Senior People Professional Higher Apprenticeship

Equip your employees with the skills for contemporary people management through our apprenticeship with an MA in Human Resource Management
Getty image. office. human resources. 
Applications now open for December 2025.
Deadline for applications is Friday 10 October 2025.
If you have an enquiry about any of the apprenticeships at the University of Plymouth, please complete the below form.
Enquiry form
You can also call us on +44 1752 583625.
Office hours are Monday–Friday, 08:30–16:30
Applicants are required to be employed and have a minimum of three years' relevant postgraduate work experience upon entry. Applicants with less experience may be considered at the Programme Leaders discretion.
A recognised first degree or equivalent will be required. Entrants who have acquired a high level of experience through work or other means and have not gained an undergraduate degree will be considered. Applicants in this category will need to demonstrate that they have the ability to succeed in the programme through their Initial Needs Analysis (INA).
GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English at grade C/4 or above, or grades 4–9 from 2017 onwards is desirable. Those without GCSE Maths and English at grade C/4 (or equivalent) will be assessed by the Programme Lead on an individual basis.
Each potential apprentice will be assessed individually for their ability to study at this level, and their appropriate work setting, job role and support in the workplace.
Applicants with overseas qualifications can check their compatibility with the UK equivalent through UK ENIC, who provide an advisory service.
Fees
The total cost of the Senior People Professional Level 7 Apprenticeship is £14,000.
Funding
There are currently two funding models:
  • Fully-funded: Levy paying organisations
If the annual pay bill of your organisation exceeds £3 million you will pay for your apprenticeship training through your levy account.
  • Co-funded: Non-levy organisations (the annual pay bill of your organisation is less than £3 million) and levy paying organisations who have exceeded their levy contribution.
The government will financially co-support your apprenticeship training contributing 95% of the total cost. The employer will contribute and be invoiced for the remaining 5% of the total cost.
For more information about apprenticeship levy please visit the gov.uk website.
If you need any further information about the fees and/or funding for this apprenticeship please do not hesitate to contact us at apprenticeship@plymouth.ac.uk or call +44 1752 583625.
Equip yourself with the skills and capabilities required for a strategic role in HR on this MA programme. Through lectures informed by active research and opportunities to gain important work-related competencies, you develop the necessary skills for contemporary HR management. The programme involves ‘on-the-job’ and ‘off-the-job’ learning which is supported by an Academic in Practice lead. This model allows for work-based learning and development within the apprentice's organisation which is contextualised to the needs of the individual. Upon successful completion of the programme, students will obtain professional membership to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Who is the programme for?
The programme is designed to satisfy the needs of those who are either seeking a career in HR or management, as well as for those who have already started their career in these areas and require a professionally recognised qualification as well as an academic award. The programme attracts students from all sectors of the labour market, public, private and not for profit. Full-time, part-time and apprenticeship students learn together which greatly enhances the learning experiences of all individuals.

Areas of specialism

  • @Develop ethical resourcing skills to support the mobilisation of an effective workforce.

  • @Fine tune people management strategies in the context of your organisation.

  • @Skills to support change management in a contemporary workforce.

  • @Enhanced understanding of Employment Relations and Law.

Course facts

Duration: The programme is studied on a day release basis by apprentices in employment, integrating work with study over two and a half years to complete.
Hours of study per week: A minimum of six hours per week study, consisting of a delivered session from 13:00–16:00 per week and directed independent study.
Delivery type: Blend of work-based learning and taught classes. This flexible learning environment offers a blend of online, campus-based and one-to-one support.
Develops budding HR professionals, enabling them to work anywhere in the world. Courtesy of Shutterstock

Core skills

  • ?Decision making

  • ?Innovation and change

  • ?Lead in the design, implementation and evaluation of policies

  • ?Analysis and insight

  • ?Some budgetary responsibilities

Assessment methods

A variety of assessment methods are used throughout the programme to enable the students to achieve the learning outcomes for each module. This approach illustrated below contributes to achieving an inclusive and equitable assessment strategy.
  • Coursework
  • Reports
  • Reflective writing/blogs
  • Professional Development Profile
  • Peer observation of practice
  • Portfolio
  • Graphic visual representations of knowledge, information and data
  • An observation including viva and professional presentation which form the End Point Assessment (EPA)

Benefits to the business

  • An apprenticeship that provides a contemporary approach to HRM that will enable apprentices to develop and learn from each other across a range of sectors.
  • Opportunity for each apprentice to consider the learning in the context of their own organisation, which in turn affects their own learning experience as they develop their work-based practice.
  • The development of this apprenticeship has been driven by a range of employer and apprentice needs that enable a personalised learning journey for the apprentice, and a programme that can demonstrate a positive impact in performance for the employer.
  • Opportunity to strengthen and improve the current skills within the workforce.
  • Offers a flexible and progressive training route for employees through Apprenticeship Levy funding.
  • A CIPD approved training route for aspiring HR professionals, providing a valuable fresh talent pipeline for the employer.
Business boardroom photo
Business meeting leadership management

Benefits to the apprentice

  • Opportunity for further professional development while remaining in employment.
  • The achievement of professional membership to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development alongside MA in Human Resources.
  • Obtain postgraduate development at no cost to the apprentice.
  • Protected time to undertake study.
  • Flexible training through blended delivery complemented with work-based learning.
  • High-quality learning resources and skilled academic support to enable active learning.

Masters of Human Resource Management Apprenticeship staff