How Much Human Resource Management Education is Enough? Examining Business Program Core Curricula

Abstract

The financial costs of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation to employers and the impact these actions have on employees are well-documented in the literature and litigation records. Despite these costs and the personal impact incurred by these actions, the number of discrimination charges remains remarkably high. While businesses in the U.S. have instituted training related to sexual harassment and diversity, equity, and inclusion, most business schools have not made curricular changes to help combat the problem. Based on the author’s research, fewer than 8% of public university business schools in the U.S. require any type of Human Resource Management courses in the required business core curriculum. This suggests that many students are not exposed sufficiently to information concerning employment law, recruitment and hiring, disparate treatment, adverse impact, retaliation, and other important human resource management topics that all organizational leaders and employees need to know.