The University of Houston-Downtown is now one step closer toward the creation of a bachelor’s degree program in Human Resource Management (HRM) at the Marilyn Davies College of Business after the proposal’s recent approval by the University of Houston System Board of Regents.

UHD’s application to launch the new Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA) in HRM will go through next steps to be considered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for final review and approval. If approved, UHD will begin offering this degree in the Fall of 2022 and will become the first university in the Houston Metro Area to offer a BBA in HRM.

Pending state approval, the new degree major will focus on the growing need for HRM professionals at the regional, state and national levels.

“Currently, we have a minor in HRM,” said Dr. Julio Canedo, Associate Professor of Management. “The idea of growing it to become a major began with requests from students. Our HRM faculty and department chair (Ethan Waples) began discussing the idea and we found that industry leaders confirmed the need for HRM professionals.”

According to projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, HRM openings will continue to increase over the next decade. Moreover, the Texas Workforce Commission predicts a shortage of HRM professionals in the Gulf Coast Region and the rest of the State of Texas over the next decade.

“At the national level, occupations in the HRM field are anticipated to grow at the rate of 8 percent annually during the next 10 years,” Canedo said. “There is a definite need for qualified candidates to meet the demand.”

Dr. Charles Gengler, Dean of the Marilyn Davies College of Business, commended faculty members for their contributions in drafting the new degree proposal.

“There have been many long hours invested in this process to support our students,” he said. “We look forward to the THECB’s review and moving forward to the next steps.”