Business Management (with Foundation Year)

This module is designed to support students with the transition to university, the development of the academic skills and attributes necessary for successful future study and the foundations of a developing sense of vocation.  Through a carefully structured and scaffolded series of seminars and workshops, students will be supported in building their self-awareness of, and confidence in, themselves as active learners.  Delivered in the context of their subject area and aligned with the development of academic skills and attributes required across all Foundation Year modules, workshops will focus on academic skills such as referencing, selecting and using valid academic resources, reading/researching for academic purposes, using feedback constructively and gaining confidence in contributing to discussions and debates.  Coordinated assessment points across the Foundation Year experience enables this module to provide students with ongoing support and opportunities to practice and develop their skills and confidence with a range of written and oral assessment types relevant to their subject area as they progress through the year.

This module is designed to raise students’ knowledge and competence in commercial awareness and digital skills so that they will be able to cope with the necessary demands of the undergraduate business and computing degrees.  Students will be trained in a range of business and digital skills, reflecting and discussing how the development of their IT skills can enable future success at university and in the workplace.

This module introduces students to business management as an academic discipline through exploring a range of approaches, theories and contemporary themes.  Specifically, students will study a range of topics and begin to understand the ways in which strategy, people, markets, finance, and ethical issues are entwined with, and impact upon, responsible business. 

Whatever a student’s future business career, there are certain basic professional skills and expertise that are required in the workplace. This module provides opportunities to acquire and apply essential skills for academic success, while also developing ‘soft skills’ that are a prerequisite for a successful career. Students will practice, and build confidence in wide ranging skills, as part of their transition into higher education.

This module will help students develop basic research skills as part of individual work on a topic of their choice. They will also enhance their communication and negotiation skills; and increase awareness of the importance of evidence-based thinking and reflective practice.

The emergence of the digital economy has unlocked new opportunities for businesses, whilst creating new modes of competition in both traditional and new sectors of the economy.  The aim of this module is to impart an understanding of digital business together with the practices and processes required to develop effective digital strategies.  Identifying multiple technologies for integration into business, juxtaposed with the development of new digital strategies is central to corporate success, however, this is often a complex task.  This module provides insight into the emergence of digital business, key concepts, technologies, and strategic organisation to develop a multidisciplinary appreciation of how new technologies can directly shape businesses and processes.

Organisations are the workplaces for today’s and tomorrow’s employees. As a consequence of increased competition, new technologies and increasingly diverse workforces, the environment in which organisations operate is challenging. This module seeks to explore the many factors which influence the actions, behaviour and decisions taken by people in the work-place. It focuses on the complex interactions and relationships between people and groups, both within and between organisations. Furthermore, it explores the impact of the external environment, particularly the expectations and behaviour of wider society, with its roles as a potential customer and citizen.

The module provides students with the opportunity to work collaboratively with others when undertaking research, and also to reflect on their own style of working and personal values, when working in teams.

This module will challenge students to engage in a fast-paced and highly practical business project, working in teams to solve real-world problems and business challenges. The primary aim for each team will be to ‘have an impact’ for a local Social Enterprise through a business development, engagement or trading activity, with the impact being measured economically, socially and environmentally. Teams will have the opportunity to engage in ‘ready-made’ challenges or identify their own engagement opportunities and business activities. Seed investment funding will be available to cover basic start-up costs, once business plans are approved and any risks assessed. Examples of possible projects include: setting up a specialist eBay business; launching an event or show; running a trading stall or pop-up space; providing business analysis or research services; raising charity donations via Crowdfunding; designing and delivering a marketing or Social Media campaign.

This module develops the core skills that will enable students to secure a fulfilling, enjoyable and challenging graduate career. By establishing and pursuing a personal development plan, students develop self-awareness, communication skills, team work, management skills, results orientation, stress management, personal responsibility, coaching and feedback skills.  Whilst there will be a focus on constructing outstanding CVs and professional LinkedIn profiles, much of the module will instil self-awareness through peer coaching and peer feedback whilst stressing the vital importance of taking responsibility for one’s own career. Students will be able to plan and develop career goals based on a clearer idea of preferred career options and an understanding of what they need to do to achieve these goals.

This module equips non-accounting students with the basic financial skills they will need to progress through their management-related degree studies. Students will learn the fundamental processes behind the production of historic financial information, allowing them to conduct analysis of financial statements. Additionally, students will develop knowledge of cost behaviours and forecasting, allowing them to make decisions such as how to price their product. The module allows students to bring together their financial skills by preparing extracts from a business plan as part of an application for finance. Emphasis will be placed on practical skills relevant to entrepreneurs and small business owners.

This module provides an introduction to the concepts, theories and practices of marketing.  The meaning and scope of modern marketing will be discussed in depth; considering its role as both a management philosophy and a business function. Traditional marketing concepts such as the marketing mix will be explored, examining the need to create synergy between marketing mix components and the wants and needs of the market place.  Students will be encouraged to develop critical marketing perspective considering the impact marketing has on the economy, society and the environment.

This module introduces the principles of responsible management including those in the United Nations PRME and Global Compact frameworks. The module draws on and engages with on-going debate concerning the social, economic, environmental, moral and ethical dimensions of business in a global world. Students will identify key stakeholders in organisations, and how responsible management is applied in different industry sectors. They will begin to reflect on their own personal and professional values and their contribution to creating future sustainable business value.

This module enables students to develop a more conceptual understanding of financial and management accounting. As well as introducing students to more complex technical accounting issues, this module asks students to explore academic literature on the development of management and financial accounting practices. Students can expect this module to develop their ability to understand the principles behind financial and management accounting, furthering their ability to analyse and interpret financial information.

This module aims to explore sustainability as it applies to industries, organisations and businesses. It focuses on the implementation of concepts of sustainability and corporate social responsibility in businesses and organisations, reviewing their interactions with their stakeholders and the environment. Students will examine the complex economic, social and environmental challenges facing business and industry, as well as approaches for engaging with sustainability policies in regions, industries and organisations. The module provides opportunities for students to analyse the private and public regulation that is relevant to sustainable development agenda.

The pressures on managers and leaders in today’s complex organisations are immense. The emphasis on performance, efficiency and effectiveness together with the global competition for managerial jobs places a premium on managerial and leadership skills.  This module introduces some of the latest ideas in the field whilst simultaneously evaluating them from a practical, ethical and international perspective. Students will explore the role of power in organisations and critically evaluate how power and influence is exercised in the managerial role. The module is also aimed at helping students to develop some of the skills involved in managing and leading people, thereby cultivating the self-awareness that characterises outstanding managers and leaders. The aim of the module therefore is to develop informed, critical and responsible managers who have the confidence to lead others in a way that is effective, ethical and consistent with their values. 

This module considers both the theoretical and practical aspects of integrated marketing communications. Theories of communication influence are explored, with emphasis on how the communication tools (advertising, personal selling, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing and digital marketing) can be synthesized to enable the delivery of consistent brand messages across multiple marketing channels.   Students will be encouraged to identify the salient characteristics of target audiences to facilitate the utilisation of relevant communication tools in order to amplify vital marketing messages.

This module aims to explore the role and purpose of operations and service management within an organisation. Students will explore the major principles of operations management and analyse how they are applied in different organisations.  The module will provide students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of the challenges associated with the management of operations within an organisation plus the opportunity to gain a professional lean foundation qualification.

This module enables students to develop their understanding and competence in using diverse research methods for academic and professional purposes. Students will explore a variety of research approaches and will develop practical qualitative and quantitative research skills including defining and scoping a question; designing an effective and manageable research protocol; collecting data and using appropriate analysis methods.  In addition, students will develop an appreciation of ethical implications of the research process to facilitate responsible research practice.

• Creativity, Design and Innovation - 15 credits
• Human Resource Management - 15 credits
• Relationship Marketing - 15 credits
• Contemporary Business Communication - 15 credits
• MICE – Meetings, incentive travel, conferences and exhibitions - 15 credits
• Globalisation and Diversity - 15 credits
• The Start-Up Entrepreneur - 15 credits
• Business Relationships in the Third Sector - 15 credits
• Sustainable Economics - 15 credits

• Employment Experience - An optional year long work placement can be taken between Year 2 and Year 3

The module provides the opportunity for students to research an area of particular interest to them and is relevant to their studies. For students undertaking a yearlong work placement the dissertation will usually be set in the context of the host organisation. The module contributes to the continued professional and academic development of students in the application of research knowledge and skills acquired throughout their programme. As students are required to manage the research project, the dissertation provides a vehicle for them to demonstrate the extent to which they have managed the transition from tutor-led to student-centred learning.

Students can choose from either the Dissertation or Researching Contemporary Management Issues module.

This module aims to develop students’ ability to critically evaluate approaches to research and data analysis relating to contemporary management issues faced by organisations operating in a global and diverse context. Students will have the opportunity to select research and critically assess a range of contemporary management issues in depth. Enquiry-based learning methods will be used to explore the nature and implications of these issues with emphasis placed upon how managers can contribute to the effective management of these issues in practice.

Students can choose from either the Dissertation or Researching Contemporary Management Issues module.

This module provides a holistic overview of the strategic management process with an emphasis on the development of sustainable and responsible strategic management. Drawing upon traditional academic theories and current debates, the module examines and critically evaluates the practice and process of strategic management in different organisational settings. The module considers strategy as a whole by integrating the different phases of the strategic planning process, namely Strategic Analysis, Strategic Formulation and Strategic Implementation. In particular, the module examines the strategic external and internal environment, the different strategic options available (Business-level Strategies, Corporate-Level Strategies and International Strategies) and issues associated with strategy implementation, such as managing strategic change, organisational design decisions and the fostering of a sustainable and responsible organisation.

Change is common to all organisations and managers need to understand both the nature of change and the extent to which it can be effectively managed. This module examines the internal and external drivers for change, and the nature of change at the individual, team and organisation-wide levels. Students will explore a range of change management methods and how these might be applied responsibly and sustainably in given situations. Students will also consider the skills needed to manage change, taking into account the emotional and ethical dimensions of change.  Students will develop their self-awareness by evaluating how they might need to adapt in order to meet the demands of leading others through change.

Launching a Business Start-Up - 15 credits
Employee Relations - 15 credits
Strategic Brand Management - 15 credits
Business Ethics - 15 credits
Digital Marketing - 15 credits
Critical Work Based Studies - 15 credits
Financial Management - 15 credits
Social Enterprise - 15 credits
Employee Development - 15 credits
Project Management - 15 credits
Responsible Leadership Development - 15 credits
Innovation Management - 15 credits
Social Media Marketing - 15 credits
Values Studies - 15 credits