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Human Resource Management

What are the new challenges in human resource management? With this part-time continuing education programme, you will be able to competently cover your range of tasks in the future.

This Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) opens up a wide range of development and career opportunities for specialists and managers who deal professionally with issues in strategic human resource management. You choose the study model that best suits your experience and skills:

  • Study model 1 – Basic: for career changers/prospective HR talents or Study model 2 – Advanced: for experienced HR specialists and managers.
  • You will further develop your personal leadership skills.
  • You will deal with strategic issues, resilience, occupational health management, psychology, legal principles, and much more. 
  • You are free to choose the order of the CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) (exception: start with study model 1).
  • You organise the time horizon of your studies individually (2.5 to 8 years including the Master's thesis).

Factsheet

  • Degree/Certificate Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)
  • Duration max. 8 years
  • Schedule Depending on the chosen CAS. Guided distance learning and face-to face- classes are combined.
  • Application deadline Depending on the chosen CAS
  • ECTS credits 60 ECTS-Credits
  • Costs CHF 34,000
  • Teaching language German
  • Location Bern, Schwarztorstrasse 48
  • School Business School
  • Next session According to the individual CAS

Contact

Downloads (in German) and link

Content + Structure

Portrait

The course is for specialists or managers in human resources who wish to get to grips with the dynamics and changing demands of human resources. This course focuses on actively shaping corporate development from an HR perspective. In addition to consulting skills, contributing to corporate development requires an in-depth understanding of how people successfully cooperate in organizations. The demands placed on HR specialists are diverse and range from knowledge of work and organizational psychology to skills in the areas of new work, employability, modern forms of organization to the design of learning cultures in companies. 

Learning Objectives

With our EMBA, you will acquire the skills you need for a sustainable career in human resource management:

  • You will understand the importance of HR policy as a key success factor for the strategic positioning of your company.
  • You will actively support change projects in your organization from an HR perspective.
  • You will be familiar with the challenges of global business environments. You will design international human resource management for your company accordingly.
  • You will develop suitable and innovative HR concepts in agile organizational forms.
  • You will use data analysis to gain important insights for your transforming workforce or talent management.
  • You will be familiar with the possibilities of digital technologies in HR and use this knowledge for the strategic realignment of HR processes or recruiting.
  • You will be familiar with resilience and occupational health management.
  • You are well versed in the various support functions of HR and design processes efficiently and in a service-oriented manner.
  • You independently develop learning concepts and (digital) learning formats for your company, thereby contributing to integrated personnel development in the work process.

With the EMBA in Human Resources, you can choose the study model that suits your educational background and professional experience. Contact the Head of the Degree Programme early on. We will be happy to assist you with your planning.

Abbildung Studienmodelle EMBA HRM Weiterbildung BFH Wirtschaft

Study model 1 – Basics: For Career changers / prospective HR talents

Compulsory CAS

Compulsory-elective CAS

You choose a CAS with a focus on general management or law from the following list. Admission to a compulsory-elective CAS is subject to prior advising. Special admission requirements apply to some CAS programmes.

You have two options: 

  • Model I: You complete the CAS Leadership or CAS Avanced Leadership and three additional CAS and write a master’s thesis.  
  • Model II: You complete two CAS and write your DAS thesis (30 ECTS for the DAS degree). You then attend an elective CAS (12 ECTS) and one or more SAS courses (total 6 ECTS). Finally, you write your master's thesis (12 ECTS).

Recognition of previous course work

Have you already completed a CAS which matches this programme? We will be happy to check which credits can be recognised towards the EMBA/MAS.

Master's thesis

You complete the EMBA or MAS programme with a Master's thesis.

Study model 2 – Advanced: for experienced HR specialists and managers

You have specialist training such as an HR certificate or a university degree with a specialization in human resources management.

Compulsory CAS

Compulsory-elective CAS

You choose a CAS with a focus on general management or law from the following list. Admission to a compulsory-elective CAS is subject to prior advising. Special admission requirements apply to some CAS programmes.

Elective CAS

You choose an elective CAS from our wide range of CAS that complements your portfolio.

You have two options: 

  • Model I: You complete the CAS Leadership or CAS Avanced Leadership and three additional CAS and write a master’s thesis.  
  • Model II: You complete two CAS and write your DAS thesis (30 ECTS for the DAS degree). You then attend an elective CAS (12 ECTS) and one or more SAS courses (total 6 ECTS). Finally, you write your master's thesis (12 ECTS).

Recognition of previous course work

Have you already completed a CAS which matches this programme? We will be happy to check which credits can be recognised towards the EMBA/MAS.

Master's thesis

You complete the EMBA or MAS programme with a Master's thesis.

Adults learn differently. That is why the continuing education at the BFH Business school is committed to modern adult education. Our mission with «brain, heart and hand» is an important principle in the design of our offers. Questions in the lessons are based on the participants' professional and practical life experiences. 

It is the mix of contact study and phases for self-study, analogue learning environment as well as digital tools that makes all the difference.

We work with Microsoft Teams in the CAS and in some courses and SAS-programmes. You have access to documents, messages and information and use the chat function within your class.

Continuing Education at the Business School (PDF, 154 KB)
  • You can find information on the proof of competence for each CAS on the respective website.
  • During or towards the end of the last CAS, you register for the Master thesis module with the EMBA study organisation. 
  • Information and conditions regarding the Master's thesis and the Master's thesis module.

We offer short, free learning events for all students of our CAS programmes. With the courses Methodology Transfer Report, Effective Learning in Continuing Education at Universities of Applied Sciences and the Transfer Report workshop, we would like to support you in successfully and sustainably completing your CAS. Short overview.
For more details and dates for the online events, please go to the German website.

Requirements + Admission

Achieve your professional goals in HRM with this continuing education program in management. With two different study models, we offer an attractive and personalized study program for both career changers and experienced specialists and managers in HR management.

Typical participants are: 

  • Human resource management employees
  • Employees in personnel and organizational development
  • Corporate development specialists
  • Innovation and change managers
  • Management consultants

Please contact the Head of the Degree Programme in advance to determine the study model that is right for you.

University degree

You will be admitted to the programme with a degree from a university, university of applied sciences, university of teacher education, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, or an equivalent foreign university and at least two years of professional experience.

Higher vocational training

If you have a qualification from a higher vocational education institution (Diploma Höhere Fachschule HF, Federal Diploma, Federal Certificate of Proficiency) and several years of professional experience, you will also be admitted to the programme. However, you will be required to attend our «Introduction to Academic Writing course» before starting the CAS. Completion of this module is a prerequisite for admission to the CAS.

Exceptions

The Head of the Degree Programme or of the CAS will decide on admission based on a portfolio analysis and assessment of your current situation. Please contact us. If you are admitted, you must attend the course ‘Introduction to Academic Writing’ before the first CAS.

Specific requirements

You have several years of qualified professional experience as an HR professional.

Good to know

Specific admission requirements apply to the individual CAS. The language of instruction and compulsory literature is generally German. Individual texts may be provided in English.

Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)  from Bern University of Applied Sciences with specialisation in «Human Resource Management» (60 ECTS-Credits).

Organisation + Application

You register for one or more CAS (depending on dates etc.) via our portal. Good planning is important: For the Master's thesis, you should register directly with the study organisation by e-mail during or towards the end of your last CAS. Expect your EMBA to take an average of 2.5 years. The maximum duration of the programme is 8 years. If you require support regarding planning, finding a topic or selecting supervisors for your Master’s thesis, the programme management will be happy to provide you with the necessary support.

Please register directly via the specific CAS.

Registration via our portal

You will need a Switch edu-ID to register. Please upload the following documents, even if you have already submitted them with another application:

  • Diplomas 

  • Curriculum Vitae 

  • Passport-sized photo (in JPG format)

Organisational Information

Your EMBA oder MAS programme starts with the first CAS. Registration deadlines, dates, teaching days, etc. can be found on the programme pages. We combine face-to-face and guided distance learning an appropriate and relevant form. 

Certain CAS programmes are only held once a year. The number of participants in the individual CAS programmes is limited. We recommend that you arrange a consultation interview and register early.

For the Master's thesis module, please register directly with the study organisation during or towards the end of the final CAS. Please note the teaching dates for the Master's thesis module. The module starts at the beginning of May and the beginning of November.

CHF 34,000  

The total cost of the EMBA is CHF 34,000 and includes tuition fees for the individual CAS programmes (4 x CHF 8,500). All compulsory literature, course materials and proofs of competence are included in the total cost.

The additional costs for the Master's thesis module (CHF 2,500) are waived if you earn all ECTS credits at BFH or through our cooperative study programmes.

The continuing education regulations of the Bern University of Applied Sciences and the implementation regulations for the continuing education regulations apply. The right to make changes is reserved. In case of doubt, the wording of the legal provisions and regulations shall prevail.

Continuing Education Regulations of Bern University of Applied Sciences (WBR) (PDF, 133 KB)
Implementation Provisions for the Continuing Education Regulations WBR in the Business School (PDF, 81 KB)
Implementation Provisions for the Continuing Education Regulations (PDF, 77 KB)
Framework Study Regulations at Bern University of Applied Sciences (PDF, 127 KB)
Regulations on Scientific Integrity at Bern University of Applied Sciences (WissIR) (PDF, 140 KB)
Legal foundations

Consultation + Information Events

In our FAQ you will find answers to many questions about the administration and organisation of our continuing education programme (available in German). 

Study Consultation

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Head of Degree Programme

Organisation of Studies

Information events in German

In addition to the online information events of BFH Business school, we naturally offer you our personal counsellingconsultation service. By telephone or online via MS Teams. Contact us via e-mail weiterbildung.wirtschaft@bfh.ch or telephone 031 848 34 02

Location + Facilities

Classes take place at Schwarztorstrasse 48 in Bern.

Bern Schwarztorstrasse 48