A qualified human resources (HR) department can improve the engagement and job satisfaction of an organization’s entire workforce. And guess what? International students are natural candidates for careers as human resources professionals.
HR employees manage an organization’s relationships with its employees. An HR pro might recruit a new team member or answer a question about medical insurance. But there’s much more to human resources jobs than onboarding and benefits.
Want to know if studying human resources in the United States is right for you? Read on to learn more about an HR course of study at US universities. We’ll also cover average salaries, future job prospects, and why studying in a new country is a great way to develop the skills you need to land human resources jobs after graduation.
What Is Human Resources?
The first person an employee will interact with at a company is most likely an HR professional — the person who reads their submitted job application.
Part of working in human resources is spotting potential employees with the kind of experience that would help their organization. Once employees are hired, human resources professionals make sure they want to stay. As such, working in human resources services requires a strong understanding of people and their skill sets.
However, on any given day at work, an HR pro blends interpersonal communication skills with several other areas of expertise. Those areas might be as broad as understanding business administration or as specific as managing sophisticated Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) computer applications.
Key Functions of Human Resources Departments
In addition to talent recruitment and employee retention, HR professionals:
Administer compensation and benefits: From gym memberships to performance-based salary increases, HR delivers all those extras at the bottom of a job description.
Manage performance and development: From training opportunities to annual employee reviews, HR helps employees grow their careers in line with their employer’s objectives.
Manage employee relations: Creating a balanced and positive workplace is hard work! HR professionals help employees stay productive by resolving conflict.
Ensure compliance: This could mean employee adherence with company rules or organizations ensuring they are in line with labor laws.
HR professionals use a mix of people skills and computer skills every day. They have to understand business. From workforce data analysis to conflict resolution, they have to be good with both numbers and people to thrive in HR jobs.
Why Are HR Departments Important to Organizations?
These examples show how HR impacts every corner of a business:
Unhappy employees quit more frequently, and productivity goes down.
Businesses that violate compliance regulations face costly penalties.
Workforces that aren’t trained or qualified for their job functions struggle to meet performance goals.
For example, employee recognition, a key function of HR, can have widespread effects on an entire organization. A recent Gallup poll found that properly instituted employee recognition can increase engagement by 900%. That’s why many business leaders consider human resources critical to the success of their organizations.
Why Do International Students Make Qualified Human Resource Professionals?
HR pros need to be empathetic and strong communicators — skills that come with living abroad.
International students have felt the thrill and anxiety of orientation in a different country. They are able to navigate their new home in a non-native language. They have explained their culture and customs to someone and perhaps made new friends in the process.
These types of interpersonal experiences build empathy and emotional intelligence. They require critical thinking and problem-solving skills — not to mention cultural awareness. They are great qualities for HR jobs.
Having these qualities will help you as a human resources professional. As a cross-cultural training specialist, an international perspective is a key qualification. As a talent development coordinator, your learning programs should appeal to a broad range of potential employees.
Even day-to-day HR tasks, such as explaining benefits packages and interviewing new hires, are better completed with empathy and clear language.
However, some HR opportunities may be more of a challenge for international students with degrees from the United States. It’s important to consider your plans before embarking on your human resources course of study.
What Are Some HR Jobs for International Students?
Human resources departments are critical to the success of many enterprises, but not all HR departments are the same or share the same objectives. It’s important to note that labor laws and other driving factors behind employee relations are different from region to region.
Before you commit to an HR course of study, remember to consider where you will live after graduation. If you live in China, India, or Brazil, for instance, having a strong understanding of both the US-based and local market, business practices, and skills in demand can be beneficial.
On the other hand, the difference in pay, priorities, and cultural expectations between your home country and the US might also be an obstacle. Some rules may be entirely different, such as the influence the government has over business practices.
Consider International Organizations to Start Your HR Career
One solution is to look for employment with an international organization. A global brand has to consider many different cultural and professional points of view and values human resources professionals with broad perspectives.
Multilingual candidates with experience living in both their home country and the United States may have the soft skills that these organizations look for to fill their jobs and departments. Let’s consider three human resources professional roles that are perfect for international students:
International Recruitment Coordinator
Job description: These human resources professionals specialize in finding, hiring, and managing the relocation process of international employees. This role requires an understanding of different cultures, such as where people look for new jobs and how education systems work.
Average Salary Brazil: R$108.000, according to GlassDoor
Average Salary China: ¥160,211, according to SalaryExpert
Average Salary India: ₹5L, according to GlassDoor
Average Salary US: $78,000, according to GlassDoor
Diversity & Inclusion Specialist
Job description: Your international experience provides valuable context when building a workplace that values and prioritizes having different perspectives.
Average Salary Brazil: R$81.858, according to SalaryExpert
Average Salary China: ¥200,383, according to SalaryExpert
Average Salary India: ₹5L, according to GlassDoor
Average Salary US: $80,000, according to GlassDoor
Compensation and Benefits Manager
Job description: This role is more technical than the other, more interpersonal HR roles. You need to be good with numbers to develop competitive pay and perks for talented employees.
Average Salary Brazil: R$242,106, according to Salary.com
Average Salary China: ¥442,198, according to SalaryExpert
Average Salary India: ₹12L, according to GlassDoor
Average Salary US: $136,380, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Top Universities for Human Resources Management in the US
Now that you know more about a career in HR, which types of roles suit international students, and how much they pay, let’s take a look at degree programs at US universities.
If you know what area of human resources management you are interested in, be sure to confirm your US universities have that concentration. For instance, if you are more interested in data analytics or an HRIS skill specialization, make sure those areas are covered in the course curriculum.
Another thing to consider is the quality of a university’s business program. Remember, HR is generally considered a business school course of study. When considering US business programs, look for universities that are AACSB accredited.
There are approximately 1,045 accredited business schools in the United States. Here are three that are worth considering:
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Degree: Human Resource Management, BBA
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is the largest business school in the state, and with size comes amenities, opportunities, and networking. It is one of the top public schools in the country, which means you’ll get a great value for your education.
The human resource management program at UWW features standalone courses in the following HR services and specializations:
Staffing (talent acquisition and management)
Compensation and benefits
Training and development
Labor relations
UWW students also complete a capstone project that showcases their ability to think outside the classroom as they prepare for professional life. You will work with a real business or community organization for your capstone and have several other experiential opportunities while you study, such as internships.
Florida International University
Consistently ranked as a top undergraduate school for international business, Florida International University (FIU) offers an affordable, reputable HR degree program based in Miami, Florida, one of the most vibrant, multicultural cities in America.
If you plan a career in international HR, Miami is a great place to study — especially if you are interested in working for a Latin-American business. More than 1,200 multinational companies have established Latin-American headquarters in Miami-Dade County.
The HR management bachelor of business administration (BBA) degree curriculum at FIU includes the following required courses:
Human Resource Management
Recruitment and Staffing
Human Resource Information Systems
Compensation and Benefits
Training and Development
Union-Management Relations
At FIU, students also develop and apply HRIS programs in areas such as staffing, performance management, and reward systems. This is a great opportunity to combine hard skills such as computer program knowledge with people management.
The University of Texas at San Antonio
The University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) is a Tier 1 Hispanic Serving Institution and also one of the largest business schools in the US, with close to 8,000 students. UTSA is home to a thriving student chapter for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), with several events, from council meetings to game nights, held every month.
Students at UTSA also can earn the following professional certifications, which will be particularly helpful to students planning on staying in the US after graduation:
SHRM-CP (Certified Professional)
Studying HR Management in the US: Here’s How to Start
Remember, before you decide on a human resources management program, consider your future objectives and the areas of specialization that interest you. Be sure the schools you apply to are accredited and have programs in those specialized areas.
If studying human resources management at a US-based university sounds like the right choice for you, Shorelight can help. Shorelight universities include highly ranked business schools and several human resource management program options.
Shorelight also provides a suite of international support services, including visa assistance, pre-arrival guidance, campus transition support, and more.
Shorelight advisors can help you find the right degree program for your goals >