The Special Topics in Industrial Relations and Human Resources course offers a variety of special topics related to human resources and industrial relations to complement permanent courses and develop new course sequences. All of the special topics courses count towards program requirement electives. Some of these course offerings may be one-time-only opportunities, while other topics often develop into permanent course offerings.

This course has two objectives: 1) to introduce students to the field of organization change management and 2) to enhance students' analytic and implementation skills. It focuses on understanding organizational change, aligning human resources to organizational change, and implementing organizational change. The class process is participative. As much of the learning will come from discussions and experiential exercises with peers, it is vital that students come prepared to make contributions of quality to the content and process of classes. In discussions, students will practice appreciative inquiry skills.

Understanding the functioning of Western European and American organizations has been an ongoing effort for most of the 20th century. In the 21st century it is important to understand how organizations function in a wide variety of cultures. This course will focus on understanding cultural differences in behaviour in organizations. It will critically examine current research and theory in cross-cultural organizational behaviour, psychology, and human resources management. In addition to providing students with a theoretical understanding of organizational behaviour in a cross-cultural context, students will also have an opportunity to develop culturally relevant interpersonal skills via a variety of exercises including role plays and case discussions.

This course is designed to provide students of industrial relations with a sound theoretical foundation for understanding and managing the employment relationship. Four broad principles anchor the course: 1) The employment relationship is characterized by complex socio-economic exchange among the parties; 2) The goal of employment relations theory is not only to better understand people at work in employment situations but also to facilitate better policy-making; 3) Employment relationships can be viewed at different levels; and 4) Shifts in the global economy have created new pressures on employment relationships. To solve these emerging problems we need to draw on theories developed during the formative years of modern industry in the 20th century; we also need to modify these theories where ever they prove inadequate in explaining/understanding emerging issues and problems in employment relationships.

This course is designed to teach students to understand and interpret research in industrial relations/human resources. The focus on how problems and theory are converted into research ideas and questions. Students will learn how to develop research questions and hypotheses and design research using a number of research methods (e.g., survey research, experimental designs). Students will also learn how to critically evaluate research and to become better and more informed consumers of research.

This course builds on concepts introduced in IRE2002H Research Methods for IR/HR and is designed to teach students to conduct research in industrial relations/human resources. The focus is the whole of the research process ending with a research paper. Students will learn how to develop research questions and hypotheses, design and conduct research using a number of research methods (e.g., survey research, experimental designs), develop measures that are reliable and valid, analyze data using SPSS, and write a research paper.

This course will teach how to use the necessary statistical tools for data-driven decision making so as to improve the effectiveness of human resources programs. The course will focus on classical methods which include descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance and multivariate regression models. Students will use sample data in employee selection, compensation, union practices and statistical tools to evaluate and make recommendations for HR policies and practices. Identification of the appropriate statistical technique for analyzing a variety of problems will be discussed as well as the potential pitfalls of using inappropriate techniques. The course will emphasize data investigation and mastering statistical reasoning, not mathematical rigor.

The purpose of this course is to enhance your ability to understand and integrate the different functional areas of business into a cohesive whole. Students will learn about the functions of general management within the context of strategic formulation and implementation across a wide range of industries. The course will provide opportunities for students to develop strategic thinking, analytical, teamwork, and communication skills. Teaching approaches include lectures, case analysis and a variety of experiential learning activities.

A reading course or individual research in an approved field. Students are permitted to take up to two Reading/Research Courses as electives with the approve of the Graduate Coordinator. Reading courses are not intended to substitute for existing courses in the program. Reading courses are most useful for exploring specific interests or enabling more in-depth research of a topic previously introduced in another course.

The Special Topics in Industrial Relations and Human Resources course offers a variety of special topics related to human resources and industrial relations to complement permanent courses and develop new course sequences. All of the special topics courses count towards program requirement electives. Some of these course offerings may be one-time-only opportunities, while other topics often develop into permanent course offerings.

The PhD workshop meets throughout the academic year to support progress of doctoral students in Industrial Relations and Human Resources. It may include student presentations of their research, peer and faculty feedback on research proposals, draft papers, and presentations, discussion of recent seminars and publications, and training in professional skills relevant to careers in research and teaching.

This course meets concurrently with the PhD Workshop in Industrial Relations and Human Resources and is a required course for PhD students who began study prior to Fall 2024. Only open to PhD students in Industrial Relations and Human Resources. It will be discontinued in the future as part of the major modification to the PhD program.

The field seminar covers foundational scholarship in industrial relations and human resources. This is a doctoral-level seminar intended to assist students preparing for comprehensive examinations in industrial relations and human resources.

This course meets concurrently with the PhD Workshop and is a required course for PhD students who began study prior to Fall 2024. Only open to PhD students in Industrial Relations and Human Resources. It will be discontinued in the future as part of the major modification to the PhD program.

Workshop in Industrial Relations II meets concurrently with the PhD Workshop and is a required course for PhD students who began study prior to Fall 2024. Only open to PhD students in Industrial Relations and Human Resources. It will be discontinued in the future as part of the major modification to the PhD program.

A doctoral seminar to familiarize students with the qualitative research methods that have become influential in industrial relations, organization theory, and related fields. Approaches covered include comparative case studies, interview studies, ethnographies, and field studies. Through assignments and class discussions, students will gain hands-on experience with the craft of qualitative research, including data collection and analysis. The course will also cover analytical approaches in qualitative research, selecting research topics and accessing field sites, building theory from qualitative data, assessing the contributions of qualitative research, and ethical issues in fieldwork and writing.

This is the first-term doctoral seminar in econometrics for PhD students in Industrial Relations and Human Resources (IRHR). It provides students with foundational knowledge in the use of applied statistics in social science research. Much of this course will be devoted to the basic statistical techniques used in IRHR research: estimation in the classical linear regression model, corrections of these methods for some typical violations of the classical assumptions, the discrete variables model, the linear instrumental variables model, and other quantitative methods used in IRHR. Students will apply the theoretical concepts learned in the lectures to analyze empirical problems in IRHR using real data sets and statistical software.

This is the second-term doctoral seminar in econometrics for PhD students in Industrial Relations and Human Resources (IRHR). It provides students with advanced knowledge in the use of quantitative research designs in social science research. Students will learn theoretical frameworks that link statistical analysis to causal inference and research designs that draw on this understanding of statistics and causality. Students will apply the theoretical concepts learned through lectures and readings to analyze empirical questions in IRHR using real data sets and statistical software.

Rewards influence individual motivation and thus affect individual and team performance. But reward systems cannot succeed if employees' performance is not adequately measured. Performance management systems are complex programs to design properly and even harder to implement effectively. In this class we will study performance measurement and incentive program design to motivate and develop employee performance. Key topics include performance assessment; employee motivation, discipline, and performance conciliation; and design and implementation of compensation and benefits systems to attract and retain talent, while facilitating achievement of the strategic objectives of the organization.

In many organizations, compensation is the single largest budget component. A 1% difference in compensation could mean hundreds of thousands dollars saved or spent without gain. The design of compensation systems also affects organizations' attractiveness to job seekers and the behaviour of current employees. This course provides students with an understanding of the principles, processes, issues, and techniques involved in establishing compensation and reward programs in organizations within a framework of fairness and equity. Compensation will be looked at from the perspective of base pay, benefits, and incentive pay. As well, students will be introduced to the relationship between motivation theories and effective remuneration and reward programs. The course will focus on the major components in developing an effective compensation and rewards program such as legislation, principles of equity and fairness, job evaluation, compensation surveys, benefits, and incentives. Current events in relation to compensation and rewards will be explored.

Recruitment and selection are the foundations of the HR system. This course will cover advanced topics in recruiting and selection with emphasis on empirical and theoretical approaches to understanding these processes. Topics will include organizational recruitment strategies, the legal issues surrounding recruitment and selection, how to screen job applicants, and the role of employee testing and employee interview in making selection decisions. The purpose of this course is to develop a deep understanding of valid and reliable selection, with an emphasis on the role that it plays in the HR system, and to give students the skills to develop an effective and legally defensible selection system for any organization.

Training and development involves planned activities directed at enhancing the learning of job-relevant knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes by employees to improve on-the-job performance and job behaviour, and to enhance the overall effectiveness of organizations. In this course, students will learn about the training and development function and how it fits within the larger organization and environmental context, as well as specific topics such as needs analysis, training design, training methods, delivery, transfer, and the evaluation of training programs. The course focuses on training theory and research as well as the application of training in organizations.

The objective of this course is to provide an understanding of the essential elements of Human Resources Planning (HRP) in organizations. Students will acquire knowledge in analyzing, assessing, and planning for human resource requirements with respect to organizational business plans and strategies. Quantitative as well as qualitative concepts, approaches, and techniques are emphasized.

Leadership captures the attention of movie makers, historians, politicians, organizational scholars and practitioners, to name but a few. The crux of our curiosity centres on questions like: What makes an effective leader? What drives leaders? Who becomes a leader? How do we evaluate leadership? How do leaders exercise influence among others? For the past 50+ years scholars of organizational behaviour have invested considerable thought and research energy into answering these questions in the form of models, theories, and paradigms of leadership. As our world becomes increasingly more complex and dynamic, it is difficult for any one theory to truly address our questions and provide the insights we seek. Instead today's leadership theorists are taking a radically different approach to understanding leadership.

The Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources offers a variety of tools and resources that enables students to secure quality paid summer employment opportunities. Students who wish to participate in the summer work term must complete a series of career development workshops in the fall semester. The Work Term in IR/HR is only available in the summer and is set up as a credit/non-credit optional course. It is recorded on the academic transcript as an "extra" course, not required for the degree.

Students are introduced to basic reference materials necessary for research and will familiarize themselves with the Reference, Periodical Rooms, and the Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library. They will also study philological, computer-assisted and critical methods for the study of Italian literature, cinema, and linguistics.

It deals both with historical grammar (the linguistic transition from Latin to Italo-Romance) and the analysis of early Italian texts. The nature of the course is, at present, anthological rather than monographic, in the sense that a number of related topics will be dealt with in order to provide students with a general understanding of the problems and issues involved in the study of Old Italian.

This seminar will consist in a historical overview of Italian Religious Language, from the first Medieval documents to the recent Bible translations and other Ecclesiastical documents. The aims of the course are the following: A) identifying the principal features and the most important genres of the Italian Religious Language; B) analyzing the relation between History of Italian Language and Religion; C) understanding the ideological and religious situations which provoked changes and evolutions in Italian Language. For a better comprehension of theoretical methodologies (point A), the students engage an individual research project focusing on a particular Italian religious text.

This seminar will consist in a historical overview of Italian lexicography, from Medieval glossaries to online or CD-rom dictionaries. The aims of the course are the following: A) identifying the principal research instruments, and their appropriate use; B) analyzing the methodological issues in Italian Lexicography, also in comparison with other lexicographical traditions; C) understanding the ideological situations which provoked changes and evolutions in Italian Lexicography. In order to study in depth the principal research instruments (point A), the students will work under the guide of the teacher in the library and in the computer laboratory. For a better comprehension of theoretical and historical methodologies (point B), the students engage in an individual research project focusing on a particular lexicographical question.

This course proposes a historical vision of the Italian linguistic presence in North America throughout a period that extends from the first big wave of immigration in the mid eighteenth century to around the 1970s, which marks the end of the out-and-out flow of immigrants. Finally, a more pragmatic and not immediate objective of the course will be the realization of a website designed to gather texts and critical-bibliographical information about the presence of the Italian language in North America.