Business Management BSc(Hons)

During the first year of this business management course, you'll explore things like the key elements of business operations, current challenges in the business landscape, and future trends. Examining information, intelligence and data, you'll delve into finance, marketing, and how to influence people. You'll also see first-hand how businesses work through our field trip programme, and develop your individual and teamwork skills by presenting and pitching ideas.

Modules

Market Intelligence

In this module, you’ll develop a working knowledge of market research methods, learning how to interpret examples of market research from the real world. You’ll be introduced to primary and secondary modes of market research and gain an understanding of how to segment markets and analyse trends using different analytic methods. 

You’ll also get a crash course in Big Data, learn how to present information to different audiences and explore how market intelligence is essential in market sensing, back-casting and futurecasting. 

Present and Future of Management

In this module, you’ll be introduced to key concepts and theories in business management, with a focus on the practical and operational components of management. In seminars, lectures and tutorials, you’ll learn to distinguish between strategy, operations, economic sectors and business models as these relate to management. You’ll also explore the different ways in which managers engage with organisational behaviour, operations and systems management, markets, customers, suppliers and key partners. 

The Art of Strategy

In this module, you’ll learn how to think strategically about business objectives by engaging with a variety of case studies spanning different sectors. You’ll also explore different perspectives and theories on strategy, critically considering source and cultural context.

Wellbeing in Business

Here, you’ll learn about how feelings of wellbeing are fundamental to our mental, emotional and physical health and how wellbeing is intimately connected to both organisational management and customer satisfaction. You’ll also discover ways to develop wellbeing as a customer offer, addressing the importance of wellbeing for business success. Through a micro-placement, you’ll also have the opportunity to explore the importance of wellbeing for your own personal and professional development. 

Design Thinking

In this module, you’ll explore design thinking methodology as a problem-solving framework used across multiple sectors from business to international relations. Looking at contemporary issues such as – but not limited to – poverty, gender inequality, healthcare and cybersecurity, you’ll work in groups to collaborate on a design-centric problem-solving process. 

Navigating Uncertainty

You’ll learn to operate in always-uncertain contexts, where traditional modes of practice (predictability, commitment, linear planning) are replaced with skills of agility, resilience and systems thinking. You’ll also look at uncertainty as opportunity, where change often indicates the emergence of new questions and consumer needs, as well as providing new tools for addressing these. 

Learning more about the business world, you'll explore how your solution could come together. You'll also begin specialising in management and develop your own style. Working with your team, you'll get a firmer grasp of managerial and team roles as you learn to think and express yourself on a deeper, data and business level.

Modules

Complex Problem-Solving

In this module, you’ll practice multiple methods of complex problem-solving and explore outcomes through simulation. You’ll be introduced to systems thinking, an absolute necessity for contemporary business leaders who will be working in environments of densely layered interdependencies and networks. Systems thinking and systems approaches to problem-solving will provide a framework for understanding and managing complex situations in business. 

Responsive Leadership and Social Change

Here, you’ll engage with crucial issues of cross-cultural learning and development styles, change management, reflective business practices, workplace ethics and emotional intelligence. You’ll also explore current thinking about leader development – including self-leadership – and you’ll apply this to your own development. Various leadership scenarios will be explored (these may be based on real or fictional case studies) and working as part of a team, you’ll evaluate the leadership problem and apply the contents of the module in creative ways to resolve the issue set. 

Human Resource Management

In this module, you’ll develop an understanding of the core principles of human resource management (HRM) and build skills in team working, conflict resolution and motivational leadership. You’ll learn best practices for recruiting and retaining talent, line managing for best results, performance management and conflict resolution.  

You’ll also develop a working knowledge of the practices and functions of HRM in organisations of different kinds and sizes, and familiarise yourself with HRM policy structures, including how these translate in everyday use. This will be underpinned by cutting-edge and established HRM theory throughout. 

Demonstrating Sustainability

In this module, you’ll explore the sustainability opportunities and practices within experience activities, as well as the devastating effects of unsustainable practice. You’ll select a particular sustainability-related issue that you are passionate about and discuss this within a blog format. You’ll also utilise examples of best practice to inform and justify proposals designed to address the issue that you have identified. 

Financial Insights

Here, you’ll explore the basic principles of finance across a range of business sectors and build integrated knowledge of how finance impacts business operations. You’ll acquire an understanding of financial terminology to the level whereby you can confidently debate the financial health of a business or sector. 

Collaborative Project: Growth Challenge

Here, you’ll work collaboratively to create a disruptive solution to a challenge provided to you. For example, your solution could be in the form of a start-up or innovative business concept. To develop your solution, you’ll carry out research and develop an informed approach to an evidenced market gap. You’ll also be expected to provide an analysis of costs and return on investment, encouraging you to project value of investment over time. You’ll be working collaboratively, either with an organisation, student colleagues from other courses, or members of your own cohort.  

By the end of the module, you’ll produce a portfolio of materials to illustrate your solution and outline and justify your decision-making process. 

You can choose to take an optional placement year after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the RealWORKS employability team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your placement year 

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

You and your team will evolve your thinking by evaluating your business opportunity ideas – backing up your ideas by investigating areas like leadership strategies, professional practice, and sustaining and growing businesses. Alongside this development, you'll round off your Business Management degree by taking on a dissertation, applied project, or work placement.

Modules

Creative & Ethical Leadership

Here, you’ll further develop your industry experience through the completion of a micro-placement opportunity, where you’ll participate in a 360-degree appraisal. You’ll also increase your understanding of creative and ethical leadership and build a portfolio to showcase the range of experiences and attributes that you have developed throughout your degree. 

Global Economies and International Markets

In this module, you’ll explore the ever-changing environment of international trading and your learning may vary to reflect contemporary factors. You’ll primarily examine the economic, political, social, cultural and environmental drivers that impact on trade and the different modes of entry into international markets. Choosing a preferred international market, you’ll explore the practical issues of corporate expansion into this market and critique the support and guidance available to businesses and entrepreneurs when entering new markets.   

DataLab: Generation, Analysis, Iteration

In this module, you’ll build skills in analysing data in the pursuit of business goals. You’ll examine the effects of data on business models, product development and customer engagement and consider this from the perspective of managers, marketers and entrepreneurs. You’ll look at data in relation to project parameters and you’ll explore how data can help us effectively futurecast in many scenarios. 

Crafting Your Future: Professional Practice and Research

In this module, you’ll put together a professional portfolio with the aim of showcasing your best work, skills and core interests. Your portfolio will be made up of three components: a digital showcase of professional practice, a personal development plan and an industry analysis essay focusing on the sector you wish to enter. Your portfolio will enable you to reflect on everything learnt during your degree and help you establish yourself as a professional within your preferred sector. You’ll be supported by weekly lectures, seminars and one-to-one supervisions.  

Social Action Project

In this module, you’ll be tasked with developing a social enterprise concept in response to a ‘wicked problem’ posed at the start of the module. You’ll work in groups to co-develop your concept and you’ll consider challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and a range of societal challenges. You’ll be expected to produce and share research on relevant audiences and markets and you’ll be assessed based on a critical journal and presentation.