Top Human Resource Courses with Certification for 2024

Take the first steps towards a rewarding career in HR with our comprehensive list of top HR courses and certifications for beginners and professionals.

Out of all the professions in the world, the field of Human Resources is gaining steady growth, and it is anticipated that the growth rate for this field is likely to increase in the future. The reason for this growth is the increased demand for HR professionals by organizations. HR professionals make several functions of the organization move smoothly, functions such as recruiting, hiring, firing, benefits, compensation, team building opportunities, disputes, and many more.

With higher demand, the competition has also increased in the job market. In the past, the Human Resources field was not given importance; however, in today's world, highly qualified HR professionals are settled in their careers and seize every new opportunity they encounter.

Best HR Courses with Certifications for Beginners & HR Professionals

Human Resources is a very diverse field with many disciplines, such as payroll, compliance, engagement, recruiting, benefits, diversity and inclusion (D&I), leave of absence, and so on. Some HR professionals become specialists in one of these disciplines; however, some prefer being a generalist. Becoming a generalist or a specialist depends entirely upon your interests or passions. There is no hard and fast rule to choose either of the two. 

To become an HR professional, you can opt for a Bachelor's Degree and then a Master's degree in Human Resource Management. There is no ultimate rule that you cannot become an HR professional without having any degree; you can even start as a fresher and can learn professional HR skills in some time. Going for an HR certification online can also be extremely helpful to you in many ways. 

Here are some of the popular human resource management certificates that can help you excel in your career:

PHR (Professional in Human Resources) by HRCI

It is rated as a highly reputed certification for HR professionals. HRCI is an abbreviation for Human Resources Certification Institute, which is known as the premier credentialing and learning organization that is dedicated to the advancement and support of HR professionals. HRCI is considered to be one of the best Human Resource certification platforms, which has been rendering its services for many years. It offers 6 different certifications for beginners and experts. The Professional in Human Resources certification remains valid for 3 years, and then you need to retake the exam or earn recertification credits. 

Human Resources Certification Institute is not only for HR professionals. In fact, it offers HR certifications for beginners as well as experts in the HR field. However, the PHR certification is for HR professionals only. To earn a certificate, you need to pass a 2-hour exam. The PHR certification exam comprises the following topics:

• Business Management
• Talent Planning and Acquisition
• Total Rewards
• Learning and Development

The exam consists of 90 questions, most of which are multiple-choice and 25 pretest questions. You have the flexibility to take the exam online, either from your home or from the office.

CHRP (Certified Human Resources Professional) by HRAcademia

This Online HR certification program was developed by HRAcademia so that a universal perspective with respect to the human resource discipline could be adopted throughout the world by all HR professionals. CHRP is a key requirement for various HR jobs in the United States, Canada, the UK, and in also other parts of the globe. Due to its recognition worldwide, CHRP certification is considered a sign of professional achievement and is a visible reminder to coworkers and senior management of the holder's expertise.

There are a total of 6 modules in the CHRP certification course, and the modules are further divided into subsections as follows:

• Module 1: HR Administration
• Module 2: Recruitment and Selection
• Module 3: Employee Relations and Communications
• Module 4: Compensation and Benefits
• Module 5: Training & Development
• Module 6: Health, Safety & Security

The best part about HRAcademia's online CHRP program is that you can gain this certification without any hassle from the comfort of your home or office.

CHRM (Certified Human Resources Manager) by HRMI

The Certification for Certified Human Resources Manager (CHRM) by the Human Resource Management Institute (HRMI) is designed for those candidates who are currently employed in middle or senior-level Management, Full-time jobs, or part-time positions. This certification program aims to equip the participants with appropriate knowledge, skills, and techniques to perform human resource functions and responsibilities in an organization.

It is a professionally developed program that provides an advanced level of knowledge in the domain of HR. It offers a good blend of theories, practices, and case studies in the management of human resources to meet the growing demand for competent HR Professionals. This program has been endorsed by HRMI Global HR Leaders, and past graduates from this course have attained successful careers in the industry.

In order to become eligible for the CHRM exam. The requirements are:

• Hold a Bachelor's degree or higher,
• Hold a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) Certification or its equivalent,
• At least 6 years of work experience in HRM and
• ِِِِAgreement to abide by the Code of Ethics established by the HRMI.

CPTD (Certified Professional in Talent Development) by ATD

This online certification program is designed by the ATD Certification Institute. The Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) certification is a professional certification course for Talent Development professionals, who have to have at least five years of experience in the industry. The CPTD course covers a subset of the knowledge and skills from the Talent Development Capability Model, which mainly focuses on skills application and decision-making processes for more experienced professionals.

This certification from ATD Certification Institute is a broad-based credential for experienced professionals. It typically covers nine areas of expertise as defined by the ASTD Competency Model, which are: 

• Model 1 - Designing Learning
• Model 2 - Improving Human Performance
• Model 3 - Delivering Training
• Model 4 - Measuring and Evaluating
• Model 5 - Facilitating Organizational Change
• Model 6 - Managing the Learning Function
• Model 7 - Coaching
• Model 8 - Managing Organizational Knowledge and Career Planning 
• Model 9 - Talent Management

Conclusion

The post-pandemic situation has led the world to come to an entirely different phase. From the corporate sector to the education sector, everything has become more convenient and more accessible nowadays. The days are gone of taking physical classes or traveling for hours just to take a lecture; in today's technological world, we have access to everything with just one touch on our smartphones.

HR software solutions and automation have revolutionized how HR professionals manage various functions. From applicant tracking systems (ATS) that streamline recruitment processes to employee management software that simplifies onboarding and performance evaluations, HR tech solutions have become indispensable.

Moreover, with time, technology changes, and more improvised, modern techniques come into practice, which persuades us to be more active on the side of learning. Thus, an HR certification can undoubtedly be a highly beneficial option for an established HR professional as well as an aspiring one.