Employer Perceptions of the Value of an Undergraduate HR Degree & Implications for HR Curriculum

In an increasingly competitive UK graduate labour market (GLM) the value of degree credentials has shifted, thus it is vital to recognise key stakeholder perspectives on the continued value of such credentials for a graduate’s employability. This is especially the case for graduates of HR undergraduate (UG) programmes, a discipline which is seeing increasing numbers of graduates entering the profession, characterised by Elias and Purcell (2004) as a ‘new graduate occupation’. This study focuses on qualitative inquiry into the ‘demand’ side of the GLM - perceptions of graduate employers. This paper aims to provide key insights, drawing from these employer perceptions, into the value of a HR UG degree for graduates hoping to pursue a HR career and expectations of HE providers in regard to HR curriculum. Findings hold implications for both theory and practice, particularly for HR academics responsible for the design and delivery of UG HR programmes.