Why you should study this course
Our Business Management course aims to prepare you for potential future career options in international management, and, upon successful completion, you should be equipped with the expert business knowledge, professional skills and business acumen needed to succeed.
Our aim is to equip you with a business degree qualification, upon successful completion of the course, and one that is suitable in local, national or international markets. We are committed to maintaining our strong track record for employability. Throughout your studies, we support planning for your potential career options and help you with the opportunity to develop your communication, presentation, and interview skills through our internal Continuing Professional Development (CPD) modules, which include workshops on personal branding and networking skills. You may also have the opportunity to work in our Business Simulation Suite, where you have the chance to develop business skills through 'hands-on' learning.
What you'll study
Year one
The first year explores a wide range of business subjects that provide the foundation of the course, including organisational behaviour, marketing and business economics. You will also start to explore the professional and academic skills necessary for a potential business career, such as professional etiquette and managing your professional online presence.
Modules
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Foundations of Business Management - 20 credits
The aim of this module is to give you the underpinning knowledge of contemporary business management. You will develop your understanding of traditional business functions such as Marketing, Finance, Operations and Human Resource Management. You will gain insights into how these functions work together for the success of an organisation but also how there can be conflicting agendas which can cause friction between departments. You will also explore the ever-changing competitive business landscape and its effects on internal business functions with an appreciation of the legal and political influences on business.
Compulsory
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Organisational Behaviour - 20 credits
The overall aim of the module is to introduce you to concepts of management in a global business context. You will explore the basic theories related to contemporary management, roles, settings, structures and interactions. You will also examine organisational behaviour, including motivation, human resource management, organisational culture, leaders, teams and communities. You will gain knowledge and understanding of why individuals within a global business context interact or react as they do in given scenarios or situations. This should help to develop your analytical skills and critical thinking in order to understand the dynamics and complexities of relationships in organisations.
Compulsory
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Business Economics - 20 credits
Focusing on both the microeconomic and macroeconomic environment, you will study the external environment in which a business organisation operates. The module helps you to view economics as an integral part of business by starting with the problems that international businesses face every day and using economics to help understand and solve these problems. There is an emphasis on real world applications of economics to business, such as the cause and impact of the credit crunch on firms and you will also use interactive business simulation software.
Compulsory
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Business Analytics for Decision Making - 20 credits
Business analytics refers to the way in which enterprises such as global business, non-profit organisations, and governments utilise data to obtain insights for their decision-making. This module introduces you to the fundamental concepts of business analytics, and teaches business analysis techniques such as data mining, modelling, forecasting, and data visualisation. Business cases will also be discussed to help contextualise the application of theoretical business analytics models.
Compulsory
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Marketing for International Business - 20 credits
In this module you will take an integrated approach to the understanding of the key operational aspects of marketing. You will be introduced to the theoretical issues that underpin the marking concept and discuss the fundamental issue of analysing the environment in order to understand customers and their needs. You will also explore the marketing mix and the key issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR), consumerism and marketing ethics.
Compulsory
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Continuing Professional Development 1 - 10 credits
This module aims to equip you with the professional skills required to gain access to your chosen graduate employment or other positive career destination. In this innovative module you can choose from a range of professional development activities, including C.V building, preparation for assessment centres, networking and development of soft skills, which will best prepare you for your chosen career. Staff will be available to provide advice on the types of activities which would be most beneficial to each student.
Compulsory
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Add+vantage module - 10 credits
The Add+vantage2 module allows you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that may not be directly related to your degree, enabling you to demonstrate to prospective employers that you are a well-rounded graduate with a wider knowledge base than just your degree subject.
Add+Vantage modules are arranged around themes including: Global Perspectives; Professional Development; Creativity and Enterprise and Entrepreneurship; Work Experience, Global Experience Field Trips, Project and Skills; Professional Accreditation and Research Skills. These additional skills and experiences give you a wider perspective, develop independence, problem solving and can set you apart from other graduates. (Add+vantage module is subject to availability and change).
Compulsory
Year two
In your second year, you will have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of responsible management, as well as project management, including how it relates to international projects, and the accounting and finance skills needed for business managers.
Modules
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Accounting and Finance for Managers - 20 credits
You will be introduced to the main financial statements produced by businesses worldwide, and develop the knowledge and skills required to draw up a basic set of financial accounts including Income Statement and Statement of Financial position. Using these statements and more, you will be able to make an evaluation of the performance of the firm, with the use of management accounting tools and systems. To aid your understanding you will use annual reports of real-world global public companies.
Compulsory
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Managing Global Projects - 20 credits
Project management is a competency which is now used to help organisations manage change, deliver against strategic objectives and achieve competitive advantage. In this module you will examine the theory and practice of project management in a global business environment. You will develop your understanding and skills in the use of project management tools and techniques, using a variety of real projects as case studies to investigate the opportunities and challenges of managing global projects.
Compulsory
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Operations and Supply Chain Management - 20 credits
This module will provide you with a strong foundation in global supply chains and operations management and prepare you for future studies or careers in this area. You will examine the management principles, processes and wider global environment in which contemporary supply chains operate. Core to the module will be an exploration of strategic management decision making, and the range of tools and techniques you can use to support global supply chains.
Compulsory
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Business Professional Practice - 20 credits
The objective of this module is to develop your skills at undertaking a work-based project for a real organisation. Working as a team, you will prepare and agree a project brief with the client and develop a project plan to successfully plan and deliver a project.
Compulsory
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Continuous Professional Development 2 - 10 credits
Building on the skills gained in Continuous Professional Development 1, you will enhance your employability skills further. There will be a particular focus on the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME): sustainability, social responsibility, responsible leadership and ethics.
Compulsory
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Add+vantage module - 10 credits
The Add+vantage2 module allows you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that may not be directly related to your degree, enabling you to demonstrate to prospective employers that you are a well-rounded graduate with a wider knowledge base than just your degree subject. Add+Vantage modules are arranged around themes including: Global Perspectives; Professional Development; Creativity and Enterprise and Entrepreneurship; Work Experience, Global Experience Field Trips, Projects and Skills; Professional Accreditation and Research Skills.These additional skills and experiences give you a wider perspective, develop independence, problem solving and can set you apart from other graduates.
Compulsory
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Optional modules
Choose from one of the following:
Innovation, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship - 20 credits
In this module you will develop your entrepreneurial and innovation skills by blending theory and practice to enhance your understanding of the processes of innovation and entrepreneurship practice within an organisation. You will be encouraged to adopt an entrepreneurial mind-set to utilise in setting up your own business ventures or equally, in creating value through entrepreneurial action within an established organisation.
Global Trade and Emerging Markets - 20 credits
In this module you will gain the knowledge and skills required to identify and evaluate the key issues affecting world trade and its impact on the exporting firm. You will develop an enhanced understanding of the principles and legal tools of the regulation of international trade, towards creating an export plan for a business.
Optional
Final year
In the final year, you can choose modules from the three specialist pathways - supply chain management focus, leadership focus or global focus. This can tie in directly to the area of business you want to work in, providing particular strengths in areas such as ethical leadership, globalisation, and procurement.
Modules
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Strategy in Action - 20 credits
During this module you will examine the theoretical and practical aspects of strategic management, particularly focusing on the process, content and context of strategy and the problems associated with implementing strategic decisions. The wide-ranging debate on the variety of approaches to strategic management is investigated and you are encouraged to tackle complex issues, understand the inter-related aspects of organisational change, and develop solutions to multi-faceted problems.
Compulsory
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Industry 4.0 - 20 credits
The aim of this module is to prepare you for an ever-changing digital world through a variety of operational and functional management concepts and practices. You will explore Industry 4.0 and explore new technologies used to support industry to increase productivity. This emerging relationship has created interconnected manufacturing systems that can communicate, analyse data and make decisions without the need for human involvement, a cyber-physical age. Through this module you will have the opportunity to explore the latest technological advancements and learn the strategic skills to lead in a changing environment.
Compulsory
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Continuous Professional Development 3 - 20 credits
Building on the skills gained in Continuous Professional Development 1, you will enhance your employability skills further throughout this module. There will be a particular focus on the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME): sustainability, social responsibility, responsible leadership and ethics.
Compulsory
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Add+vantage module - 10 credits
The Add+vantage2 module allows you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that may not be directly related to your degree, enabling you to demonstrate to prospective employers that you are a well-rounded graduate with a wider knowledge base than just your degree subject. Add+Vantage modules are arranged around themes including: Global Perspectives; Professional Development; Creativity and Enterprise and Entrepreneurship; Work Experience, Global Experience Field Trips, Projects and Skills; Professional Accreditation and Research Skills. These additional skills and experiences give you a wider perspective, develop independence, problem solving and can set you apart from other graduates. (Add+vantage module is subject to availability and change)
Compulsory
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Business Project - 20 credits
You will identify and use a specific need, problem or issue within a real organisation as the basis of your project. You will examine the issue, search for and analyse potential solutions and then communicate your proposed solution. This develops the skills you will be required to demonstrate in business and the problem solving analytical, reasoning and creative attributes valued by graduate employers.
Compulsory
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Optional modules
Choose 2 modules from across the following three focus areas:
Global Focus:
- Critical Issues in Globalisation - 20 credits
International business now touches the lives of everyone across the globe; therefore it is important to understand the events, trends and forces that play a vital role in International Business. The module is designed to help you to understand the dynamics of international business, world trade patterns and the functions of international institutions relating to international trade. The business strategies used by organisations to achieve their international objectives will be brought into the context of the global economic and political environment. Influences in the international business environment will also be assessed in relation to the formulation of global business strategies.
- Europe Through a Global Lens - 20 credits
This module is designed to give you a better understanding of the business environment within Europe. You will study the development of the EU, the impact of enlargement and the Euro, and the functioning of the common market. In addition, you will explore the main variations between and within European countries in relation to aspects such as communication and culture, marketing, the role of governments, approaches to innovation and product development, and the effects of regionalisation and globalisation.
Leadership Focus:
- Cross Cultural and Ethical Leadership - 20 credits
You will draw on the experience you have gained in prior modules and use the underpinning principles of behaviour in organisations and how people are managed to consider organisational leadership. You will be given the opportunity to study leadership theory, particularly authentic and ethical leadership, and to apply the theory to high profile cases. You will be encouraged to be reflective and to consider your own skills development in relation to ethical leadership and also to explore the concept that everyone sees the world through a different lens.
- Managing Change and Corporate Governance - 20 credits
In this module you will explore the implications of change for organisations. You will examine current approaches to managing change and develop an understanding of how change may affect corporate governance. It will be studied from the perspective of change as an ongoing social process, rather than an event. As a consequence, you will focus on social processes and your ability to take responsibility for promoting or denigrating certain types of organisational action/change.
The module will lead to the development of participative styles of organising and management in ongoing change. The social skills of negotiation, co-ordination and collaboration in teams will be practiced in seminars. Throughout the module you should develop a number of employability skills, in particular critical thinking and analysis, writing texts from more than one perspective and developing and using an argument to convince others.
Supply Chain Management Focus
- Purchasing, Procurement and Sustainability - 20 credits
Purchasing and procurement management makes a strategic contribution to the organisation by enabling it to operate successfully in a dynamic, complex environment. In this module you will be introduced to a range of concepts and techniques that are employed within the purchasing and procurement departments of both public and private sector organisations. On successful completion of the module you will understand the concepts, frameworks and techniques of purchasing and procurement decision making to enable you to assess and evaluate competitive conditions, identify the appropriate processes for international organisations to establish sustainable competitive advantage in its industry sector.
- Global Logistics Management - 20 credits
This module aims to enhance your understanding of the physical distribution channels used to deliver goods in both industrial and retail contexts. You will examine planning at the strategic level and analysis of the operational techniques available to logistics professionals. By exploring contemporary practices in the logistics field, you will develop real-world problem-solving capabilities and competences in such fundamental areas of logistics management as unimodal and multimodal freight transportation, warehousing, materials handling and packaging.
You will also examine strategically important aspects including integrated logistics, logistics service providers and logistics outsourcing, inventory management, information systems and sustainable logistics. You will study total logistics and supply chain management perspectives, enabling you to expand your understanding from solely functional and organisational to cross-functional and inter-organisational levels of global logistics management.
Optional
