Curriculum
The MPS curriculum provides an overview of the major schools of thought in the field of industrial and labor relations, with a particular emphasis on the different theoretical, historical and empirical approaches to the study of the workplace. The purpose of this program is not to build management skills, but rather to strengthen students’ critical, analytical and research skills. Weekly lectures, seminar discussions and a major research project will give students an opportunity to broaden their intellectual base and further their understanding of today’s workplace issues.
Collective Bargaining
The collective bargaining course focuses on collective representation and negotiation. Critical issues in modern collective bargaining are examined, including the historical development of the US system of collective bargaining; a global view of comparative collective representation; labor-management negotiation; and dispute resolution in the workplace.
Human Resource Management
Techniques for the management of workers are discussed. Topics include comparing and contrasting different approaches to human resources decisions in different environments; alternatives for staffing and development of workers; compensation and reward systems; and employee relations and the evolution of modern human resource management.
Labor Economics
This course applies the principles of economic theory to labor markets, work
organizations, and their environments. The concepts of labor economics will be
studied, including the basic elements of supply and demand in the labor market;
"new personnel economics" - the economic issues that relate to selecting, training,
assigning, motivating and compensating workers; and key institutions and economic
security issues such as unemployment, pensions, disability, discrimination and
unions. Students will learn to analyze both business and public policy problems,
taking into account basic principles of economic theory and the relevant institutional
environments.
Organizational Behavior
This course applies theories and methods from the behavioral sciences to the
analysis of behavior in organizations. Areas of study include classical and modern
theories of organizations and their underlying assumptions about human nature;
the relationship between organizations and their environment; the role of power,
politics and decision making in organizations; industrial history; and leadership
and culture.
Labor and Employment Law and Policy
A survey of the law governing labor relations and discrimination in the workplace.
Also considered is the government’s influence on the workplace: the role of public
policy in the utilization and preparation of the nation’s human resources for
employment; government’s historical role in the labor market; the effect of efficiency,
price stability and economic growth; equity; and immigration policy and its market
implications.
Research Methods
The premise of the MPS program is that to understand the workplace, one needs
to understand how it affects, and is affected by, such factors as individual and
collective behavior, internal policies and practices, and the historical, political
and economic environment. Students will be exposed to different perspectives on
these topics from various disciplines within the field of industrial and labor
relations.
