The central theme of the course focuses on the relationship between thinking, human behaviour, and organizational effectiveness. Opportunity is provided for learners to experience incidental learning as they evaluate their own behaviour. Learners explore how concepts and ideas pertaining to human behaviour can transform self, relationships, and the workplace.

This course identifies the role of human resource professionals within the context of change management theories. Learners analyze and apply change management theories and strategies to different business scenarios. Focus is directed toward the change process which includes initiation, through to maintaining the change. Trends within change management are identified and discussed.

Learners apply their knowledge of human resource functions through multiple stakeholder lenses while aligning functions to an organization's vision and strategy. Utilizing business scenarios, learners transition through the employment cycle adhering to legal requirements, ensuring health and safety in the workplace, and building positive work culture initiatives.

This course examines how to create and sustain a valid, reliable, and legally defensible talent acquisition process in a Canadian context. Learners formulate and recommend effective talent acquisition processes that are aligned with organizational strategy and informed by current Human Resources trends, including the impact of social media. Learners assess and recommend techniques to integrate technology and people analytics in the evaluation and implementation of the talent acquisition process.

This course focusses on the total rewards package that includes compensation, benefits, and monetary or non-monetary rewards. The importance of aligning the organizational strategy with the total rewards package forms the foundation for this human resource functional area. Learners will get practical experience with the process of job evaluation and connecting performance standards to the compensation plan.
Learners will research Canada and Alberta legislative acts and compensation trends.

Employment Law plays a critical role in human resources management. This course equips learners with the knowledge and skills to apply employment and common law to the workplace. By using employment scenarios, learners strategize how they could help employers reduce risk and resolve human resource issues.
The importance of ethical human resource policies and procedures and ways to address the emerging risks of the digital workplace will also be explored.

This course examines the role of Human Resources and/or Labour Relations Practitioner to guide the management of a unionized workforce. Learners will assess the impact that unionization has on a workplace through relationships between employees, unions, employers, and government within the industrial relations system. Learners will be introduced to the structure of Canadian unions and labour organizations, and various labour relations processes including forming and dissolving a union, collective bargaining, strikes and lockouts, fair labour practices, the grievance procedure, changes to unions and organizations. The course will also examine the future of Labour Relations and unions in Canada, considering changes in workplace demographics, and the digitization of the workplace with an emphasis on best practices for managing in a unionized work environment.

This course examines legislative acts and delves into hazards that exist in the workplace while building engagement on the importance of health and safety within the workforce. Various human resources programs are explored, including wellness, disability, return to work, and training. The use of relevant people analytics to assess a workplace's emergency response and readiness are also discussed. At the core of this course are emerging trends in the workplace, including mental health, bullying and remote workforce.

This course provides opportunity for an applied, practical approach to designing training programs that support employee learning and development. Learners explore adult learning principles, components of program planning, and facilitation strategies that foster adult learning in workplace contexts.

This course will offer experiential learning through engaging with a business partner. Learners will apply their human resources knowledge in talent acquisition & engagement, labour relations, compensation & benefits, learning & development, people analytics, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, to align with a business partner's organizational real-world challenge or issue. Connection with business partners will be arranged throughout the course and learners will present a group solution to the partner's challenge.

Through experiential learning, this course offers an opportunity to apply and transfer academic study to industry or community partner workplaces. Representing Bow Valley College, learners as brand ambassadors for the HR program, have a hands-on practical opportunity to: apply technical skills, observe, and integrate into the work culture; develop human skills, network with industry colleagues, receive feedback from an employer, and add experience to their resume. The opportunity might be either volunteer or paid. Open communication is maintained throughout the field placement between learners, industry partners/hosts, faculty, and career advisor.