Human Resources Management is one of Humber College's established Graduate Certificate offerings through the Faculty of Business, a one-year, post-diploma/post-degree credential aimed at applicants who already hold a diploma or bachelor's degree and want a fast, applied route into HR practice rather than a second multi-year degree. It's a popular choice among Humber's international cohort precisely because it's short, practically oriented, and taught at a school with a long-standing international education track record in the Greater Toronto Area's dense business-services job market. This guide covers admission, real costs, requirements, English-test rules, PGWP eligibility, and career outcomes.
Acceptance Rate
Humber does not publish an official acceptance rate for the Human Resources Management Graduate Certificate or any other program. Admission runs through the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) on a rolling, capacity-based basis, the same model used across Humber's catalogue. Third-party aggregators sometimes cite Humber's overall admit rate at roughly 60-70%, but that figure is directional, not an official published statistic, and says nothing specific about this particular Graduate Certificate.
Business and HR-focused Graduate Certificates are consistently among Humber's most-applied-to programs, so while admission itself isn't percentage-competitive, seats do fill before any formal deadline in a popular intake, making early, complete applications the real bottleneck.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
Approximate annual costs for international students, based on Humber's published fee structure:
| Cost Item | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| International tuition, Human Resources Management (Graduate Certificate) | ~$19,169/year |
| Estimated living expenses | ~$15,500/year |
| Approximate total cost per year | ~$34,669 |
| Application fee | $100 |
Because this is a one-year Graduate Certificate, total program cost sits at roughly $34,700 CAD for the full credential before scholarships, a materially lower total investment than a two-year master's program, which is a large part of the appeal for applicants who already hold a bachelor's degree and want a fast, applied specialization in HR.
Admission Requirements
As a post-diploma/post-degree Graduate Certificate, this program requires a prior credential rather than direct entry from secondary school.
Required documents:
- Application via the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS)
- Official transcript(s) showing completion of an equivalent diploma or bachelor's degree, commonly with a C+/65% average or higher
- Proof of English language proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL/PTE/Duolingo) at the higher degree/graduate-certificate threshold, unless exempt
- CAD $100 application fee
- Non-refundable tuition deposit once an offer is accepted, to secure a seat
GRE/GMAT: Not required. Intakes: Fall (September) and Winter (available for select Graduate Certificate programs), both on a rolling, capacity-based basis.
How to Get Into Humber's Human Resources Management Graduate Certificate
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Come in with a relevant prior credential. A diploma or bachelor's degree in business, commerce, psychology, or a related people-management field strengthens your file for a program built around applied HR practice.
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Apply early in the Fall intake window. Business and HR-focused Graduate Certificates are among Humber's most in-demand programs, so waiting until close to a soft deadline risks losing your seat to an earlier, complete applicant.
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Lock in your English test score at the higher Graduate Certificate threshold ahead of time, since it's a stricter bar than Humber's general diploma-level minimum (see below).
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Understand this certificate's PGWP positioning before you commit. As a Business/HR-classified Graduate Certificate, it generally does not appear on IRCC's current STEM-weighted eligible field-of-study list the way Humber's Applied Technology and AI/ML programs do, so confirm the program's exact current PGWP status directly on IRCC's official list rather than assuming eligibility.
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If your English score falls short, ask about Humber's English for Academic Purposes (EAP) pathway before your program starts.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
| Test | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall, no band below 6.0 | 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 88, no skill below 22 | 95 |
| PTE Academic | 58 | - |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 | - |
This is Humber's Graduate Certificate/degree-level tier, a step above the diploma-level minimum used for Humber's Ontario College Diplomas. Scores are generally treated as valid for two years, and a prior degree or diploma completed and examined fully in English at an approved institution may exempt you from a separate test requirement. If your score falls short, Humber's English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program offers a structured route into the certificate. For the full breakdown of Humber's admissions and PGWP policy, see Humber College's full admissions guide.
Career Outcomes
Humber does not publish a program-level graduation rate, employment rate, or average starting salary for this Graduate Certificate. What's well documented:
- Graduates are positioned toward Greater Toronto Area business and HR-services employers, benefiting from Humber's own guidance identifying business and HR-services employers as a key placement cluster for its Business Faculty graduates.
- PGWP eligibility, this program's key limitation: as a Graduate Certificate (non-degree credential), it's subject to IRCC's November 2024 field-of-study restriction on PGWP eligibility, which currently centers on six broad sectors weighted toward STEM. Business, HR, and general-management Graduate Certificates like this one generally do not qualify under the current list, unlike Humber's STEM-classified certificates such as Artificial Intelligence with Machine Learning. Always confirm the program's specific current status directly on IRCC's official list before enrolling, since eligibility is program-specific and the list is reviewed periodically.
- As a one-year credential aimed at applicants who already hold a diploma or degree, graduates typically enter the job market directly, applying HR skills built during the certificate on top of an existing academic or professional base.
FAQ
Is Humber's Human Resources Management program a standalone degree? No. It's a one-year Graduate Certificate, a post-diploma/post-degree credential for applicants who already hold a prior diploma or bachelor's degree, not a standalone bachelor's or master's degree in its own right.
Does Humber publish an acceptance rate for this certificate? No. Humber does not publish official acceptance rates for any program. Admission is rolling and capacity-based through OCAS; third-party estimates cite Humber's overall admit rate at roughly 60-70%, but this isn't program-specific or an official figure.
How much does the Human Resources Management certificate cost for international students? International tuition runs approximately CAD $19,169/year. Since the program is one year long, total cost of attendance for the full credential is roughly CAD $34,700 before scholarships.
Will this certificate qualify me for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)? Not reliably. Because it's a Business/HR-classified Graduate Certificate rather than a STEM-classified one, it generally does not fall within IRCC's current eligible field-of-study list, which is weighted toward STEM among six broad sectors. Always verify the program's specific current PGWP status directly on IRCC's official list before enrolling, since this is a real limitation worth weighing against Humber's STEM-classified certificates.
What IELTS score do I need? 6.5 overall with no individual band below 6.0, Humber's Graduate Certificate/degree-level tier, a step above the 6.0 diploma-level minimum used elsewhere in Humber's catalogue.
Do I need a business background to apply? Humber doesn't publish a specific major requirement, but given the program's applied HR focus, a diploma or degree in business, commerce, psychology, or a related field strengthens an application relative to an unrelated academic background.