BA (Hons) Business Management

Course Summary

The BA (Hons) Business Management programme covers a broad range of management topics and is designed to give students an overview of how businesses work, and how managers can affect and improve business performance. The modules on the programme will ensure that students develop a good understanding of basic principles, important elements of management, leadership and strategy and develop skills that will support students’ employment or further study after they graduate. 
 
The programme has been designed to support students’ future career ambitions – each module will require students to learn and apply ideas and to develop skills that will be useful to students in their future work. Students that graduate from the Business Management programme take with them a broad range of skills and knowledge that can support careers in multi-national companies, small business, family firms, the public sector, charities or help those who want to start their own company. 

Course Aims

In providing this course, the University and the course team aim to:

1.    To provide you with a systematic understanding of key aspects of business management through a coherent and integrated programme of study. 
2.    To develop conceptual understanding that enables you to: devise and sustain arguments; use established techniques of analysis to solve problems; and describe and comment on current research in business management. 
3.    To prepare you for a career in business and/or management by developing personal and professional skills that will support communication, group interaction, information finding, analysis and problem solving during your period of study consistent with preparation for a fulfilling career in a management or leadership role. 
4.    To provide you with a valuable and positive learning experience in your academic studies. 
 
Within the framework of these main aims, it is expected that graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the following areas: 
 
Markets - the development and operation of markets for resources, goods and services 
Customers - customer expectations, service and orientation 
Finance - the sources, uses and management of finance, the use of accounting and other information systems for managerial applications 
People - the management and development of people within organisations 
Operations - the management of resources and operations 
Information systems - the development, management and exploitation of information systems and their impact upon organisations 
Communication and information technology - the comprehension and use of relevant communication and information technologies for application in business and management 
Business policy and strategy – the development of appropriate policies and strategies within a changing environment, to meet stakeholder interests 
Pervasive issues - sustainability, globalisation, corporate social responsibility, diversity, business innovation, creativity, enterprise development, knowledge management and risk.   
 

Course Learning Outcomes

The following statements define what students graduating from the BA (Hons) Business Management course will have been judged to have demonstrated in order to achieve the award.  These statements, known as learning outcomes, have been formally approved as aligned with the generic qualification descriptor for level 4/5/6 awards as set out by the UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) .

On successful completion of this full course, students will be able to: 

1.    Demonstrate a systematic understanding of key aspects of business management, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge, at least some of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of defined aspects of a discipline
2.    Effectively communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences 
3.    Describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research relating to business, management or leadership and appreciate the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge 
4.    Deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry and apply these to offer insight into problems or challenges facing a range of businesses 
5.    Critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data, in order to make judgements, to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution, or to identify a range of solutions to a problem 
6.    Devise and sustain arguments and/or to solve problems using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of current management research 
7.    Manage your own learning and personal development 
8.    Demonstrate the possession of qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility; decision making in complex and unpredictable contexts; the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature  

The entry requirements for admission are:

• 3 UK A Levels (BBC) or BTEC Extended Diploma (DMM) or international equivalent qualification, or a recognized Foundation Programme at the appropriate level
• GCSE Maths Grade 'C/4' and above or international equivalent 
• English Proficiency:  IELTS (Academic) 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components), or GCSE English grade 'C/4' and above, or international equivalent qualification, or Unicaf English Placement Test (EPT) overall 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in all components)
• Personal Statement (minimum 500 words)
• Up to date CV
• 1 reference (academic or professional) stated on CV including referee’s full name, contact details, and relationship to the applicant
• Valid, national photo ID

Applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements stated above may be considered for Foundation Studies, which upon successful completion, will allow them to progress to their chosen Bachelor's degree.