Business Management BA (Hons) module details

Year one

Block 1: Foundations of Business Management

This module introduces students to the external context of business practice and understanding the impact of globalisation on business and an introduction to business law. Students are also introduced to the basic management functions of planning, leading, organising and controlling. Students can expect to learn about how key internal business functions are successfully integrated in business organisations and how this in turn positions organisations for external success. In addition, students can expect to be onboarded in the areas of academic research, writing and referencing skills.

Block 2: Introduction to Marketing

This module introduces students to core marketing principles, theories, and practices. It is expected that students will have a good understanding about the marketing process and will gain the ability to make critical reflections upon contemporary marketing practices from this module. The module is intended to provide both an introduction to the topic as well as providing students with a basic grounding in the theory and practice of marketing as a business management discipline.

Block 3: Accounting & Budget Management

This is designed to give a very generalised introduction to the wide area of accounting and finance. It is intended to concentrate on the use of financial data as opposed to the deep methodological basis of accounting practice.

Block 4: Human Resource & People Management

This module introduces students to the importance of managing people and organisational behaviour in the workplace. Students are also introduced to the interpersonal dynamics of politics, power, change, conflict. Students will consider how organisational reliance on technological advancement is reshaping the nature and character of “work”. They will further consider the impact this has on the human resource.

Year two

Block 1: Finance and Reporting for Management Decisions

This is module is designed to equip students with key knowledge of drivers of decision making including financial and non-financial considerations. Students will be able to interpret financial and non-financial data and use their knowledge to inform decision making. Students will learn how to interpret and analyse the financial performance, cash flows and financial position of organisations from their published accounts.

Block 2: Contemporary Issues in Sustainable Business

This module equips students with a sound understanding of sustainability in the business context. It highlights how transformation in the global political economy has given rise to debates about the nature and role of business in society. It then examines the changing expectations of business and how managers have responded to calls for greater social and environmental sustainability. It will also highlight some of the key debates in the sustainability field such as the drivers of corporate responsibility, the extent of responsibility, the governance and implementation of sustainability, and sustainable business models.

Block 3: Business Research and Analysis

This module provides an overview of the research process in business. It equips students with the necessary tools and techniques to prepare a business research proposal, execute this proposal, and analyse and interpret the data. Students will learn data collection methods applied in business research and the research skills necessary for evaluation, synthesis and analysis.

Work Based Management Project

This module gives students practical exposure to the workplace and business management contexts. It is intended to provide a context for application of learned theories and critiquing existing theories based on evidence from their work experience. Students will be engaged in some form of work and contribute to their work environment by working on clearly defined tasks.

Block 4: Ethical and Responsible Leadership

This module addresses important ethical questions and equips students with a sound understanding of sustainability in the business context. It presents students with tools to support ethical decision and sustainable behaviour. This module aims to facilitate the development of skills and knowledge that are needed to identify and manage ethical challenges in organisations.

Global Operations and Supply Chain Management

The module will cover supply chain management (SCM) topics including design of products and services capacity management, process design, logistics and transportation, ERP, Inventory Management and so on. This module aims to prepare students for entry-level jobs in managing the production and distribution of goods and services. This module aims to provide an understanding of the techniques and tools that are utilised to effectively and optimally produce and distribute the goods and services in business organisations and manufacturers.

Year three

Block 1:

Digital Transformation and Innovation in Business

This module provides insight into the emergence of digital business, key concepts, technologies, and strategic organisation. This module enables students to identify multiple technologies which can be integrated within businesses, coupled with the development of new digital strategies which are central to corporate success. The module considers how business management practices ought to be innovated in the context of our emerging digital society.

Business Analytics and Managing Data

This module will develop core understanding and skills of using Microsoft Excel, a market leading analytical tool and software package. It covers the way in which enterprises such as businesses, not-for-profit organisations and governments utilise quantitative data to obtain insights for decision-making. The module covers the principles of business data management.

Critical Issues in Global Business

This module is designed to critically evaluate how current world issues affect business management and performance. It considers societal changes and movements as well as broader global events. The module brings to the mainstream niche discourses that have indicative potential for broader impact.

Block 2:

Managing Business Projects

This module is designed to introduce students to the principles of managing business projects. This module equips students with the relevant skills to execute a project. Students are introduced to the practice of project management in preparation for designing and managing the execution of their own project.

Change, Innovation and Knowledge Management

This module introduces students to how organisations manage change and innovation, which is central to their growth, survival, and success. By the end of the module, students should be able to understand managerial strategies that organisations use to manage the different types of innovation and how they seek to benefit from their innovations.

Crisis and Risk Management

This module takes a counter-intuitive but important step in considering how organisations are exposed to, and deal with crises, risk and business interruptions. The module synthesises two essential components, each of which have underlying theory and practice; these are crisis management and risk management. This module examines how business continuity is enabled through effective crisis handling and risk management.

Block 3:

Business Strategy and Simulation

This module aims primarily to ensure that students understand the nature and meaning of business strategy. Students will be able to assess the strategic position of corporations operating in complex global markets. They are then provided an opportunity to apply their strategic learning in the context of a business simulation.

Block 4:

Dissertation

The module provides an opportunity for students to undertake an independent study in an area of special interest within the broad area of business management. It builds on their introductory business research skills and prepares them for postgraduate research study. This module draws on the academic skills and practices students have been inculcated with from the commencement of the programme.

Business Project

The module provides an opportunity for students to execute an independent project in an area of special interest within the broad area of business management. It builds on their introductory project management skills. This module draws on the project management skills and practices students have been inculcated with from the commencement of the programme.