Master of Labor and Employment Relations (MLER)

About

The Master of Labor and Employment Relations (MLER) program produces graduates who are thoughtful professionals, informed leaders, and/or researchers grounded in contemporary reality. Graduates have careers in many types of organizations, ranging from corporations to non-profits, from unions to other social justice organizations, and from state or federal government agencies to public policy institutes.

Explore Exciting Ideas with Top Instructors

• Classes both build skills and expand intellectual horizons
• Engaging real-world courses are taught by nationally-known scholars
• Part-time or full-time student is available
• Online courses increase your options
• Get both the employee and the employer perspective

It’s a Professional Program Helping You to:

• Be a role model for your family
• Move up at your current employer
• Teach others what you have learned
• Advance justice, diversity, or your other ideals

What Sets the MLER Program Apart?

Breadth

• Expand your intellectual horizons from both the employee and employer perspective.
• Understand employment relations from a range of different perspectives, such as labor, management, employees, citizen activists, and that of society as a whole.

Profession

• Acquire current, leadership skills needed to maximize your future professional employment opportunities in a work world of constant change.
• Build professional skills that are appropriate for multiple and varied career goals.

Community

• Join a supportive learning environment that values critical thinking and intellectual exchange and will connect you to a community of active scholars, teachers, learners, and involved citizens.
• Network with employment relations professionals in New Jersey.

Convenience

• Courses are scheduled at times convenient for working adults. You may complete the MLER program on either a full-time or part-time basis.

About

The Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR) is the leading source of expertise in the world of work, building effective and sustainable organizations, and the changing employment relationship. The school is comprised of two departments—one focused on all aspects of strategic human resource management and the other dedicated to the social science specialties related to labor studies and employment relations--with faculty from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds.

The Human Resource Management Department is focused on all aspects of strategic human resource management, including understanding the role of human resources in determining individual and organizational success and managing human resources in a global context. The Labor Studies and Employment Relations Department examines and teaches about all aspects of work and the employment relationships and in particular how collective representation and public policy can improve the well-being of workers.

In addition, SMLR provides many continuing education and certificate programs taught by world-class researchers and expert practitioners, .

History

SMLR was originally established by an act of the New Jersey legislature in 1947 as the Institute of Management and Labor Relations (IMLR). Like its counterparts that were created in the other large industrial states at the same time, the Institute was chartered to promote new forms of labor-management cooperation following the industrial unrest at the end of World War II. It officially became a school at the flagship campus of the State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick/Piscataway in 1994.

Why Rutgers SMLR?

SMLR provides a unique learning experience, where you can:

• Learn from highly cited and published faculty.
• Experience innovative teaching methods.
• Network with industry leaders.
• Gain employment opportunities.

At A Glance

Students: 1,597 (full-time and part-time majors)

Faculty: 55 (full-time)

Features

• Three undergraduate degree programs with different focuses are offered, two B.A. programs in conjunction with the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences and a B.S. program, which can be completed online.
• The school offers two highly respected master’s degrees: the Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM) and the Master of Labor and Employment Relations (MLER). The faculty also administer a Ph.D. degree in industrial relations and human resources, with graduates going on to research and academic positions.
• The school also offers graduate certificates in topics such as Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace, Conflict Resolution and Negotiation, and Leading Organizational Change.
• Research that explores and anticipates the changing nature of the workplace is a key component of the school’s mission.
• Several centers and programs that focus on leading research and improving the workforce. Continuing education programs include Labor Education Action Research Network (LEARN) and Rutgers executive and professional education.