ThEngler College of Business launched a new master’s degree in Human Resources this academic year, and already it has experienced rapid growth. The MS-SHRM (Strategic Human Resource Management) currently has 22 students enrolled, exceeding initial expectations.
“We are hoping to get to 40-50 students when the new semester starts, said Dr. Andrew Li, Management Discipline Coordinator. “We have updated the curriculum to make it more appealing to HR practitioners. For example in Fall 2025 we are going to offer a course related to HR Analytics, and in Spring 2026 we are going to offer an OSHA class. Those are classes that are very specific to HR and may be appealing to HR professionals.”
The Management faculty has also been working diligently to grow the program. “We have done a lot of promotions,” Li continued. “For example, we have reached out to the chapter presidents of Texas SHRM to invite them to enroll in our program. We have also reached out to our students who are graduating either with a BBA or MBA, and have shared the program with them.”
While the degree requires 31 hours in coursework, someone with an MBA will be able to complete the degree in only 22 hours. It is possible to complete it in only one year, making it an attractive supplemental degree.
“We have one year under our belt, and we want to make our program more appealing to students,” Li said proudly. “We are trying to solicit feedback from our students as to what changes we can make, and what they would like to see. We plan to do a focus group with existing students to help guide the program.”
The new degree has also required a lot of academic development, because there are six new courses that the Management faculty have never taught before. In the process, though, they have been able to craft a program that trains professionals for what is a rapidly growing field of work.