Master of Business Administration with a Specialization in Human Resources Online
Rise as an essential executive leader by earning the online MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources. As the field of human resources has become more complex and sophisticated, professionals with this unique knowledge and specialized skillset have become more valuable to corporations in every industry.
Program Overview
Preview the key benefits of our online MBA in Human Resources
Empower yourself with the strategic thinking and practical skills to create and maintain a positive corporate culture. Learn how to advance organizational initiatives with the online MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources program from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Long gone are the days when employees would spend their entire careers working for just a few companies in exchange for a guaranteed pension upon retirement. As employees have become increasingly mobile and diversely motivated, employers recognize that recruiting, training and retaining a qualified workforce are of paramount importance. In this rigorous, AACSB-accredited Master of Business Administration in Human Resources program, you will learn how to balance the needs and desires of employees and employers and foster collaboration toward achievement of corporate goals.
In addition to developing critical thinking, negotiation, mediation and conflict resolution competencies, you will study issues relevant to today’s workplace, from sexual harassment and racial discrimination to wellness programs and social purpose engagement. Explore organizational behavior as well as ethics and leadership while gaining key insights into compensation, benefits, employment law, talent development and more.
You will also deepen your knowledge in core business management areas, including business law, accounting, information analysis, business analysis, operations management, economics, marketing, strategic management and more.
The Cameron School of Business features full-time professors with terminal degrees and practical management experience in the private sector. Learn from the same distinguished faculty members who teach in the on-campus program.
This AACSB-accredited business master's program requires far less financial investment than comparable MBA programs at other business schools in North Carolina while providing diverse options for customizing your degree to align with your career goals and interests. Benefit from fast 7-week courses, with no prerequisites or foundation courses required.
In this online MBA in Human Resources program, you will:
- Learn how to analyze existing scales pertaining to workplace performance, training, engagement, employee satisfaction, and turnover intentions
- Develop your understanding of the concepts and processes that are critical to short-term and long-term organizational decision-making
- Gain the skills to strategically manage staffing and the selection of human capital worldwide as well as learn to navigate the legal compliance within the U.S. employment context
- Become fluent in compensation and benefits concepts that contribute to achieving organizational goals
- Develop your core management skills with a specific look at problem-solving, conflict resolution, communication, team building and leadership
- Learn how to analyze existing scales pertaining to workplace performance, training, engagement, employee satisfaction, and turnover intentions
- Develop your understanding of the concepts and processes that are critical to short-term and long-term organizational decision-making
- Gain the skills to strategically manage staffing and the selection of human capital worldwide as well as learn to navigate the legal compliance within the U.S. employment context
- Become fluent in compensation and benefits concepts that contribute to achieving organizational goals
- Develop your core management skills with a specific look at problem-solving, conflict resolution, communication, team building and leadership
Career roles for graduates of this HR MBA program include:
- Human Resources Manager
- HR Generalist
- Recruitment Manager
- Employee Relations Consultant
- Human Resources Manager
- HR Generalist
- Recruitment Manager
- Employee Relations Consultant
Also available:
UNCW offers a variety of online business programs, including the online MBA in Healthcare Management and the online MBA in Entrepreneurship and Business Development.
Accreditation:
UNCW's Cameron School of Business is accredited by AACSB International (AACSB).
Tuition
Examine our budget-friendly tuition
Designed to be affordable and convenient, our tuition is an outstanding value and far less of a financial investment than many other North Carolina universities. We also offer pay-by-the-course tuition for our online programs. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
Tuition and fees are subject to change each academic year pending legislative approval. View more information on your cost of attendance.
| Program | Total Tuition & Fees* |
|---|---|
| MBA – Human Resources (in-state residents) | $19,920.96 |
| MBA – Human Resources (out-of-state residents) | $54,023.04 |
*Estimated tuition and fees are for the full program of study, presuming students are enrolled part-time. Please note the above amounts are estimates of tuition and fees only, based on current tuition rates (2025-2026). Textbooks, class materials, and future tuition and fee increases are not included. Additionally, university tuition is subject to change on an annual basis at the discretion of the UNC System Board of Governors.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Use these dates to plan your schedule
The online MBA in Human Resources program is delivered in a format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring rolling admission and six start dates each year. Choose the start date that best suits your goals.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2 | 6/30/25 | 6/7/25 | 6/7/25 | 7/2/25 | 7/7/25 | 8/17/25 |
| Fall 1 | 8/25/25 | 8/2/25 | 8/2/25 | 8/27/25 | 8/28/25 | 10/12/25 |
| Fall 2 | 10/20/25 | 9/27/25 | 9/27/25 | 10/22/25 | 10/23/25 | 12/7/25 |
| Spring 1 | 1/12/26 | 12/12/25 | 12/13/25 | 1/14/26 | 1/15/26 | 3/1/26 |
| Spring 2 | 3/9/26 | 2/14/26 | 2/14/26 | 3/11/26 | 3/12/26 | 4/26/26 |
| Summer 1 | 5/11/26 | 4/18/26 | 4/18/26 | 5/13/26 | 5/14/26 | 6/8/26 |
| Summer 2 | 6/29/26 | 6/6/26 | 6/6/26 | 7/1/26 | 7/6/26 | 8/16/26 |
Students must register for courses by 5 p.m. (EST) on the registration deadline date.
Students must remit tuition payment by 10 a.m. (EST) on the tuition deadline date.
Now enrolling:
Admissions
Applying to this MBA in Human Resources online program is simple
To apply for the MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources online, you must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or its equivalent at a foreign institution by the first official day of classes for the semester of application. Because UNCW considers applications on a rolling basis, you are urged to apply promptly for your preferred start date.
Admission Requirements:
- GMAT waived through 2025
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
- Resume and cover letter
MBA Online Admission Requirements:
Candidates are required to submit the following to the Graduate School:
- An application for graduate admission.
- Official transcripts of all college work (graduate and undergraduate). Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended should be mailed directly from the institution(s) to UNCW at the address below. Electronic password protected transcripts are preferred and may be sent directly from the institution to [email protected].
- UNCW Graduate School
Attn: Kimberly Goerne Harris
601 S. College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403-5955
- Two online recommendations including one from an employer or supervisor who can comment on the applicant’s work experience and potential for successful completion of a master’s program. Letters of recommendation may be waived if an applicant meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Five or more years of progressive managerial or military work experience
- A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher
- Completion of an advanced degree (graduate level or above) involving some quantitative coursework
- Resume and cover letter (statement of interest) indicating how your background has prepared you for the MBA program.
- A minimum of two years full time, post-baccalaureate professional work experience required for MBA programs.
- A minimum of 5 years full time, post-baccalaureate professional work experience is required for the MBA Executive Concentration.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in undergraduate work. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 must demonstrate professional experience/advancement that shows progression since graduation and indicates how they will contribute to the program.
- A GMAT score above 500, or an equivalent GRE. However, the GRE/GMAT is currently waived through the 2025 cycle for all programs.
- A minimum score of 79 on the internet based TOEFL iBT test or 6.5 on IELTS test is required for all non-native English speakers only, unless applicant earned their baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited US institution. Scores are good for two years from the date the test is administered.
- Application and all required supplemental documents must be submitted by the published deadline.
Have a question? Call us at 855-306-4734.
Courses
Check out the courses in the online MBA in Human Resources program
The MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources online curriculum is comprised of 12 courses (36 credit hours), including 30 credit hours of MBA core courses and six credit hours of electives.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify organizational problems that can be addressed through people analytics.
- Summarize various sources of people management data and how it can be collected, prepared for analysis, and stored securely so it can be analyzed using common analytics tools like Excel.
- Develop comfort and fluency with key statistical and finance/accounting concepts in a way that is useful for HR analytics.
- Explore basic HR analytics concepts (e.g., data analytic thinking, data management, data
modeling) and be comfortable with applying these tools to analyze and interpret actual
company HR issues. - Model HR analytics questions on common questions in people management, such as those related workforce planning, recruitment, training, pay, and turnover, using data sets.
- Develop skill in organizing findings and clearly and concisely presenting evidence-based
solutions to business leaders.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand legal constraints of staffing human capital within the US and apply that
knowledge to recruitment and staffing decisions - Conduct a strategic analysis of the organization and its environment to define and forecast
HR plans, staffing models, recruitment plans, and competency models aligned with
organizational strategy - Carry out job analyses and develop task and knowledge, skill, and ability inventories
- Design structed employment interviews and high-potential simulations
- Be able to conduct a job analysis and develop job descriptions and advertisements
- Navigate various avenues of applicant recruitment, using approaches which help recruiters identify qualified applicants likely to be a good fit within the organization
- Communicate with applicants the key aspects of the job and work context to ensure fit
- Develop content-valid selection tools/processes and interview items, understand validation processes and constraints, and utilize applicant data to make sound selection decisions.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the key principles of global human resource management and its cultural context.
- Analyze the different aspects of the HR function in international contexts such as sourcing, performance management, training, development, and compensation.
- Evaluate policies, practices, and functions in global HRM and their impact on organizational success.
- Develop effective strategies for managing expatriation and other international HR challenges.
- Apply theoretical concepts and practical tools to real-world scenarios in global HRM.
**Students taking a full-time course load throughout the program can complete it in as few as 12 months. Consult with your advisor.
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