The Graduate Certificate in International Human Resources and Labor Relations responds to the increasing influence of globalization on the practice of Human Resource Management and the conduct of Labor Relations. Firms and unions are increasingly part of a complex web of international economic relationships. Many of the workplace innovations now taken for granted began overseas: quality circles, work groups and flatter hierarchies. Many firms operate overseas under very different labor market institutions and human resource expectations.

This program of study provides practical and theoretical knowledge designed to help students function as professionals in the increasing broad international context of human resource management and labor relations.

Admission Requirements 

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Eligibility and Admission

Students applying for the Certificate Program in International Human Resources and Labor Relations must hold a bachelor’s degree and must have earned a 2.75 GPA overall or must furnish substantial evidence of ability to succeed in graduate-level work. Students admitted to the Certificate will be expected to present at least three credits of prior work in microeconomics and three credits in statistics.

Application

  • Students wishing to obtain this certificate must declare their intention by applying to the program office or director.
  • All graduate certificate applicants—even those already enrolled in a UWM graduate program—must apply to the Graduate School through the Panthera Admission Application.
  • Graduate degree and previously admitted graduate non-degree students who decide to pursue a certificate program must submit the Panthera application before completing 6 credits in the certificate sequence.
  • Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree and have a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate grade point average to be admitted into a certificate program.

Credits and Courses

Required 1
IND REL 701Industrial and Labor Relations3
ECON 755Comparative Labor Markets and Employment Relations3
BUSMGMT 723Managing and Negotiating Across Borders3
BUS ADM 738Human Resource Management3
or BUS ADM 795 Seminar-in-Management:
Recommended
The following courses are recommended but not required:
Independent Study
Reading and Research
Internship in Industrial Relations
Total Credits12
1

Course substitutions would be allowed with the consent of the MHRLR Director for those who had previously completed similar coursework. 

Additional Requirements

Transfer Credit

No more than 20% of the required credits may be taken at an institution other than UWM. These courses are subject to Graduate School transfer policy and must be approved by the director of the certificate program.

Grade Point Average Requirement

A minimum cumulative 3.00 grade point average in certificate courses taken at UWM is required.

Articulation with Degree Programs

  1. Credits and courses required for a certificate may double count toward meeting UWM graduate degree requirements subject to the following restrictions:
    • Degree programs must approve the courses from certificates that can double count toward the degree.
    • All credits taken in completion of certificate requirements may count towards a UWM graduate degree as long as they do not contribute more than 90% of the total credits needed to obtain the degree. (Note: Students in PhD programs must still complete the minimum residency requirements)
    • Certificate courses used toward meeting degree requirements must be completed within the time limit for transfer credit.
  2. Courses completed for a degree may be counted toward a subsequent certificate, subject to all certificate policy requirements.
  3. A course may count toward no more than one certificate and one degree.
  4. Students may not earn a certificate subsequent to a concentration in the same area.

Time Limit

Certificate program time limits shall be established as follows:

  • 18 or fewer credits/Three years from initial enrollment in the certificate sequence.
  • 19 or more credits/Four years from initial enrollment in the certificate sequence.

For certificates that are designed as add-ons to degree programs and are awarded concurrent with the degree, the time limit shall be the same as that of the degree program.