Bachelor Human Resource Studies: People Management

Human Resource Studies: People Management BSc

3 years English Starts end of August

In the Bachelor Human Resource Studies: People Management, you will study the human side of business. You will focus on the performance and efficiency of organizations as well as the well-being of their employees, through topics like work happiness, inclusion, strategic management, and team performance. People, work, and management issues are approached from different perspectives to develop management practices that contribute to happy employees and thriving organizations.

87%
are (very) satisfied with their studies

National Student Survey, 2023  n=42

#94
in Social Sciences & Management worldwide

QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023

73%
international students

in your classroom

Short overview of Human Resource Studies: People Management

  • Study people management and organizational problems from the four disciplines of psychology, sociology, economics and management studies in an international classroom.
  • Focus on social sciences and organizational issues, while also acquiring HR analytics and consulting skills, and gaining competence in designing people management policies.
  • Use your curriculum choices and mobility window to prepare for a Master’s program of your choice in one of the supporting disciplines.
Program and courses

Program content

Human Resource Studies: People Management has an international orientation, with an emphasis on the European context. This is reflected in the choice and content of the cases that you will study during the courses. The program has strong links with large international companies and offers relevant interactions between academic approaches and real-world problems. You will be trained to take people management decisions that are based on research.

  • In the first year of your Bachelor's program, you will learn the basic concepts and ideas of psychology, sociology, economics, and management studies. At the end of the year, you will begin to apply these disciplinary perspectives to analyze issues related to work, organization, and people management.
  • During the second year,  you will learn how to combine disciplinary insights and how to apply these insights to real-world people management problems. These include strategic, financial, and managerial aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM), as well as employee development, health, and wellbeing. You will also learn to consult organizations about people management policy.
  • In the third year of the program, you will specialize in People Management in an international context. Therefore, you will study international policies about managing people, workforce diversity, and different cultural approaches to people management. In addition, you can choose to do an internship, go on exchange, or follow elective courses (minor). In the second semester, you write your Bachelor's thesis.

Typical courses are:

  • Strategic Human Resource Management
    Research shows a positive relationship between effective Human Resource Management and organizational performance. However, there are several challenges that require our attention to really understand the nature of the relationship between HRM and organizational performance. For example, what is the role of line managers in executing HRM and what are the payoffs between organizational performance and employee wellbeing?
  • Talent Management
    The course Talent Management addresses the most important organizational decisions of people management: the hiring, the development, and the careers of employees. It focuses, among other things, on inclusive and exclusive definitions of talent, and on instruments to assess the quality of people and their work.
  • Cross Cultural HRM
    This course focuses on challenges in HR domains such as employee selection, involvement, and development, that arise when people from different cultural backgrounds work together. Topics include cultural differences and similarities in interpersonal interactions in expatriation and repatriation, in the inclusion of international and cross-cultural employees in workplaces, and in international teamwork. 

More on the program and courses

Beyond your Bachelor's: Extracurricular Activities

Beyond your Bachelor: Extracurricular Activities

  • Join: Input, the study association of all Human Resource Study students. A great way to meet like-minded students and make friends.
  • Join Faculty Association IDEA, the association for all students of Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
  • Join ESN Tilburg, a student association that organizes activities for all internationally-minded students in Tilburg.
  • Challenge yourself by participating in one of the programs of excellence.

View all extracurricular activities

After your Bachelor's

Careers and subsequent Master’s programs

After obtaining your Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Studies: People Management, you can choose to do a Master's program such as Human Resource Studies. After you have completed a Master's program, you will have favorable career prospects as a HR specialist or policy advisor.

Graduates found work at Nike, DHL, Capgemini, Deloitte, ASML, and Ahold N.V.

Discover what you can do after your Bachelor’s

Application and admission

Please follow the national application and admission procedure (in Dutch) if you are applying based on a Dutch vwo or hbo-p diploma, regardless of your nationality. A general description of the national application procedure is also available in English.

Admission requirements

  • To be eligible for admission to a research university such as Tilburg University, you must have a high school diploma equal to the highest level of secondary education in the Netherlands (the Dutch vwo diploma).
  • As this Bachelor’s program is taught entirely in English, you must prove your English language proficiency
  • A good knowledge of mathematics is important for being successful in this Bachelor’s program. In order to be admitted, you must therefore prove that you have sufficient knowledge of mathematics.

You can find more detailed information about the admission requirements on this program's 'Application and admission' page.

Go to application and admission

Tuition fees and monthly cost of living

Tuition fees

When you wish to study at Tilburg University, you must pay a tuition fee.

  • Tuition fees cover the cost of lectures and facilities provided by the university, such as the extensive university library, Wi-Fi on campus, and symposia and other meetings.
  • Tuition fees at Tilburg University are always for one full academic year.

More information on the tuition fees and rates

Estimated monthly costs of living

Besides the tuition fees, you will have living costs and other expenses. You will find life in Tilburg relatively inexpensive compared to life in other Dutch university cities, such as Amsterdam and Utrecht. The approximate cost of living is between € 925 and € 1.125 per month.

(Furnished) accommodation Starting from € 550 per month
Foods & Drinks € 200 per month
Books & Readers € 65 per month
Insurance € 100 per month
Sport membership + € 139.95 per year

The Bachelor's program in less than 3 minutes

Do you want more information on this Bachelor's program?

  • BSc Human Resource Studies - Aysun

    Aysun

    Bachelor's student

    "The program blends theoretical and practical learning through study cases, projects and assignments. It has not only taught me the ins and outs of HR, but has also given me the opportunity to do an internship at ASML to apply knowledge and skills in real-world scenarios."

  • BSc Human Resource Studies - Sophie

    Sophie

    Bachelor's student

    "This study provides a unique chance to explore diverse aspects of social and behavioural sciences, with a focus on HR. Through both individual and team efforts, I can delve into various ideas and perspectives, emphasising the importance of self-development!"

  • Bachelor student Human Resource Studies Maia

    Maia

    Bachelor's student

    "The HRM program provides insight into multiple subjects, giving me a well-rounded education and much freedom in pursuing my future career. With a diverse international setting, it is always a fun environment to learn in."

Study choice activities

Throughout the year you have the opportunity to meet us and learn more about Tilburg University and the programs that we offer. You can take part in various types of events: on-campus, abroad or online.

All information in one e-brochure

Create your own e-brochure with information on program content, admission requirements, career prospects, and student life in Tilburg.

All information in one e-brochure

Are you and Human Resource Studies: People Management a match? If you..

  • like a program with a clear focus on the professional area of international People Management

  • are interested in understanding contemporary people, work and management issues from multiple perspectives, like psychology, sociology, and management studies

  • want to be an HR specialist or advisor who uses their analytical and consulting skills to improve the performance of organizations and the well-being of employees

Then this is the program for you!

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