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Course details

MSc in People Analytics (Online)

Mode: 100% online (with optional events)
Length:  two years (part-time)
Total course fees:  £10,600 (instalments and funding options available)
Start dates:  January, May and September
Next welcome week:  20 May 2024
Next start date:  28 May 2024
Application deadline:  13 May 2024

Additional costs: due to the nature of the subject, and copyright restrictions placed on institutional libraries by some publishers, students will need to purchase some core texts.

Support with your application: Contact our course adviser team today for application advice.

APPLICATION PROCESS ❯

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This MSc is part of the Hull University Business School, a leading UK business school with internationally recognised accreditations from the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Why this MSc?

People Analytics isn’t just about using HR data to manage people at work. It’s about making theory- and data-driven decisions to improve your organisation’s effectiveness.

With our MSc in People Analytics, you will learn how to assess workplace behaviours and connect them to your organisation’s wider strategy.

This course combines different specialisms that will help you see how variables from different areas of an organisation are interrelated. You will get an advanced understanding of Organisational Behaviour (OB), Human Resource Management (HRM), HR Data Analytics, and Psychometrics.

You will learn to develop and apply a variety of psychological and statistical tools, including specialist software and psychometric instruments, within the workplace. You will be trained in quantitative and qualitative research methods so that you can make more strategic and data-informed decisions.

You will also become skilled in how to interpret and visualise HR data, so that you can explain your insights to your organisation’s key decision-makers and make suggestions for improving performance.

Organisations in all sectors are looking to develop their analytics capabilities. Whether your background is in HR, marketing or another function, this MSc will give you the data literacy and analytics skills that organisations need right now to become more effective.

People Analytics Glossary

Discover the key terms professionals in the people analytics field need to know:

READ MORE ❯

Looking for something shorter?

Get up to speed on the latest practices, topics and tools in just 15 weeks with the online People Analytics PG Award.  

How far you go is up to you. Available as a stand-alone level 7 award, this is a sought-after qualification in its own right. 

But it’s also a springboard to even greater success. Pass the PG Award and you’ll be guaranteed a spot on the full online MSc, already equipped with 30 credits towards your final degree. 

APPLY NOW ❯

Join Programme Director, Igor Menezes and an international community of coursemates for The Science and Practice of People Analytics, to enhance your knowledge, skillset, and professional network.  

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Next start date:

Jan 2024

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Duration:

15 weeks (part-time)

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Total fees:

£1,700

 
Gabor Nagy

"The content matched my interests perfectly; it really resonated with me."

Gabor Nagy, Assessment Consultant and MSc student

READ THE Q&A ❯

What you learn

Organisations in all sectors need individuals who understand how OB, HRM, leadership, business strategies and people analytics are interrelated. During this course, you will learn about the key concepts in OB and HRM, such as psychological constructs (e.g. organisational climate, culture, commitment, turnover) and HRM practices (e.g. recruitment and selection, training and development, and performance appraisal).

You will learn how to design and implement the right People Analytics projects to inform and support whatever strategic goals your organisation is working towards. You will gain the ability to see complex situations as a whole and decide which tools and methods are most appropriate to different projects.

You will assess the impact projects will make within your organisation and their value to managers and decision-makers. You will also learn about data governance, including implementing privacy and anonymity policies, and how to implement practices to protect employee data from theft and abuse.

Throughout the course, you will gain the knowledge and confidence to

  • Use quantitative and qualitative research methods, including identifying and formulating a research problem in people analytics, research design and procedures for data collection and data analysis
  • Develop, adapt and validate psychometric instruments
  • Use analytic techniques in statistics and data science such as descriptive and inferential statistics, unsupervised and supervised machine learning algorithms and text mining
  • Use software for data science, such as Microsoft Excel, R and/or Python. Process and wrangle data
  • Report results and create data visualisation strategies in a clear, concise and credible way

By the end of the course, you will have the confidence to create a People Analytics project that will maximise individual and organisational performance.

Why specialise in people analytics?

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72% of organisations say analytics help them generate valuable insights - SAS

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51% of mid-sized and 45% of large companies are investing more on HR technology - LinkedIn

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The HR analytics market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 14.2% from 2020 to 2027 - Grand View Research

Course modules

This programme’s modules have been thoughtfully designed by our academics to advance your growth as a valued expert in people analytics.

Through your studies, you’ll master how to critically evaluate business problems and use analytic strategies to solve them. You can look forward to learning new research paradigms and measurement techniques, a range of psychological and statistical tools, and how to create effective data visualisations to communicate your work.

You study the following compulsory modules.

The Science and Practice of People Analytics (30 credits) Grey


This introductory module breaks down all the fundamentals of People Analytics by addressing the most up-to-date and relevant practices, topics and tools involved in the field. You will explore the many facets of this interdisciplinary field — particularly its relevance within HR — including how organisational psychology, psychometrics and data science are used to understand human behaviour within organisations and help guide strategic decision-making.

The module also provides an introduction to the use of R software and other data-gathering instruments, as well as the guidelines surrounding the ethical use of data, including GDPR, the Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Data Ethics Framework.

Research Methods: Designing a People Analytics Project (30 credits) Grey

 

On this module, you will have the opportunity to put research into practice by learning how to identify business problems and develop a corresponding People Analytics project. Using qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methods, you will learn how specific evidence-based techniques can address HR problems and challenges, and will explore all aspects of a People Analytics project, including participants, materials and instruments, data collection and analysis procedures, and the surrounding ethical aspects.
Psychometrics: Development and Validation of Research Instruments (30 credits) Grey


On this module, you will learn the central concepts of psychological measurement and how its use pertains to the field of People Analytics. You will explore the fundamentals of psychometric theories — Item Response Theory and Classical Test Theory — as well as how to develop and validate psychological instruments through the use of R software.

Critically, the module also emphasises ethics within the application of psychological testing, and will show you how to work within specific ethical and professional frameworks.

Delivering People Analytics: Predictive Modelling, Text Mining and Data Visualisation (30 credits) Grey


The many aspects of People Analytics come together on this module, where you will learn how to effectively and efficiently deliver a People Analytics project. You will unpack the various steps within a People Analytics project, including the variables included and what methods, tools and algorithms you should use in your delivery. From there, you will use a hands-on approach to learning data analysis, and will be introduced to text mining techniques and advanced machine learning algorithms, as well as how to interpret your results clearly and ethically in corresponding business reports.

Capstone Project (60 credits) Grey


Combining the lessons you have learned on previous modules, you will develop your own People Analytics project on a topic of your interest. You will address a specific business issue through the use of thoughtful research questions, targeted methodology, research literature and in-depth data analysis with either data from your current employer, government open data or through public datasets.

Your Capstone Project could take the form of:

  • Formal dissertation

  • Development of a computer program, app, or package to address a specific need in people analytics

  • White paper or peer-reviewed paper

  • Development and/or implementation of policies intended to address people analytics-related problems

  • Technical report focused on the formulation of business strategies connected to people analytics

Example Capstone Project topics could include:

  • The use of machine learning for recruitment and selection

  • The development of an R package for people analytics

  • How machine learning and psychometrics can be combined to enable better decision-making in people analytics

  • How strategic human resource management could benefit from a people analytics approach

Teaching team

Our staff hold a rich array of both academic and industry experience to support your learning goals. With their expertise, you’ll be able to explore a range of topics within the field with a new level of depth and insight. 
Igor Menezes

Dr Igor Menezes

Programme Director

Dr Menezes is a psychometrician, BPS Chartered Psychologist and lecturer in OBHRM and People Analytics at Hull University Business School. He has implemented people analytics projects in some of the largest consulting companies around the world.  His research interests include matching modern techniques from machine learning and psychometrics for the investigation of organisational behaviours.  You can read his full profile here.

 

Dr Nicola J Bowman

Dr Nicola J Bowman

Online Tutor
Nicola has worked as an Associate Lecturer and Programme Leader for MBA programmes for over 10 years. She has worked as a HR practitioner and keeps her occupational expertise up to date through voluntary consultancy HR work with a variety of organisations. Nicola completed her Doctor of Business Leadership in 2021 and her recent research publications include presenting at the CIPD Applied Research conference in 2022.
Jersica Lozado

Jersica Lozado

Online Tutor
Jersica is a psychometrician, teacher, and People Analytics specialist currently finishing her PhD in Organizational Psychology, researching predictive models for open innovation in startups. Jersica is experienced in the development of psychometric tests in high-stakes situations, such as the hiring process. Jersica also worked with large companies to provide assessment tools for management use and decision-making. 

How you're assessed

Throughout this MSc in People Analytics, you'll be assessed on:

  • Your knowledge of and capability to apply analytic tools in different business contexts

  • Your ability to design analytic strategies to solve business problems

  • Your ability to critically evaluate analytic tools and strategies

All assessment is based on coursework and submitted online. There are no exams, giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your research and report-writing skills over a longer period.

Assessment methods

Instead, your performance on the programme will be evaluated through a range of methods, including:

  • Ongoing tutor and peer feedback

  • Practical work, including group projects and discussion forums

Written assessments

You’ll also be asked to complete a variety of written assessments, such as:

  • An individual proposal of an HR challenge translated into a research problem that could guide the development of a People Analytics project

  • An individual report detailing the steps taken for the design of a psychological instrument

  • An individual report in which you go through the steps of developing and delivering a People Analytics project – including data preparation, feature selection, data analysis, and data reporting using statistical software

What are the entry requirements?

If you're unsure whether you're eligible to apply, please get in touch with our friendly course adviser team for advice:

DISCUSS MY OPTIONS ❯

Career prospects

Individuals with data analytics skills are in high demand in the labour market. Research conducted by Deloitte has found that while 71% percent of companies view people analytics as a high priority need, only 8% report having usable data.

Companies increasingly understand that to become more effective, they need data literate and analytically savvy staff within their businesses.

On completion of this MSc, you’ll possess expert knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative research methods to drive more strategic, data-informed decisions around individual and organisational behaviours.

You can look forward to demonstrating your expertise by using advanced techniques from statistics, machine learning, and psychometrics. You’ll be able to process and analyse data sets, create data analysis plans to maximise performance, and communicate your work clearly and effectively.

The capabilities and confidence that you can expect to gain during your time with us will help you become a valued and highly employable data science professional.

Roles open to you as an MSc in People Analytics graduate could include:

  • People Analyst / HR Analyst

  • People Analytics Manager / Director

  • HR Data Analyst

  • Talent Analytics Specialist

  • HR Business Partner

  • Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Analyst

  • Psychometrician

  • Psychometrician Behavioural Scientist

  • Computational Social Scientist

Find out more about these roles in our guide to People Analytics jobs.

Ready to apply?

Our step-by-step application process is easy to follow.

 

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