BUSI 642 is Liberty's MBA course on contemporary issues in human resource management. Its written work is two forums (a 500 to 750-word thread on one of four or five prompts, then two 250 to 300-word replies, each with two recent scholarly sources and biblical integration), a 750-word case study paper with four recent scholarly sources, and a Human Resource Policy Project: a 10-source annotated bibliography and a 1,750-word research paper supporting policies on four HR topics.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as BUSI 642 Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as BUSI642.
What BUSI 642 covers
The catalog description: A practical approach designed for the general manager that provides a knowledge base in basic human resource topics, as well as an in-depth analysis of important current issues in the field. Through text readings, case studies, experiential exercises, Internet activities, and research, students will learn to synthesize and integrate theory with application and evaluate the effectiveness of an organization's human resources.
The course is a practical approach for general managers, giving a knowledge base in HR topics and in-depth analysis of current issues. Through readings, cases, exercises and research, students integrate theory with application and evaluate the effectiveness of an organization's human resources. The text is Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart and Wright, Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage.
Eight quizzes (160 points) and three Connect case analysis exercises (180 points) have no guide here. All scholarly sources in this course must be published within the last 5 years. Week 1 runs Monday to Friday and Weeks 2 to 8 run Saturday to Friday.
Textbook named in the published guide: Noe et al., Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage (2018). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
BUSI 642 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Discussion Board Forum 1 | 130 | Thread 500 to 750 words; replies 250 to 300 words |
| 4 | Discussion Board Forum 2 | 130 | Thread 500 to 750 words; replies 250 to 300 words |
| 4 | HRPP Annotated Bibliography | 100 | 10 sources with summaries of at least 150 words each, plus a title page |
| 6 | Case Study Paper | 125 | At least 750 words, not counting the title and reference pages |
| 7 | HRPP Research Paper | 175 | At least 1,750 words, not counting the title page, abstract and references |
Week 2: Discussion Board Forum 1
A 500 to 750-word thread on one of 4 or 5 prompts in Week 2, then two 250 to 300-word replies in Week 3, each with 2 recent scholarly sources and biblical integration. How to write BUSI 642 Week 2 Discussion Board Forum 1.
Week 4: Discussion Board Forum 2
A 500 to 750-word thread in Week 4, then two 250 to 300-word replies in Week 5, each with 2 recent scholarly sources and biblical integration. How to write BUSI 642 Week 4 Discussion Board Forum 2.
Week 4: HRPP Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography of 10 scholarly sources from the last 5 years on 4 HR policy topics, with a 150-word summary for each. How to write BUSI 642 Week 4 HRPP Annotated Bibliography.
Week 6: Case Study Paper
A 750-word narrative answering the provided critical thinking prompts, with 4 recent scholarly sources, the textbook and biblical integration. How to write BUSI 642 Week 6 Case Study Paper.
Week 7: HRPP Research Paper
A research paper of at least 1,750 words providing researched rationale for HR policies on at least 4 topics, using all 10 annotated sources plus the textbook and biblical integration. How to write BUSI 642 Week 7 HRPP Research Paper.
How BUSI 642 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. The two forums are 130 each (thread 75, replies 55), the case study paper 125, the annotated bibliography 100, the research paper 175, the Connect case analyses 180, quizzes 160 and the checklist 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Board Forums (2) | 260 |
| Case Study Paper | 125 |
| HRPP Annotated Bibliography | 100 |
| HRPP Research Paper | 175 |
| Case Analysis Exercises (3) | 180 |
| Quizzes (8) | 160 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 940 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Module/Week 1 begins on Monday and ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday. Modules/Weeks 2−8 begin on Saturday and end at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach BUSI 642
Choose your four HR policy topics early (for example remote work, social media use, workplace harassment and paid leave); the 10-source annotated bibliography is due in Week 4 and the research paper must use all ten sources.
Every scholarly source must be from the last 5 years, so filter database searches by date from the start.
Questions students ask
What is the BUSI 642 Human Resource Policy Project?
A project in which you research at least 4 HR topics as if preparing an HR policy manual: an annotated bibliography of 10 scholarly sources from the last 5 years with summaries of at least 150 words (Week 4), then a research paper of at least 1,750 words using all 10 sources plus the textbook and biblical integration (Week 7).
How recent must BUSI 642 sources be?
Scholarly sources must be published within the last 5 years, in forums, the case study paper and the policy project.
Working through BUSI 642 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.