As prospective MBA candidates prepare to choose a concentration, many are curious about the types of jobs available with an MBA in Human Resources. This concentration is offered by many of the leading business schools, and is a common choice due to the large size of the typical human resources department. Many candidates figure that this concentration will allow them to advance through that department into a management or leadership role and, in many cases, this assumption is correct. Before choosing the concentration, however, be aware that there are also some other opportunities afforded by choosing a human resources specialization within the MBA program.

Human Resources Manager: The Most Common Opportunity

When MBA candidates graduate with a concentration in human resources, they almost always start looking for a position as a human resources manager so that they can better utilize their new set of skills. This is the most popular choice for graduates, and its one that allows them to earn a lucrative salary while enjoying relatively rock-solid job stability over the long-term. As HR managers, graduates will oversee the selection of benefits providers, the creation of an annual human resources budget, and the management of subordinates in the human resources department.

Human resources management also affords professionals the opportunity to join professional organizations like the Society for Human Resource Management. Many managers attend regular conferences that detail changes to human resources laws and bet practices, and many use this ongoing learning to satisfy professional requirements and advance into executive HR leadership at their company.

Another Great Option: Benefits Administrator and Policy Analyst

Human resources managers are often in charge of making the final decisions about benefits programs and providers, but those decisions are made only when thy have a large amount of pertinent data in hand. This data informs them of the program’s cost and the cost of competing options, and contains information about employee outcomes in various benefit programs. This information is often obtained and analyzed by benefits administrators and benefits policy analysts, who use analytics and industry data to compare the available options and make a full report on the manager’s behalf.

This position almost always requires either a master’s degree in human resources or an MBA with an HR concentration. Administrators learn how to properly evaluate programs in graduate-level classes, and they’re taught advanced research and data aggregation techniques in these classes that help them make more informed decisions and recommendations on the job.

Conventional Management Roles Outside the HR Department

An MBA concentration typically involves between six and 12 credits of advanced classes in a specific field. The rest of the classes comprise the management and administration core, and teach students about high-level accounting, finance, economics, marketing, and managerial skills that are useful in the corporate workplace. This means that graduates can opt to pursue management positions outside of HR with a high degree of success. It also makes life easier for those who may one day opt for a change of careers and organizational roles.

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According to Business Week, no matter which direction MBA graduates take after they receive their degree, a concentration in human resources is a valuable addition to their list of qualifications. Whether it’s HR management work, policy analysis, or many other types of jobs available with an MBA in human resources, the MBA itself will prove valuable for many years after the formal coursework is completed.