Online HR Certification vs MBA – Which is the Best Option?

Most HR professionals face a dilemma in their career on whether or not they should opt for postgraduate studies, i.e., a Master’s Degree in HR. Opting for a degree in HR is a sensible and viable way to have a stable and advancing Human Resources career. People who opt for the degree, usually study 20 to 30+ courses over a period of 2 – 3 years. 

Whereas those who opt for the Human Resources certification only apply for an exam and then prove their merit in the exam test and they are given the certification through numerous Human Resources certification vendors globally. However, if you are a Human Resources Professional, then you have to consider which option you need to select. Whether you want to earn only a certification or a degree along with it, you also need to consider what order you want to get them.

Difference Between MBA and Online HR Certifications

If you are a Human Resources worker with career goals, you must have given at least a little thought to what steps you are going to take to advance your career and climb the HR ladder. Therefore, you should know the main difference between pursuing a Master’s Degree in HR or opting for online HR certifications.

The key difference between certification and a Degree in Human Resources is that certification is usually taken once the person is already working in the field and wants to advance his knowledge of that particular area. Employers also believe that individuals having HR Certifications are more focused and have comprehensive knowledge of the Human Resources function.

An HR Certification is for those HR professionals who are actively engaged in the HR industry and are considering growing their career by obtaining PHR or SPHR certification. Obtaining an MBA will certainly provide grounding in all aspects of business, but it is usually not focused on where the HR Professional wants to be in their career. However, HR Certifications help professionals specialize in a particular field, which makes them more sensible to pursue.

On the other hand, an MBA in HR is typically a 2 years program after BBA, which covers the key concepts of the entire Human Resources field. After pursuing an MBA, you will also develop and fine tune your ability to think strategically. If your undergraduate degree is in Management or HR, an MBA might be the ideal addition to your educational portfolio and could help propel you to a C-level status.

An MBA in HR could be an excellent choice for undergraduates who do not intend to enter the workforce right away. This route is also suitable for those who want the opportunity to move into the workforce in their chosen field immediately after graduation in a management capacity.

What Do Hiring Managers Prefer?

You might be surprised, but people who do not even possess an MBA in Human Resources but have a certification in HR are viewed as more desirable candidates for employers than the ones who hold a Master’s Degree. Hiring managers usually shortlist and hire candidates that have a certification in Human Resources because certifications are more focused and saturated with Human Resources studies and the functions in Human Resources than a Master’s Degree. 

Moreover, the certification vendors have strong contemporary Human Resources specialists on their panels who are updated with all the Human Resources knowledge that is solely based on modern trends, studies, researchers, and publications in HR. Whereas, an MBA in Human Resources covers mere aspects of business functions.

Process of Acquiring HR Certifications

The process of getting an HR Certification is quite easy. Since we are living in a technological world, everything has become online, which has made things much easier to access and handle for us. There are multiple websites from where you can register for a course and earn a certificate, such as HRAcademia, Coursera, HR University, etc.

The process of registering for a course and earning a certificate is relatively similar for all the websites. The best part of these online courses is that the entire process of earning a certificate is online, so even if you are a working HR professional, you don’t need to worry about classes or anything else. 

The process of earning a certification includes simple steps, and by following them, you can also become an HR professional from the comfort of your home or office:

Step 1: Create an Account

Create an online account on any online website that provides an HR Certification. If you already have an account, then you can log in using your login name and password.

Step 2: Select Certification

You can then select the exam that could help you excel in your career, or help you grow your career horizon. Once you have selected what certification course you want to apply for, then you need to fill in other required details that are needed by the website to proceed with your application.

Step 3: Submit

After filling in all the required details, you can submit the application and select the mode of payment. The payment criteria vary with each website. 

Step 4: Take Exam

After you have gone through the learning material, you can take the exam at your convenience. You will get a reasonable time to prepare for the exam, and the course material will also be uploaded on the website which will be accessible to you 24/7. 

Step 5: Get Certified

As soon as you attempt the exam and qualify you will get instant results. Many educational institutes, such as HRAcademia, also give a second chance to those individuals who have failed the exam on their first attempt. After successfully passing the exam, your certification credential will update within 48 hours of your examination and then you will become a certified professional.

Cost of HR Certifications

The cost of HR certifications usually ranges from $300 to $1500, with $1500 being the maximum amount you can spend on a certification. However, the price range of every website varies accordingly, depending on its popularity, the level of certification, and so on. Moreover, the time range of earning a certification is also not as long as compared to earning an MBA Degree from a University. 

In addition to this, it is also better for you to know about the average cost of earning a Master’s Degree in HR. According to Marvin Dumon from Investopedia, he states the initial costs of an MBA Degree. The average amount is considered for all the items:

• $80,000 for tuition 
• $40,000 for boarding and books 
• $20,000 for peripheral expenditures

This brings the total MBA cost to around $140,000, while the lost income brings the tab to a whopping $260,000. That figure amounts to more than four years of salary at an annualized income rate of $60,000. To your surprise, all of this calculation is considered for an average university and not a reputable one. 

Conclusion

The decision as to which route an HR professional should pursue for their post-graduate studies is different for each individual. It requires deep self-analysis to determine what is best for them and the career path they wish to pursue!