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    Full Course Curriculum

    Professional in Human Resources® (PHR®) Exam Prep

    A 135-hour, self-paced curriculum that prepares experienced HR professionals for the HRCI PHR® certification exam and management-level HR roles.

    135 Hours
    Total training
    12 Months
    Platform access
    Online, Self-Paced
    Delivery format

    Course Overview

    Learn about the world of today's Human Resource Management and prepare for the PHR® exam throughout this online course. This program weaves together solid HR principles, timely research, and recent events that shape today's workforce.

    The course highlights important challenges facing managers and employees in today's business climate. Real case studies explore companies and organizations in-depth and delve into some of today's most effective, unique approaches to HR issues.

    Upon completion, you'll have the skills to serve as a Human Resource Manager — and the preparation needed to sit for the HRCI® PHR® certification exam.

    Course Outline

    Six comprehensive lessons aligned to the HRCI PHR® body of knowledge.

    1

    Lesson 1: Strategic HR Management and Organizational Leadership

    Learn strategic HR management skills — establishing HR policies and procedures, understanding HR roles and competencies, and incorporating financial budgets. You'll also explore organizational strategy starting with mission and business plan, and why structure, systems, culture, and processes must support that strategy. Finally, evaluate the stages of global HR management and its effect on technology, metrics, and audits.

    Key Topics

    • HR policies, procedures, roles, and competencies
    • HR financial budgets and resource allocation
    • Aligning structure, systems, culture, and processes with strategy
    • Global HR management, metrics, and audits
    2

    Lesson 2: HR Planning, Recruitment, and Selection

    Cover all aspects of employment discrimination — civil rights, EEO, affirmative action, age and disability discrimination, and hiring non-citizens. Learn a strategic planning model, the alignment between business and HR planning, and how to forecast employment needs. Gain knowledge of job analysis, competency modeling, and how to write effective job descriptions. Finally, master recruitment from interviewing through negotiating offers and employee agreements.

    Key Topics

    • Employment discrimination and EEO compliance
    • Strategic workforce planning and forecasting
    • Job analysis, competency modeling, and job descriptions
    • Interviewing, offer negotiation, and employee agreements
    3

    Lesson 3: Employee Development and Performance Management

    Learn the principles of training, development techniques, training delivery and effectiveness, and management of talent, performance, and change. Study the ADDIE model, the principles of andragogy, and five building blocks for a learning organization. Explain organizational interventions and how training functions interact with other HR functions. Compare on- and off-the-job training methods across classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social cognitive theory.

    Key Topics

    • ADDIE model and adult learning principles
    • Building a learning organization
    • Talent, performance, and change management
    • On- and off-the-job training methods
    4

    Lesson 4: Compensation and Benefits

    Explore the relationship between compensation and other HR functions — staffing, performance evaluation, training and development, and employee relations. Learn effective compensation methods and procedures for establishing pay grades. Understand incentive compensation systems including profit sharing, gainsharing, and ESOPs. Gain a clear view of the economic factors affecting compensation: inflation, interest rates, demographic trends, and pay competition.

    Key Topics

    • Pay grades, structures, and compensation methods
    • Incentive systems: profit sharing, gainsharing, ESOPs
    • Benefits administration and total rewards
    • Economic factors affecting compensation
    5

    Lesson 5: Employee and Labor Relations

    Learn employee relations, engagement, and involvement strategies. Describe the employee life cycle, measure job satisfaction with the characteristics model, and execute diversity and inclusion initiatives. Discuss labor relations and management acts, union representation, unfair labor practices, and negotiation and bargaining strategies.

    Key Topics

    • Employee engagement and life cycle management
    • Job satisfaction measurement and D&I initiatives
    • Labor relations laws and union representation
    • Negotiation, bargaining, and unfair labor practices
    6

    Lesson 6: Risk Management — Safety, Health, and Security

    Cover essential workplace safety, health, and security measures — from OSHA compliance and risk management to employee wellness and crisis planning. Explore best practices for creating a safe environment, including programs for stress management and chemical dependency. Address security protocols, data protection, and emergency preparedness to ensure a secure workplace.

    Key Topics

    • OSHA compliance and workplace safety
    • Employee wellness, stress, and chemical dependency programs
    • Security protocols and data protection
    • Crisis planning and emergency preparedness

    All necessary course materials are included.

    Certification

    This course prepares a student to take the HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®) PHR® certification exam.

    Exam Eligibility

    To sit for the PHR®, you must meet one of the following:

    • 1+ year of professional-level HR experience + Master's degree or higher
    • 2+ years of professional-level HR experience + Bachelor's degree
    • 4+ years of professional-level HR experience + high school diploma

    The HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®) does not endorse any particular preparation program or offering. Purchasing a certification product is NOT required and HRCI does not guarantee that an individual will pass based on the purchase of a certification preparation product.

    aPHR™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ are all registered trademarks of HR Certification Institute.

    Course outlines are subject to change at any time without prior notice.

    Ready to Earn Your PHR®?

    Reserve your seat in the next PHR® Exam Prep cohort and get the structure, coaching, and credential you need to move up in HR.