Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Logo image
Logo imageLogo image

Master's Program

Do you want a competitive advantage?

Have you figured out how to apply your liberal arts, social science, or business degree to an organization's bottom line? Does the job that you have with your finance, economics, or accounting degree lack human interaction? Are you looking for an advanced degree that can combine all these elements? Does the prospect of making $50,000-60,000 a year entry-level sound good to you? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then a master's degree from the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations might be what you need.

Check out Career Opportunities to see just how varied and exciting a career in human resources and industrial relations can be. If you have outstanding communication skills, leadership ability, problem-solving skills, and a desire to succeed, then these job descriptions will appeal to you. You also will see how top-notch companies value the Institute students that they hire.

A Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations (M.H.R.I.R.) from the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations will prepare you for professional responsibilities in business, union, and government organizations and give you tremendous flexibility for specialization. The Institute has an aggressive and effective Career Services Center that will provide you with one-on-one career counseling, workshops on career development, and access to major Fortune 500 corporations that recognize the quality of the Institute's program.

Typically, about 145 students are enrolled in the master's program. Generous financial aid packages are available that are extremely competitive with those offered by other universities. Most students take three semesters to complete their program requirements for a master's degree. There are several program options, however, including part-time enrollment and a joint degree program with the College of Law or College of Business that can extend this timing. Most of our students use the summer months to apply the knowledge and skills that they have learned at the Institute by working as an intern.

Visit About the Institute to read more about the Institute's distinguished history, and learn more about the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Once you have decided that ILIR has what you need, you can apply on-line. For full financial aid consideration, application deadlines are November 1 for spring semester enrollment and February 1 for fall semester enrollment. We welcome your questions and hope you will visit our campus to help make your decision complete. Please email Director of Student Services Becky Barker at ILIR-Admissions@ad.uiuc.edu to receive more information about our program and application process.