Website: https://www.queensu.ca/emprpgms/

Purpose and Philosophy

Queen's University offers a set of Master of Industrial Relations (MIR) degree programs aimed at developing the human resource management and labour relations knowledge and competencies that employment relations professionals need to fulfill their professional roles.  The philosophical orientation of the program is multi-disciplinary, stressing the application of knowledge and analysis to the employment relationship and workplace.

The MIR degree provides students with:

• a thorough grounding in labour relations and human resource practice;
• an understanding of the fundamentals of the laws governing the individual employment and collective bargaining relationship;
• the capacity to collect and analyze data on current workplace issues and interpret research in the field;
• an understanding of evolving employment relationships and of organizational dynamics;
• essential skill sets for HR/LR professionals (e.g., consulting, facilitation, leadership, coaching, team building and communication).

Degree Programs

The MIR degree programs include:

1. a full-time Master of Industrial Relations (MIR) program, designed for new graduates and normally delivered over one academic year;
2. the part-time Professional Master of Industrial Relations (PMIR) program, aimed at experienced professionals working in labour relations or human resources management who wish to significantly enhance and upgrade their academic qualifications, normally delivered over a two-year period; and the
3. Juris Doctor/Master of Industrial Relations (JD/MIR) that merges graduate training in human resources management and labour policy with a professional degree in law, with the MIR degree requirements normally fulfilled during the 2^nd year.

Admission and Residence Requirements

Master of Industrial Relations (MIR) Program
This twelve-month Master of Industrial Relations Program requires three terms of full-time study on campus. Admission requirements are a four-year bachelor's degree with upper second-class standing from a recognized university and demonstrated evidence of strong academic potential. Applicants whose native languages do not include English must obtain a passing score in one of the accepted tests of English language proficiency (information can be found can be found  in the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs here: International Students. 

Applicants who have completed their undergraduate degree from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada are required to submit GRE scores with their application.  We are unable to comment on the competitiveness of scores as this depends on the annual pool of applicants. 

Professional Master of Industrial Relations (PMIR) Program
This Professional Master of Industrial Relations Program is a part-time program of study where the course load is normally distributed over two years. Admission requirements are a four-year bachelor's degree with upper second class standing from a recognized university and demonstrated evidence of strong academic potential, as well as three years of full-time employment experience in the employment relations field (or equivalent). Applicants with a strong history of relevant employment experience with a bachelor's degree of less than four years in duration will be considered on a case by case basis.  Applicants whose native languages do not include English must obtain a passing score in one of the accepted tests of English language proficiency (information can be found in the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs here: International Students. 

JD/MIR Program
The Juris Doctor/Master of Industrial Relations (JD/MIR) is a three-and-a-half-year combined degree program. In partnership with Queen’s Faculty of Law, the JD/MIR was established in response to strong demand from the law profession for graduates with expertise in employment and labour law. The JD/MIR is the only dual degree of its kind in Canada, merging graduate training in human resources management, employment and labour policy with a professional degree in law.

A limited number of students may be admitted to this combined program. Applications must be made for JD admission through OLSAS and concurrently for admission to the graduate degree through the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Admission requirements specifically for the MIR are as above, including those for international students.

Financial Assistance

Special awards available include the Clarence J. Hicks Fellowship in Industrial Relations, Don Wood Fellowships, Cameron-Wood Prize, the Goldenberg Scholar's Award, the Robert Grant Fellowship, the Lia Dower Memorial Award, The Prism Scholarship, The G. Gannage Memorial Award, and The MIR Class of 1985 Bursary.

Facilities

The Master of Industrial Relations program is located on the second floor of Robert Sutherland Hall, in close proximity to the Mackintosh-Corry Social Science Complex, the Faculty of Law, Goodes Hall, the School of Business, the Law Library, the main Arts and Humanities Library, Stauffer Library, and the Industrial Relations Centre. 

Faculty

Director, MIR and PMIR Programs
Hickey, R.S.

Professor
Chaykowski, R.P.

Associate Professor
Fisk, G.M., Hickey, R.S., Lilius, J.M.,Weinberg, B.

Assistant Professor
Samosh, D.

Professor Emeritus
Kumar, P.

Programs

Courses

In the full-time MIR program, core courses (MIR 810, 823, 824, 830, 840, 850, 897) are offered each year. All other courses are electives, and course offerings vary year-to-year. Please check directly with the department for current offerings.

In the PMIR program, core courses and electives are offered a multi-year period. Please check directly with the department for current offerings.

Courses weighted 3.0 credits may be offered in a blended learning format that includes in-class lectures (in-person lecture hours may vary from 24 to 36 hours), and on-line lectures and learning activities (which may vary from 0 to 12 hours), to total 36 learning hours.

Courses weighted 1.0 credit may be offered in a blended learning format that includes in-class lectures (in-person lecture hours may vary from 8 to 12 hours), and on-line lectures and learning activities (which may vary from 0 to 4 hours), to total 12 learning hours.

All MIR/PMIR courses adopting a blended learning format will clearly indicate the proportion of hours in-class, and the course segments with lectures and/or learning activities delivered on-line, approximately four (4) weeks in advance of the beginning of the course. 

MIR 801 Seminars in Occupational Health and Safety
This seminar will focus on occupational health and safety issues, legislation and major programs, with an emphasis on developing, managing and maintain policies and programs related to current definitions of occupational health and safety. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 802-809, 811-819  Workplace Skills Seminars     
These seminars are designed to provide students with critical analytical, research, and interpersonal skills required of Human Resources and Labour Relations professionals in the workplace. Each seminar normally meets over a four-week period, and students are required to take three seminars which together will be considered a half-course. Students who wish to drop a seminar must do so before the second scheduled class or with the permission of the instructor. The seminars are:

MIR 802 Seminars in Training and Development
Seminars on key employment topics such as team building, stress management, dealing with difficult people, etc. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as issues change and different instructors are involved. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 803 Seminars in Analytics and Metrics Skills
Seminars on key employment topics such as quantitative and qualitative analytical methods and tools: design and use of metrics. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as issues change and different instructors are involved. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 804 Seminars in Costing Compensation
This seminar focuses on developing the skills associated with analyzing compensation structures and costing changes to compensation. While the seminar uses union negotiations as the context, the skills associated with costing collective bargaining proposals have more universal applications for modelling compensation cost structures at union and non-union organizations. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 805 Topics in Labour Relations
This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Labour Relations, such as costing agreements, grievance handling, etc. (1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 806 Topics in Human Resource Management
This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Human Resource Management, such as recruitment, selection, interviews, opinions, surveys. (1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 807 Topics in Negotiation and Collective Bargaining
This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Negotiation skills and strategies, and Collective Bargaining that focuses on long term and sustained results. (1.0 credit unit)

MIR 808 Seminars in Work Teams
Seminars relevant to building and managing effective work teams. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as Issues change and different instructors are involved. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 809 Mediation Skills 
This course is designed to introduce students to the basic principles of conducting a mediation in the context of a labour and employment dispute. Students will have an opportunity to co-mediate in a mock mediation. Experienced mediators will observe and coach students through the exercise. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 810 Unions and Collective Bargaining     
The purpose of the course is to develop a critical understanding of the institutions of unionism and collective bargaining, their rationale, policies and procedures, and their effects on workers, organizations, and the society. The course is experiential and practical, building on the key conceptual principles of industrial relations. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 811 Topics in Employee Wellness and Mental Health
This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Employee Wellness and Mental Health. (1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 812 Seminars in Employment Ethics and Legal Issues
Seminars on key employment topics such as legal considerations and consequences of workplace misconduct, unethical behaviour, human rights violation. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as issues change and different instructors are involved. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 813 Seminars in Performance Management
Seminars on key employment topics such as performance appraisal, effective feedback and coaching. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as issues change and different instructors are involved. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 814 Topics in Workplace Investigations
This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Workplace Investigations, including practical tools in assessing workplace issues and writing well-drafted investigation reports, etc. (1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 815 Topics in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in workplace management practices and programs that support employee inclusivity, equity and diversity. (1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 816 Seminars in Employment Relations Problems and Projects 
Students typically either do a project or case exercise in employment relations, on either an individual or small-group basis. Group cases or exercises may involve presentations of a report or findings. Specific requirements may vary from year to year depending upon the specific topic (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 817 Topics in Collective Agreement Administration
This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Collective Agreement Administration, such as contract language interpretation, grievance and arbitration. (1.0 credit unit)

MIR 818 Seminars in Leadership
Seminars on developing skills to effectively manage and lead others. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as issues change and different instructors are involved. (Seminar; 1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 819 Labour Arbitration Skills 
The labour arbitration skills seminar typically takes the form of a Moot Competition, based on a fictional case in a formal setting that simulates a real arbitration, which supports the development of formal presentation and advocacy skills in the practice of arbitration in employment relations. Although typically centered on a Moot Competition, the seminar may provide alternative approaches to learning and developing skills related to the practice of labour arbitration (1.0 credit unit.)

MIR 820 IR and Labour Law (two terms)     
This course addresses the fundamentals of the law governing the individual employment relationship and the collective bargaining relationship; rights of the employee and employer at common law, and their modification by minimum standards statutes and human rights legislation; the development of contemporary collective bargaining legislation; the certification process; unfair labour practices; the duty to bargain; the collective agreement and its administration through arbitration. The arbitration and adjudication process will also be studied, including such topics as powers of arbitrators and adjudicators and evidentiary issues. Students will have an opportunity to perform in mock arbitrations and adjudications. (3.0 credit units.)
EXCLUSIONS: MIR 823 and MIR 824.

MIR 823 IR and Labour Law I     
This course addresses the fundamentals of the law governing the individual employment relationship and the collective bargaining relationship; rights of the employee and employer at common law, and their modification by minimum standards statutes and human rights legislation; the development of contemporary collective bargaining legislation; the certification process; unfair labour practices and the duty to bargain. (3.0 credit units.)
EXCLUSION: MIR 820

MIR 824 IR and Labour Law II     
This course addresses the fundamentals of the collective agreement and its administration through arbitration. The arbitration and adjudication process will also be studied, including such topics as powers of arbitrators and adjudicators and evidentiary issues. Students will have an opportunity to perform in a mock arbitration and adjudications. . Note: Learning materials $20 (3.0 credit units.)
EXCLUSION: MIR 820

MIR 825 Human Rights Law in the Workplace     
The focus of this course is to provide students with the tools required to create and maintain a culture of human rights in the workplace. Through the use of case studies, students will learn how to apply legal principles and law to develop practical solutions to the challenges they are sure to face. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 826 Advanced Topics in Labour Law     
This course is an advanced topics seminar providing contemporary perspectives on labour law. The course is intended to explore specific aspects of labour law that are relevant to industrial relations in depth. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as issues change and different instructors are involved. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 830 Human Resource Management
This course will familiarize students with the basic responsibilities of the human resources function in organizations. The course covers topics such as strategic planning, job analysis, recruitment, selection, training and development, career planning, performance appraisal, compensation and international HRM. Students will learn about the various tools and techniques available to human resource professionals through the use of lectures, case analyses, student presentations, and the text book with supplemental readings. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 832 Strategic Human Resource Management
This course focuses on strategic human resource management (SHRM), which involves future-oriented approaches to ensure alignment between HR practices and a broader organizational strategy. The course will cover fundamental concepts of SHRM, including the distinction between SHRM and operational HR approaches, with a particular emphasis on developing evidence-based management skills to identify and address emerging organizational issues related to talent management. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 840 Labour Economics and Industrial Relations     
This course examines contemporary labour market behaviour and processes and considers some of the emerging labour market issues and policies that are relevant to the study of industrial relations. The approach is to relate theory and empirical research from labour economics to industrial relations and institutional analyses. A selection of major topics that are typically covered include: the demand and supply for labour; human capital investments; contracts and compensation; unions and their impacts; and labour market discrimination and related public policy; and NAFTA related implications. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 841 Contemporary Labour Policies     
This course provides a basic overview of the major purposes and elements of current Canadian labour policy and emerging challenges in the context of changing external and internal environments. The three major areas of labour policy studied include regulations related to labour relations, labour standards, and labour markets in both the public and the private sectors. Among key areas studied include legislation and programs related to labour relations, pay equity, occupational health and safety, employment standards, worker compensation, unemployment insurance, as well as broader policy programs such as the federal sectoral councils program for skills development and adjustment. Although the main focus of the course is on Canada, aspects of North American or global developments relevant to Canadian labour policy will also be reviewed. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 850 Organizational Behavior
This course applies theories and methods from the behavioral sciences to the analysis of organizations. Students are introduced to classical and contemporary theories of organizational behavior at the individual, interpersonal, and organizational levels, with a particular emphasis on identifying evidence-based solutions to organizational problems in the context of employment relations. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 851 Relationships in Organizations     
The purpose of this course is to create better understanding of the importance of relationships in organizations.  Using a socio-psychological approach, the course will focus on topics central to relationship formation including social perception and cognition, attitudes and persuasion as well as inter-personal attraction and influence.  Among the topics to be covered include attachment theory, social identity, social networks, organizational compassion, emotions, politics and influence tactics, diversity, harassment. (3.0 credit units).

MIR 852 Leadership in Organizations     
This course examines theories and research findings from the behavioral sciences that are relevant to leadership and the influence process in groups and organizations. Topics may include personality, situational factors, intergroup processes, interpersonal perception as well as the motivation to both lead and follow.  The course also explores the implications of leadership training, organization development, and action research. (3.0 credit units.) 

MlR 853 Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Workplace 
The course considers the range of human resource management and labour relations practices, laws and policies that influence equity, diversity, and inclusion in the modern workplace, and helps students develop their critical thinking on topics such as implicit and systemic bias, and how they relate to organizational issues of power, privilege, opportunity, inclusion, creativity and innovation, and effectiveness. (3.0 credit units.) 

MIR 860 Advanced Topics in Employment   
This course is an advanced topics seminar providing contemporary perspectives on employment relations, personnel management and organizational behaviour. The course is intended to explore selected topics in these areas in depth.  Private and public sector industrial relations issues may be explored. Topics and instructors will vary from year to year. (3.0 credit units.) 

MIR 870 Contract Administration     
An advanced topics course that explores the management and application of the collective agreement post—negotiation. This course examines the link between contract administration, the bargaining environment, and issues brought forward for collective bargaining. Duty of fair representation, successor rights, bargaining history, and language—building, among other topics, will be considered. (3.0 credit units.) 

MIR 875 Finance and Accounting for HR/LR  
This course provides an introduction to the basic principles and skills in accounting and finance that are relevant to employment relations specialists. Topic areas may vary from year to year but typically include financial concepts, statements and tools, principles of accounting, budgeting processes, financial forecasting, costing and reporting and the regulatory regime. (Offered online or on-campus). (3.0 credit units.)

M1R 877 Technology and Work 
The seminar course examines technological change in the workplace and the relationship between technological change and employment relations outcomes. Examples of aspects of technological change examined include effects on employee skills and education, work organization and methods, employment arrangements and levels, and union management relations. (3.0 credit units.) 

MIR 880 Compensation     
This course examines the basic components of compensation systems (i.e., compensation objectives, job hierarchies, forms of pay, salary survey, etc.). A Canadian text is used that combines economic, sociological and psychological approaches to the study and design of pay systems. The course uses a detailed description of a hypothetical organization and a problem-oriented teaching method to explore topics such as the relationship between compensation systems and firm performance, and the tradeoffs between internal and external equity in the design of compensation systems. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 885 Industrial Relations in the Global Economy     
This course develops a critical appreciation of the role of industrial relations in a global economic environment. The emphasis is on providing an understanding of the nature and scope of adjustments and adaptations in labour-management institutions and relationships required to deal with international competitive pressures, focusing on strategic links between HR/LR and competitiveness, the Japanese challenge, evolving management approaches and strategies, union responses and the labour agenda, and restructuring experience in key Canadian industries. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 886 Negotiations, Conflict Resolution and Workplace Behaviour     
The object of this course is to develop industrial relations and human resource expertise including negotiation, conflict resolution and facilitation skills for those who will be employed in line, staff, or union positions in the public or private sectors. The course deals specifically with negotiation strategy and behaviour, labour and management attitudes and relationships, conflict and cooperation, methods of conflict resolution and facilitation, workplace innovations, strategic choice in IR/HR policy, new directions in IR/HR, and in the new roles of staff and line management in the high performance workplace. Note: Learning Materials $32.25 (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 888 Advanced Topics in Labour Relations     
The course is an advanced topics seminar providing contemporary perspectives on labour relations. The course is intended to explore specific aspects of labour relations in depth. Private and public sector labour relations issues may be explored. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as issues change and different instructors are involved. (3.0 credit units.).

MIR 889 Advanced Topics in Human Resources Management     
The course is an advanced topics seminar providing contemporary perspectives on human resources management. The course is intended to explore specific aspects of human resources management in depth. Private and public sector human resource issues may be explored. Specific topics may vary from year to year, as issues change and different instructors are involved. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 891, 892 Directed Special Studies     
The purpose of the directed special studies/reading course is to provide additional flexibility in the MIR program to enable students to pursue in-depth study of a topic/subject relating to industrial relations and human resources management that is not covered by existing course offerings. The scope of this course will be arranged by the student in consultation with the instructor. Although the exact course format and requirements will depend on the nature of the subject area and on the discretion of the instructor, the following guidelines may be helpful: the minimum workload for the course is the same as required for a normal course; the student is normally required to undertake a review of the literature, including an annotated bibliography of the subject covered by the course; the student is normally required to write at least one major paper (minimum 20 typed pages or 5000 words in length) as a requirement for the course. The course is available only under special circumstances and with the permission of the Director. This course may be taken in any one of the three terms, but it can only be taken once during the MIR program. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 897 Analytical Methods in Industrial Relations     
This course introduces students to research methods and tools used in the study of industrial relations. The course includes selected topics related to the application of labour economics, human resources management, organizational behaviour, and labour law approaches to the analysis of industrial relations. Specific topics and emphasis vary according to the instructor. (3.0 credit units.)

MIR 898 Research Project     
Written under the direction of a faculty supervisor and normally about 50 pages in length, the research essay provides students with the opportunity to undertake independent research of an IR/HR issue or a case study of an organization and to develop the ability to express their ideas in an organized and literate form. Preliminary work is normally completed in the winter term and research and writing conducted during the spring/summer term. Counselling for the research essay (choice of an appropriate topic, selection of a supervisor, etc.) is provided by the School. Every effort is made to inform students about the research interests and activities of faculty members and associates and to encourage them to undertake topics related to these. The written essay will be examined by a committee composed of the supervisor, and one other member of the faculty of the School or a related department. (offered based on supervisory availability). (6.0 credit units.)