Admission Requirements & Deadlines

Human Resource Development (M.S.) 

Application Deadlines

spring 2023 fall 2023
Final Deadline: Nov. 1

Priority Deadline: April 1

Final Deadline: June 15

Admission Requirements

  1. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university*.
  2. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00 is required to be considered for full admission; a 2.80 GPA is required to be considered for conditional admission to the program. All GPA calculations are made based on the last 60 credits of undergraduate and post-baccalaureate study.
  3. Applicants must submit the following items as part of their application packet in addition to transcripts from their undergraduate and/or prior graduate schools.
  4. Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to your academic background, professional experience and/or personal qualities (Email addresses of recommenders must be entered on application).
  5. Resume.
  6. A personal essay (approximately four pages, double-spaced) that includes your specific plans for the program, including information about:
    1. your reason for pursuing the degree and desired emphasis of study
    2. your past work and/or volunteer experiences
    3. yourself as a learner, including what learning activities you undertake outside of or since your undergraduate study
    4. your expectations for graduate study
    5. your projected career goals

Admission is granted on a competitive, space available basis. While applicants are not required to have work experience in the HR field, we do give admission preference to individuals who do have such experience.

Non-immigrant international students: See additional admission information in Graduate Admissions.

*See Exceptions to Policy in Graduate Admissions.

For information on all matters related to admission procedures, please contact the Graduate School.
 

For interested applicants without HR Experience

Given the limited number of openings, we want to make sure that students are making a solid judgment in the choice of a professional career in Human Resources and the graduate study needed to achieve that choice.  We assume that applicants who are currently working in the HR field have the experience to make that solid judgment.  For applicants without that work experience, there are several ways by which you can strengthen your admission application.  While not required, providing evidence from any or all of the following activities will greatly improve your chances for a successful application.

  1. Undergraduate or even graduate course work in courses like Industrial or Organizational Psychology, Human Resources Management, Employee Communications or Training, or other courses that deal with the science or practice of human resources and managing the employment relationship. Be sure to note those courses in your Admission Essay and why you found that course/s interesting and valuable.
  2. Internship in an HR-related work experience. As an undergraduate, you may be able to take an internship for credit in an HR department or a related functional area. Be sure to describe this internship in your Admission Essay and what you learned from that experience that led to your interest in Human Resources.
  3. Non-traditional work experience in an HR capacity. You may be able to obtain HR-related experience in two ways: first, by working as a volunteer in an HR department with a non-profit agency (check with a church, hospital, United Way agencies, large clubs or groups, and so on); or second, ask to get involved in HR tasks with your current employer (like offering to lead a training program or helping in new employee hiring). Be sure to describe any such experience in your Admission Essay and what you learned from that experience that led to your interest in Human Resources.
  4. Informational interviews with people currently working in HR. An information interview is a way to gather information about a potential job or career by talking with someone currently working in that job. For more information about informational interviewing, consult the popular book What color is your parachute? You may know HR people personally or from work; your friends and/or family may be able to refer you to someone they know; you can simply contact larger businesses or agencies; prior faculty may know someone; and/or you may be able to locate HR professionals through your local chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management. (In Baltimore, that chapter is the Chesapeake Human Resource Association.) You can also check with the Towson University Career Center who maintains a list of alums who are ready and willing to mentor current students interested in Human Resources. While there is no mandatory number of interviews, applicants should consider doing at least two or three. Use the Informational Interview (PDF) form to record what you have learned and note that learning in your Admission Essay. Be sure to attach a copy of each completed form to your Application.     

It is our job to make sure as well as we can that the applicants we admit into the HRD degree program are committed to professional career in the HR field.  If you do not have work experience in HR, one or more of these options will give you the opportunity to make a stronger case for admission.

Feel free to contact the Program Director if you have questions or wish clarification.
Good luck!

For information on all matters related to admission procedures, please contact the Graduate School.
For questions about course registration, fees or payments, please contact the Registrar's Office.

Graduate Admissions
Enrollment Services Building

Phone: 410-704-2113
Fax: 410-704-3030
E-mail: