Human Resources, BS

Chairperson: Gary Adams, Ph.D. 
Department of Management website

The Human Resources (HR) major equips you to shape workplaces where both people and organizations can thrive. You’ll learn how to attract, develop, and retain talent; build fair and engaging work environments; and help leaders navigate real-world challenges like skill shortages, talent development and retention, shifting workforce demographics, and rapid changes in technology and artificial intelligence (AI). HR continues to grow as a discipline and is difficult to automate, as it centers on judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to shape relationships and organizational culture. The field is also highly data-driven, and you will develop the skills to draw evidence-based insights from organizational and market data.

HR graduates launch careers with competitive salaries in organizations of all types and sizes—domestic and global—from Fortune 500 companies, hospitals and health systems, financial and professional services firms, manufacturers, nonprofit and community organizations, government agencies, and NGOs. They are initially employed in generalist or specialist roles, move into positions such as HR business partners, HR managers, and people analytics mangers; from there they are well positioned for senior leadership roles, including director, vice president, and chief HR Officer. 

Business Leadership Concentration 

Marquette University’s Business Leadership concentration (B-LEAD) prepares students to become effective, ethical leaders in the modern workplace. Housed within the Human Resources major, this concentration equips students with the strategic, interpersonal and analytical skills essential for leadership roles across industries. Emphasizing real-world applications, the concentration focuses on developing critical competencies in strategic thinking, effective communication, and influencing others—all highly valued by employers. By integrating Marquette’s Jesuit principles, this concentration not only enhances students' professional readiness but also fosters the self-awareness and ethical grounding needed to drive positive, sustainable impact in their organizations and communities. The Business Leadership concentration also pairs exceptionally well as a double major for students pursuing other business disciplines or complementary fields.