Year 1 focuses on providing you with the necessary underpinning in terms of broad business management knowledge and skills. It introduces key business and management concepts.
Year 2 lets you explore your own interests and deepening your insights as well as having more responsibility for your own learning.
The final year explores more advanced topics within business and management and you develop your awareness of your own responsibility as a future leader of business. Finally, you have the opportunity to put your knowledge into action by undertaking a self-managed independent project through the Dissertation module.
Course structure
Foundation year core modules
Academic Skills and Personal Development for Business
This module develops your academic and transferrable skills to support successful study on a business degree course. These skills include a range of personal and transferable study skills including active listening, reading and understanding academic texts, note taking, time management, written and oral communication, analytical thinking and referencing, as well as professional skills linked to employability and career aspirations.
Business Creativity Enterprise and Career Aspirations
You are introduced to the basic elements of research and develop an understanding of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship in the context of business organisations. You gain the confidence to explore and research current topics and generate new ideas to solve problems. You will work in teams reviewing relevant literature and considering different methodologies for researching and collecting relevant data to develop a proposal for a small research project.
Collecting Understanding and Presenting Business Information
This module will introduce you to the basic elements of collecting primary and secondary business data, understanding it and then presenting it as meaningful information. It will provide you with the confidence to explore current business topics and the knowledge and skills required for the Team Research Project Utilising Digital Platforms module. You will use digital platforms such as Excel spreadsheets, Word, online survey packages and PowerPoint to facilitate collection, basic analysis and presentation of business information.
Introduction to Business Environment
This broad-ranging module provides you with an introduction to the interrelated nature of business activities and their relationships with the micro (internal) and macro (external) environments. The internal environment will introduce the key concepts surrounding marketing and human resource management (HRM). The external environment, examines the key political, economic, social, technological, and cultural issues affecting the modern firm.
Numeracy and Introduction to Finance
This module provides you with an introduction to core numerical skills and quantitative techniques that are essential to studying business in higher education. You will develop effective quantitative problem-solving skills using practical business problems and gain an appreciation of the contribution that accounting makes to the financial analysis and managerial control of business organisations.
Team Research Project Utilising Digital Platforms
This module provides an opportunity for you to work collaboratively as a team, to carry out a short piece of research using an online survey package to conduct a short survey. As part of a team, you will demonstrate your ability to apply skills of research, analysis and synthesis to present your findings and conclusions using appropriate software packages.
Year 1 core modules
Business Development and Performance Management
You develop your knowledge of business development and the importance of setting clear performance measurements. You also develop an understanding of quality, process, and the importance of moving beyond measurement to active management of performance measures set.
Business Enterprise
This module will inspire you to think about entering the workplace once you have completed your studies. The module is delivered as an interactive learning experience which will enable you to develop an enterprising mind-set and help to identify some of the skills and attributes you already possess. The module content will encourage you to begin to think about your personal career aspirations, whilst addressing potential gaps linked to your knowledge, skills and experience. You will be encouraged to think in an enterprising fashion; learn new approaches to adapt and enhance your individual style. You will have the opportunity to work independently and as a member of a group by participating in personal challenges and group projects, and will learn to understand the importance of networking. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to hear from and to question experienced external practitioners.
Business Finance
You gain an understanding of the way in which accounting is used in the external evaluation of organisations and develops the ability to use accounting and finance techniques in decision making, control, management and adding value to performance.
International Market Environment
You are introduced to basic economic theories of markets and competition along with aspects of the wider business environment, including government policy and the macro-economy. These ideas are then applied to the practical analysis of markets using segmentation, targeting, and positioning framework.
Personal and Professional Development for Business
You become more aware of your own personal and professional development through reflection and interaction with peers. Drawing on related theories, you understand the importance of personal development and develop skills to enhance your future employability.
Understanding Organisations
You study some of the general principles of business management, particularly in the context of structure, culture, leadership, organisational behaviour, the business environment and the impact of these areas operationally. You are also introduced to the concept of strategic management with an emphasis on organisational resource and competency. And you consider the impact of organisational behaviour on overall business effectiveness, examining the role of the individual within the organisation and exploring motivation, perception and personal impact.
Year 2 core modules
Agile Management
In a world of relentless and fast paced change the most important question for any company is ‘are we agile?’ In other words are we able to deal with new situations and changes quickly and successfully. For many the answer is no. In this module you will learn how to get to yes through the greatest resource available: people. You will develop knowledge and understanding of why much of management is no longer fit for purpose (management 1.0), and how a new alternative is emerging (management 2.0) is an alternative fit for the 21st century.
Enterprise and Practice
This applied module allows you to demonstrate your practical skills and knowledge within a work environment. You explore the theoretical and practical world of business and will explore entrepreneurial and wider managerial approaches to the development of business within enterprise. Through your work within an enterprise, you will develop valuable professional skills and first-hand knowledge of an enterprise. If you already work you will be guided to recognise and reflect on this practice and use your own organisation as a case study. You are supported by academic staff and business contacts from across and outside the University.
International Business and Management
You develop an understanding of the main issues affecting international business in the global economy and explore topics including globalisation, trade, economic growth and development. You focus specifically on examining these topics across different cultures. As the module progresses you become able to differentiate cultural variations and the impact of cultural difference on individuals and key organisations. You also have the opportunity to study a culture of your choice in-depth.
Research Methods
Building on prior learning within various stage 1 modules, this module develops your understanding and awareness of the principles and practicalities underpinning ethical and rigorous research. Through interactive seminar sessions with research-active academic staff, the module develops the practical skills you require for conducting a rigorous and ethical research study. The skills developed and knowledge gained will link to the stage 3 Dissertation module.
and two optional modules
Brand Management
Brand creation and effective brand management are considered as essential for success in the marketing and business context. This module explores key branding concepts and allows you to apply them to sector specific (fashion industry) examples with a view to investigating the necessary principles for effective brand marketing, including appropriate brand development.
You analyse alternative definitions of branding before focusing predominantly on consumer markets where you consider the relationship between brands and consumers and explore the social and cultural context. You study brand marketing issues such as brand identity, brand positioning, brand planning and brand development, as will the key challenges and technologies facing brands. The fashion industry is frequently referenced to demonstrate the importance of the brand in terms of creating a differentiated and meaningful image in a dynamic and complex sector.
Entrepreneurship in Action
The module content pays particular attention to the theory of effectual entrepreneurship and the relationship between social entrepreneurship and bricolage. You will have the opportunity to engage with local social enterprises and apply the theories to practice. The five principles of effectuation will inform your understanding of entrepreneurship in action and provide the base of the study, particularly in the context of establishing and running a micro or small business.
Global Business Dynamics
There are various ways that we can investigate global organisations. This module expands on some approaches adopted by organisational theorists to position organisations as active dynamic structures. It provides the basis for a number of approaches to the analysis of global organisations by providing a range of tools to assist in the organisation of knowledge and business problem solving.
Global Digital Business
This module aims to convey an understanding of the diversity of available technologies and approaches to exploiting new business opportunities through the use of advanced contemporary technologies. You expand your understanding of a range of e-based technologies and the use of this technology in supporting business operations, including a consideration of e-commerce, e-customer relationship management, and e-marketing.
HRM: Contemporary Issues
You will look at the issues around creating a compelling environment for human resources (HR). You will also look at how to align and integrate the HR function and its activities better with the rest of the business. You will also learn about contemporary HRM issues.
Leadership and Mentoring
Leading others and acting as a mentor provides insightful ways of developing self and others. Contemporary methods of leadership, married with mentoring, provides an opportunity for the student to explore both leadership and mentoring in a variety of contexts and purposes. A person who accepts the role of mentor may have to adopt or use many different skills depending on the needs of the learner. The mentor is likely to develop a leader-follower relationship and may carry out a wide range of directing and helping strategies to facilitate successful learning. This module will put mentoring into a learning environment and prepare the student to take on the role of mentor.
Managing People Through Change
You gain a comprehensive understanding of organisational change. You also explore a range of contemporary change models, strategies for helping people cope with organisational change and approaches to managing resistance to change.
Planning and Control of Projects
This module concentrates on the establishment of a project and introduces a range of techniques for the planning, control and monitoring of business project activities. These techniques and skills will enable you to participate in any project activity and contribute to the effective execution of a project.
Principles and Practices of Marketing
This module extends your existing marketing knowledge and comprehension of marketing management and strategy. It is argued that successful marketing managers must have a sound understanding of the strategic choices available to them if they are to meet the demands of a rapidly changing operating environment.
This module examines the degree of organisational change required for an organisation to become market driven in the face of opportunities and threats presented by external forces. Consumer behaviour and the selection of markets are also considered before placing the focus on managing the marketing mix.
You will be introduced to a range of important strategic planning concepts and will consider a range of marketing strategies available to managers; this consideration will include a critical assessment of their suitability across a range of organisations and situations. You also consider the components of the marketing plan. Case studies, videos and hypothetical scenarios will be utilised to allow you to apply academic underpinning to practical situations.
Small and Medium Business Development
The majority of businesses in the UK are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and collectively these make a significant contribution to the UK's economy. You develop a deeper understanding the SME sector and apply that understanding to practical situations.
Optional work placement year
Work placement
You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.
You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.
Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:
· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.
If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.
Final year core modules
Contemporary Issues in Business Management
You develop an understanding of the challenges faced by organisations and explores the controversies and dilemmas of contemporary management thinking and practice. You study three key interrelated contemporary issues facing businesses - internationalisation; technological innovation and sustainability.
Dissertation
Your final year dissertation is an opportunity to do an independent piece of research, demonstrating that you know how to take a systematic approach to research, analysis and evaluation within a structured business-orientated framework. It also encourages you to reflect and critically evaluate your personal development.
Sustainability, Strategy and Society
You gain knowledge and skills in effective strategic management and responsible leadership in the wider context of business and enterprise. The current context of the macro environment will be explored and contemporary issues will be considered, specifically relating to leading change along with leading and implementing strategy. You identify personal leadership qualities and skills and improvement strategies which will promote change and organisational development.
and two optional modules
Concepts and Principles of International Management
This module develops your awareness and understanding of some of the key paradigms, principles, models, theories, concepts, techniques and practices of management and international management. You will then be able to appropriately explain, evaluate and apply the concepts, models and techniques.
Creative Thinking and Business Design
You gain insights into managing organisational creativity and innovative business design. Key to the approach is the idea that change, creativity and business design all overlap and interconnect rather than being three separate areas of study and that managing the three together is central to organisations having the competitive edge in developing new value propositions.
Current Issues in Business Ethics and CSR
Business operates today in a marketplace where increasingly companies are expected by consumers to not only do well but also to do good. "Doing the right thing" is seen as "the next big idea", a realisation by companies that embracing corporate social responsibility can be a driver to success because other groups in society see you as acting correctly. In the light of Enron and the BAe bribery case; the anti-globalisation protestors; endless "mandate" groups each with their own set of demands; and even demands from institutional and retail shareholders, companies of all sizes are increasingly aware of the new marketplace and seeing the growing importance of being (or at least appearing to be) seen embracing business ethics and corporate social responsibility.
Emerging Technologies for the Enterprise
You gain an insight into developing and implementing emerging technologies in relation to information management and the technological aspects of business enterprise. You learn how these technologies affect all organisations in a wider business and technology context.
Events Management
Special events are growing in importance in all areas of leisure, covering everything from artistic performances to country shows. This module will draw on theory that you have studied and skills you have developed in your first two years, allowing you to apply these to managing a real event.
Innovation in Action
This module draws on innovation management theories combined with contemporary technology management and linking them up to changes in the organisational environment and organisational structures. It will focus on developing knowledge and skills necessary for understanding innovation and innovation management problems in contemporary businesses, involving technology advancement and new markets generation.
International Issues in Tourism
This module provides an overview of the critical debates and issues surrounding tourism both now and in the future. The key remit in both international and national tourism policies and strategies is the issue of sustainable tourism development and its management. From a macro level analysis of the issues you will have the opportunity to apply academic knowledge to concrete case studies. You will be encouraged to form critical insights and opinions on how tourism might/should be developed and managed both now and in the future in order to achieve the 'holy grail' of sustainability in economic, social and environmental terms.
Marketing Planning Application
Building on prior learning you complete a live project where you develop a strategic marketing plan for national brand Greggs. You explore marketing as a managerial activity in a real-time situation, gaining valuable industry experience and skills.
Sales Management
You develop an insight into the new buyer thought process and how sales is an essential skill that carries over into many industries. You explore the sales personalities required for dealing with buyers and how to implement a dynamic sales process.
