Undergraduate Courses of Instruction

This is a survey course designed to introduce students to contemporary challenges and the primary academic fields in the study and practice of employment relations: Human Resource Management, Organizational Behaviour, Labour Relations, Negotiations and Conflict Resolution, Labour and Employment Law, and Workplace and Labour Market Policies.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;12O;72P)

This first year course introduces students to the critical interpersonal competencies and communication skills required in contemporary workplaces. Students will gain and apply knowledge of foundational theories in communication and organizational behaviour to develop their professional written, oral, and interpersonal skills.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;12G;12O;60P) EXCLUSIONS COMM 105/3.0

This introductory course focuses on the roles and impacts of unions on work and broader society. The course examines the theoretical and applied dynamics of labour relations in Canada. Topics covered include the historical development and current structure of unions, legal and economic factors that shape labour-management relations, negotiations and dispute resolution, and the impact of unions on management practices and employment relations. 

NOTE: Only offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary. LEARNING HOURS 120 (72O;48P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above

This introductory course will provide students a foundation to understand employment law in Canada. The course will examine the principles of employment law with a primary focus on current provincial and federal legislation affecting human resource management in a non-unionized setting.

NOTE: Only offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. LEARNING HOURS 120 (60O;60P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above. EXCLUSIONS LAW 203/3.0; LAW 560/4.0; LAW 567/3.0

This course provides an overview of conflict, with a focus on developing the analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills necessary to manage conflict in the workplace. Specifically, it examines the reasons that conflict arises, and how to productively manage conflict across levels (between people, within groups, and between groups).

NOTE: Only offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. LEARNING HOURS 120 (48O;72P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above

This course will provide an overview of the key components of an effective organizational human resource management system, running the spectrum from recruitment and selection practices that ensure that an organization is staffed appropriately, to management approaches aimed at bringing out the best in employees once hired.

NOTE: Only offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary. LEARNING HOURS 120 (72O;48P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above. EXCLUSIONS COMM 181/3.0

The accelerating pace of market, economic, and technological change present many challenges to modern Canadian workplaces. This course examines how employers, employees, and governments seek to resolve workplace problems. By enacting workplace policies, it is hoped that workplaces maximize productivity while delivering fairness to its workforce.

NOTE: Only offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary. LEARNING HOURS 120 (72O;48P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above.

This course introduces students to employment relations practices and legislative frameworks related to workplace health and wellness. The course examines roles and responsibilities of employers, employees, and unions in occupational health and safety. Students will explore efforts to address stress and promote wellness, including mental health.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above

The course considers the workplace policies, laws, and human resource management and labour relations practices that advance equity and diversity in the workplace. This course examines the nature and extent of diversity in the Canadian labour force and the implications for establishing and supporting equitable, diverse and productive workforces.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above.

This in an introductory survey course of theory and research on individual and group processes (including personality, motivation, communication, and leadership), as well as structural and economic forces (including organizational design, power relations, inter-organizational ties, social norms, and laws) that shape the contemporary workplace.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above. EXCLUSIONS COMM 151/3.0; COMM 251/3.0

This course focuses on the fundamentals of accounting in the operations of the business, the type of information presented in financial statements, and the importance of accounting in relation to HR and employment relations. The course is designed to provide a foundation for HR professionals and other non-financial managers.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P) PREREQUISITE Level 2 or above. EXCLUSIONS COMM 111/3.0; COMM 211/3.0; COMM 112/3.0; COMM 212/3.0

This course introduces students to the various models of mediation used in the modern workplace to resolve conflicts as well as a variety of other emerging alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes. Students are introduced to the theory, process, and practice of workplace mediation.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P) PREREQUISITE EMPR 200/3.0 or EMPR 220/3.0

High performance work systems (HPWS) refer to a series of interrelated practices in the management of human resources. In this course, students will learn how to design, implement, and manage a variety of high performance work practices in accordance with organizational strategy and culture.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P) PREREQUISITE EMPR 230/3.0.

Compensation, including direct wages, indirect payments, and employee benefits, is studied in the context of economic and motivational theory, and from the point of view of practice. Topics include strategic perspectives on pay, pay equity legislation, internal equity and alignment of pay structures, external competitiveness, pay for performance.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P) PREREQUISITE EMPR 200/3.0 or EMPR 210/3.0 or EMPR 230/3.0

There is increasing recognition of the critical role of managers in shaping key employee attitudes (job satisfaction, motivation, and engagement), with important effects for organizational performance. Students will explore a range of theories and practices that are demonstrated drivers of employee attitudes and organizational success.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P) PREREQUISITE EMPR 200/3.0 or EMPR 230/3.0.

This course introduces students to the foundational logic, metrics, analysis, and interpretation needed to link human resource practices to broader indicators of business strategy and organizational performance. Students will learn to gather, analyze, and interpret HR metrics to make better decisions about managing people in organizations.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (24L;24G;12O;60P) PREREQUISITE 3.0 units from EMPR at the 200-level.