A graduate degree that works for you

Balancing a busy career with a personal life can be tricky. Add in full-time graduate studies and leaning in can look more like falling over. With the Queen’s Professional Master of Industrial Relations (PMIR), you really can have it all. Designed for busy professionals and managers in labour relations and human resources, the PMIR gives you a competitive advantage, helping you elevate your career while not overwhelming your life.

The best of both worlds

The PMIR leads to the same degree as the full-time MIR but is delivered as a part-time program and normally takes about 30-36 months to complete. A total of 33 credits are required for degree completion and the normal course load per semester is two courses. There are two semesters split over two locations**:

  • Fall/winter session: held over four long weekends in September, November, January and February at our downtown Toronto campus - the centre of Canada’s business and financial capital. 
  • Summer session: held over two non-concurrent weeks in May and June at the Queen’s campus in Kingston, Ontario - nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario, it has been voted one of Canada’s best communities to live.

What will I learn?

  • Relevant, practical and leading-edge knowledge that can be applied immediately to the workplace;
  • A thorough grounding in labour relations and human resources practice; 
  • An understanding of evolving employment relationships, organizational behaviour and organizational dynamics;
  • Knowledge of the laws governing the individual employment and collective bargaining relationship;
  • The capacity to collect and analyze data on current workplace issues and interpret research in the field;
  • The in-demand skill set of the new HR/LR professional – leadership, consulting, facilitation, coaching, team building and communication.

Why the Queen’s PMIR?

In a fast-paced and competitive workplace, the PMIR is an academic qualification that sets you apart from your colleagues. The leading-edge knowledge and practical skills you will acquire will give you the foundation you need to provide your organization with thoughtful, informed, decisive leadership in labour relations and human resources management. Move up faster in your current organization or explore new and exciting opportunities somewhere new.

Earn a highly regarded graduate degree from one of Canada’s top universities while you:

  • Gain new skills and knowledge that you can immediately implement at work
  • Study and network with an accomplished and diverse group of students
  • Learn from faculty who are leading scholars and prominent policy advisors
  • Enjoy a flexible schedule that allows you to balance your full-time career with part-time graduate studies

The MIR degree fast tracks you to an HRPA Designation!

HRPA has an Alternate Route to meeting the coursework requirement for obtaining your HRPA Designation. ​The Alternate Route is intended for individuals with advanced HR education.

The requirements necessary to write the HRPA Comprehensive Knowledge Exam (CKE 1 or CKE 2) can now be met with your Master of Industrial Relations degree.

For full details on the process for applying for your HRPA designation, please see the HRPA Alternate Route page. 

Now, more than ever, is the time for you to apply to our Master's programs. Find out more today by accessing the relevant Program page for your best step forward in your career goals!

 

"As a graduate of the Professional MIR program, I would like to let you know, that you are in the right place in the PMIR to leverage your knowledge, skill and experience to effect change in your organization... The Queen’s educational experience will provide you the opportunity to connect with renowned faculty experts, but also with industry professionals, who have become positive catalysts in today’s ever-changing Industrial Relations field."

~Morgan Bello, MIR '18

Read more about our graduates, where they are now, and why the PMIR matters.

Admissions

Admissions

The PMIR is geared towards working professionals. A minimum of three years full-time work experience is required. Learn more about eligibility requirements and the application process.

PMIR courses

Core Courses

PMIR students must successfully complete 33 credits over the course of the degree to obtain their Master of Industrial Relations degree. Core courses are intended to cover those content areas deemed to be critical for successful LR/HR practice.

MIR Elective courses

Elective Courses

All students are required to successfully complete 12 elective credits to obtain their degree. Electives are intended to offer students the chance to focus on areas of LR/HR that are of specific interest based on each student’s professional goals and timetable.

schedule and timetables

Schedule & Timetables

The PMIR class schedule is split between our downtown Toronto location and Queen's campus and is designed to allow professionals to combine part-time graduate studies with full-time work and personal responsibilities.

PMIR FAQs

FAQs

Queen's is Canada's leading university in the field of Employment Relations. Here you will find some of our most frequently asked questions about the Professional Masters of Industrial relations (PMIR).