Are you passionate about learning in the workplace? Do you see the benefits of personal development for both individuals and businesses? And would you like to know more about how knowledge creation can keep companies competitive?

Then Learning and Development in Organisations might be the perfect programme for you. It combines elements from economics, business, human resource management and learning sciences. You'll have the competencies you need to work in human resources, more specifically Human Resource Development. Upon graduation, you'll have all the knowledge and skills for a career as Learning and Development professional.

Why this programme?

In a competitive business environment, companies need to innovate in order to stay ahead.

This means that knowledge is becoming a key business asset. It is also becoming increasingly difficult for organisations to find and retain qualified employees. As a result, the effective use and development of human capital is a strategic decision that companies can no longer ignore. The master’s programme Learning and Development in Organisations introduces you to the key concepts of learning and development in the workplace.

What will you learn?

Management of Learning will challenge you on a theoretical and practical level. Drawing on a range of disciplines, this programme will give you an understanding of how knowledge and skills can be effectively used and developed on an individual, group and organisational level. You will consider learning from a self-development as well as a business point of view, by analysing labour markets and the wider economy, skills shortages and organisational change.

After you’ve completed the programme, you'll be able to:

• understand changing labour markets and their effects on organisations
• analyse human resource development and management issues
• think strategically and offer effective solutions to human resource problems
• apply your theoretical and quantitative knowledge to real workplace issues
• participate in discussions on a managerial level

This programme is perfect for you if you are a strategic thinker with strong problem-solving abilities. While the terms ‘human resources’ and ‘human capital’ sound quite theoretical and corporate, this programme is very much about people: how they interact, learn and develop in the workplace. You should therefore have good interpersonal skills and be able to work well in a team.

Close contact with alumni and professionals:

At Maastricht University, we are all about bringing the world right into our classrooms. We keep close contact with our alumni and other professionals working in human resource development. They help us keep our programmes relevant and they're able to give you a first-hand account of the challenges you’ll encounter after you’ve graduated. In this programme, you will:

• assist an HR consultant on a human resource development problem for a real company
• take a skills course supervised by one of our alumni
• work on assignments sent to us by alumni and other professionals in the field
• have the opportunity to go to lunches and join us on company visits

We even have a Management of Learning Day during which we invite professionals from various organisations to share their views on different issues. You'll therefore have plenty of opportunities to expand your professional network and to get first-hand accounts of the latest developments in the field.

The International Classroom:

UM embraces the International Classroom, an environment where our differences become our strengths. From day one, you’ll be challenged with differing viewpoints and experiences as you interact with staff and students from all over the world.

This kind of interaction brings you closer to the programme’s goal of teaching you not only facts and concepts but also international accessibility and understanding. SBE is one of the most international faculties at Maastricht University, with over 60% of students and 55% of the academic staff coming from abroad, representing roughly 60 different nationalities.