Human resources professionals play a crucial role in an organization’s success: They attract, motivate, develop and retain employees. If you enjoy a high level of personal interaction and have a healthy amount of empathy and patience, advancing in this field is for you.
In the UW–Madison Online BBA in Human Resources you will learn about leadership, strategy, and decision-making that will land you in a demanding yet rewarding field. Through the highly ranked Wisconsin School of Business, you will gain valuable skills in communication, collaboration, problem solving, research and planning. You will learn to analyze an organization’s compensation strategy, discern the best staffing techniques, address challenges facing labor and employment relations, use the best negotiation tactics and design work systems that help employees contribute to an organization’s performance.
After you graduate, you’ll attract top national employers in a variety of industries, such as finance and insurance, health care and social assistance, professional/scientific/technical services and manufacturing. The BBA in Human Resources from UW–Madison Online will equip you for a broad array of careers, from human resources manager to compensation analyst or compliance manager.
Students applying to the BBA in Business Administration-Human Resources program apply through UW-Madison Online. UW–Madison Online undergraduate programs are for those applying as transfer students (i.e., those transferring at least 12 college credits). UW-Madison re-entry students may also be considered. For more information, visit the UW-Madison Online admissions website.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
School of Business Requirements
The Wisconsin Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program is based on a broad educational foundation combined with courses in business and economics. This curriculum is designed for those students who wish to prepare for careers in business. Students completing any School of Business major are required to satisfy a common set of Pre-Business Requirements, Liberal Studies Requirements, Business Preparatory Requirement, Business Core Requirement, Business Breadth Requirement, and Credits for BBA Degree.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| School of Business BBA Requirements | ||
| Complete requirements: | ||
Pre-Business | ||
Liberal Studies | ||
Business Prep | ||
Business Core | ||
Business Breadth | ||
BBA in Business Administration - Human Resources Major Requirements
The BBA in Business Administration - Human Resources major is a total of 12 credits consisting of the following 4 required courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| M H R 305 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| M H R 423 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| M H R 610 | Compensation: Theory and Administration | 3 |
| M H R 611 | Personnel Staffing and Evaluation | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
- Understand that the management of human resources is vital to a successful business strategy and organizational effectiveness.
- Analyze organization compensation strategy to identify problems and develop solutions that support the organization's strategy.
- Discern which staffing techniques are poor, fair, and good predictors of employees' future job performance.
- Identify and address the various challenges currently facing labor and employment relations.
- Apply appropriate tactics in competitive and cooperative negotiations individually and as part of a negotiation team.
- Design work systems and roles that allow employees to contribute to organizational performance.
This program is designed for transfer students, most of whom will enroll on a part-time basis. As such, there is not a four-year plan for this program. Please refer to the Requirements tab for more information about the curriculum and program plan.
ACCESSING ADVISING
Each UW-Madison Online student is assigned an academic and career (AC) advisor. The AC advisor will support the academic and personal success of each student by partnering with current Wisconsin School of Business advisors in the Wisconsin BBA Advising Center to assist students as they identify and clarify their educational goals, develop meaningful academic plans, and pursue their own Wisconsin Experience.
CAREERS
Active engagement in the career development process is a vital component of a student’s personal growth in college and future success as a lifelong learner, professional, and global citizen. AC advisors help prepare students for life post-graduation through individual and group advising.
faculty and staff in management and human resources
For more information about the faculty and their research interests, please visit the directory.
AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Accreditation status: Accredited. Next accreditation review: 2026–2027.