This exam was developed to enable schools to award credit to students for knowledge equivalent to that learned by students taking the course. DSST Human Resource Management is a multiple-choice exam designed to evaluate whether candidates possess the knowledge and understanding that would be gained by taking a lower level college course in human resource management which includes the following content: overview of the human resource management field; human resource planning, staffing, training and development; performance appraisals; compensation issues; safety and security issues; employment law; and labor relations. The exam contains 100 questions to be answered in 2 hours.

EXAM CONTENT OUTLINE

The following is an outline of the content areas covered in the examination. The approximate percentage of the examination devoted to each content area is also noted.

I. An Overview of the Human Resource Management Field – 8%
a. Historical development
b. Human resource functions
c. The role and qualification of the human resource manager
d. Ethical aspects of human resource decision making

II. Human Resource Planning – 9%
a. Strategic human resource issues
b. Workforce diversity and inclusion
c. Job analysis and job design

III. Staffing / Talent Acquisition – 11%
a. Recruiting
b. Selection
c. Promotions and transfers
d. Reduction-in-force
e. Voluntary turnover, retirement and succession planning

IV. Training and Development – 8%
a. Onboarding
b. Career planning
c. Principles of learning
d. Training programs and methods (e.g., Needs assessment, evaluation etc.)
e. Development programs

V. Performance Management (Appraisals) – 12%
a. Reasons for performance evaluation
b. Techniques
c. Challenges

VI. Compensation and Benefits / Total Rewards – 12%
a. Job evaluation
b. Wage and salary administration
c. Compensation systems (e.g. Performance – related pay, executive compensation etc.)
d. Benefits – mandatory and voluntary

VII. Safety and Health – 9%
a. Occupational accidents and illness
b. Quality of work life and wellness
c. Workplace security

VIII. Employment Law – 16%
a. Equal employment opportunity laws (e.g., Civil Rights Act Title VII, ADA, ADEA)
b. Compensation and benefits related laws (e.g., ERISA, FMLA, FLSA)
c. Health, safety and employee rights laws (e.g., OSHA, WARN)

IX. Labor Relations – 10%
a. Role of labor unions
b. Labor laws (e.g., NLRA, Taft-Hartley Act, Civil Service Reform Act)
c. Collective bargaining
d. Unionized versus non-unionized work settings
e. Contract management

X. Current Issues and Trends – 5%
a. Human resource information systems
b. Changing patterns of work relationships (e.g., virtual office, contingent workers, autonomous work groups)
c. Global HR environment
d. Social Media
e. Corporate social responsibility and sustainability