each department or program.

The graduate application fee is $75 for domestic and international applicants, with one fee per application; applicants may submit up to two applications to different graduate majors per semester. Applications are reviewed by the department or program, which sets its own deadlines.

MPH application deadlines (SOPHAS completion): fall May 18, spring October 18, summer February 15; MSU supplemental application: fall June 1, spring November 1, summer March 1.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.msu.edu/apply/graduate-students

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