Part-Time Certificate in Industrial Relations

The Centre for Industrial Relations at Keele University has been delivering high quality part-time distance learning courses for over 20 years.  We continue to offer lifelong learning opportunities to trade unionists, managers, and anyone else involved, or interested, in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management (HRM).

Staff are active teachers and researchers within their specialist fields and are experienced adult educators.  Most of our students have a practical knowledge of Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management.  Our part-time courses are suitable for those in full-time employment and are flexible enough to allow completion by students from anywhere in the UK.

The Certificate programme takes a detailed look at the three main sets of institutions in industrial relations: the unions, the employers and the state. The course:

  • builds towards a detailed analysis of industrial relations using students' existing knowledge and experience;
  • situates current developments in industrial relations within their historical context and includes a wide range of examples from the private and public sectors of industry, different occupations and trade unions; and
  • allows students to choose options to pursue specialist interests

The Certificate is open to anyone with industrial relations experience. All applicants are interviewed prior to admission to the course.

Part 1: Introduction to industrial relations

Approaches to the subject; the main actors;

Part 2: Work, management and employers

Employers and the market for labour; work and the labour process; the management of labour;

Part 3: Trade unions

Trade union growth and decline; shop stewards and workplace union organisation; trade union government;

Part 4: Public policy on industrial relations

The role of the state; trade union confederation and political affiliation; labour law;

Part 5: Collective bargaining

Collective bargaining in the private and public sectors; payment systems: and industrial action;

Part 6: Option

Health and safety at work;

Inequality at work or

Dispute resolution.

The course is delivered through three residentials at Keele (in September, January and April) supported by distance learning study packs, electronic resources and a dedicated personal tutor. Each student does five essay assignments, which become progressively longer as the course proceeds. Particular attention is given to the development of study skills and writing techniques.

The course fee for 2013-14 is £800.

A range of bursaries or studentships are available from the TUC and other affiliated unions.

For further details please contact:

Dr Kim Mather, Course Director:

Telephone: (01782) 733609

Email: k.mather@keele.ac.uk

or 

Claire Butters, Administrative Lead:

Telephone: (01782) 734367

Email: c.l.butters@keele.ac.uk

Part-time Post Graduate Diploma and MA courses in Industrial Relations

For students with a degree and or substantial practical experience of industrial relations and HRM, we also offer a range of postgraduate distance learning courses. Details of this course can be found at:

http://www.keele.ac.uk/kms/postgraduate/

Application Form

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To apply for this course, please download the application form here. Please note that we may require that students attend an interview prior to offering a place on these courses.