BA (Hons) Business Management and Finance

Introduction to Critical Business Competencies

This module is designed to support your transition to university and help you develop the skills you’ll need during your academic journey, as well as helping you prepare for professional work. It focuses on building literacy skills, critical engagement, data retrieval and analysis, and presentations.

As part of the module, you will produce a data analysis project report, demonstrating your ability to gather literature and data, analyse and present findings, and adhere to the department’s report-writing standards.

When selecting a project topic, you will be encouraged to explore themes related to business sustainability, such as transport, health, the economy and the environment.

Marketing Principles and Practice

In this module, you will explore the purpose and societal role of marketing, with topics including buyer behaviour, digital innovations, marketing research methods and ethical considerations.

You’ll develop your practical skills in conducting environmental audits and marketing research, applying segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies, and designing your own marketing plans. You will also learn about customer relationship management and look at practical marketing strategies for new product launches.

Management and Organisational Behaviour

In this module, you will look at the three core factors of management and organisational behaviour: external, internal and individual.

You will first explore a range of concepts, tools and models which focus on the external factors that influence and impact organisations, including stakeholder theory.

You will then consider internal perspectives of organisational culture and structure. This will include an examination of the role of teamwork and group dynamics. Finally, you’ll be introduced to concepts of workplace motivation and key ideas around individual diversity.

Technology in Business

This module will introduce you to the use of technology in a business setting, and help you understand the fundamentals of data, information and knowledge management. You will explore how organisations use digital technology solutions to gain a competitive advantage and look at the benefits of implementing successful information systems.

Practical learning activities include exploring case studies and applying your knowledge to solve problems in realistic business scenarios.

Sustainable and Innovative Entrepreneur

This module aims to equip you with an understanding of sustainability in the context of entrepreneurship and innovation. You will learn about integrating sustainability principles into entrepreneurial ventures and the role of sustainable innovations in addressing global challenges, as well as exploring how this is achieved in different industries and organisations.

A key focus will be on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability theory and the role of innovation in fostering a sustainable future. You will apply your learning by exploring real-world challenges and creating innovative solutions through project-based learning.

Accounting Skills and Financial Reporting

The aims of this module are to enable you to describe and critically discuss how financial reporting can be regulated, including the system of international accounting standards.

The module will also provide you with the fundamental accounting concepts, skills and techniques to enable the collection and recording of data and transactions for the preparation of accounting statements and management accounts.

In addition, the module aims to provide the necessary knowledge that will enable you to prepare the statutory accounts in the appropriate form for a single company.

Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Management

This module builds on core operations management principles and extends traditional efficiency-based operations strategy to include a focus on economic, environmental, social performance and sustainability factors that all organisations need to consider when operating efficiently and profitably.

You will develop the knowledge and analytical skills required to design, manage and improve operations and supply chains that are efficient, ethical and sustainable.

You will also explore how operations decisions influence environmental and social outcomes, and apply contemporary models and technologies to build resilient, low-carbon and responsible operations systems.

By analysing real-world case studies, you will explore how operational performance objectives can adapt to changing business environments, improve sustainably, integrate innovation, apply circular economy principles and be responsible in their supply chain management and organisational strategy.

You will be introduced to a range of industry standards, measurements and auditing of sustainability to analyse case study operational activity more transparently.

Leadership and Leading People

This module invites you to explore the challenges of leadership in organisations through a critical examination of theory, practice and possible future directions.

It encourages you to avoid simplified prescriptions for effective leadership and encourages you to expand your thinking on alternative strategies, as you look forward to your future role as a potential leader in an organisation.

Financial Management

This module aims to introduce you to areas of key financial decision-making and related underlying theory. These decisions include the setting of corporate objectives, the funding of corporate operations and the appraisal of potential investments.

In addition, the choices that are available to companies in terms of their working capital management and the implications of foreign exchange currency movements will be examined.

The module will also provide you with an understanding of the operation of equity markets and the related implications for listed companies.

Business Finance and Data Analysis

The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to, and the development of, several key financial concepts and tools necessary to the understanding and evaluation of business performance from a primarily financial perspective.

The module assumes minimal prior accounting knowledge and aims to provide a practical understanding and conceptual awareness to those who typically will not intend to follow an Accounting and Finance degree pathway. Emphasis will be placed on applying financial principles in managerial contexts using tools such as Microsoft Excel for financial analysis and decision-making support.

Project Management

This module introduces you to the tools and skills necessary to manage projects efficiently and effectively.

The content is based upon the Association of Project Management (APM) Body of Knowledge (BoK) – a holistic and generic approach provided by the leading association for project management in the UK.

You will be guided through the complete lifecycle of a project and actively encouraged to apply learnings through your assessment.

As a result, you will have competent knowledge of key project management principles from which to explore further industry qualifications and certification.

Professional Graduate

The module aims to address the following:

• Enhance Career Readiness and communication skills by equipping students with the practical skills and confidence needed to navigate the graduate recruitment process, including CV writing, application forms, and interview techniques.
• Understand recruitment processes by providing insight into employer expectations and recruitment methods, including assessment centres and competency-based interviews, both locally and internationally.
• Build self-awareness and reflective practice by encouraging students to identify and reflect on their own skills, values, and career aspirations to make informed decisions about their professional development.
• Engage with industry experts through facilitated opportunities to learn directly from employers and professionals through guest lectures, workshops, and networking events, enhancing understanding of workplace expectations.
• Prepare for real-world scenarios by simulating professional situations such as mock interviews, group tasks, and role plays, carried out by local businesses, to build confidence and adaptability in high-pressure environments.
• Utilise digital career tools to introduce students to platforms like LinkedIn, CareerSet, and online psychometric test resources to support their ongoing career development.
• Ensure all students have the ability and opportunity to search and apply for placement opportunities, either as a part-time 20-week placement or a full one-year internship.

Professional Practice

This module offers you a chance to gain 270 hours of experience in an organisation, building on your work in the Professional Development module. You will secure a placement and develop your Personal Development Planning for future career goals and better employability.

Typically paired with the Research Project, it allows you to focus on personal development within your work placement, enhancing skills for your chosen careers and gaining practical and research expertise in your field. You can choose from options like a Short Work Placement, a Consultancy Project (remote), or Entrepreneurship (requiring Entrepreneurship in semester one).

Assessment:
Assessment 1: 1,800-word Personal Portfolio
Assessment 2: 3,000-word Learning Logs
Assessment 3: 10 minute Personal Presentation

Research Project

The module offers you a chance to delve into a specific area of interest within various organisational contexts, fostering both professional and intellectual growth.

Under the guidance of a supervisor, you will undertake independent research, showcasing your ability for critical thinking and analysis. The chosen topic typically revolves around management issues in either public or private sectors, with a focus on generating findings applicable beyond specific cases.

There are optional placement routes – Industry, Consultancy, or Entrepreneurship – each tailored to align with career goals and academic pursuits.

Assessment:
At the end of stage 2, you will submit a final version of your research project. This will look like the following, depending on the option chosen:

• Completed dissertation (industry route) or consultancy report (consultancy route) which is structured and presented according to the module guidelines (9,000 words)
• Entrepreneurship 2 year growth strategy and professional discussion around key findings on the viability of the business idea from the experience of starting up the business (6,000-word report and 3,000-word equivalent presentation)

Strategic Management

The module encourages you to think critically and creatively about strategic management from the formation of strategy through to frontline implementation. It is aimed at those that may have little or no personal experience of strategic management.

Assessment:
10-minute presentation
2,000 word Assignment

Advanced Financial Accounting

The aim of this module is to extend the areas explored within the Financial Reporting module, by examining consolidated accounts, evaluating financial statements to provide an analysis of performance, comparing, and contrasting alternative approaches to asset valuation, and examining current developments in external reporting.

Assessment:
1-hour In-class test
2-hour Examination

Corporate Finance

This is an excellent way to bridge the gap between theory and real-world application in corporate finance. By starting with core concepts and then delving into specific areas such as corporate valuation and M&A activity, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of how these concepts play out in practice.

Introducing more advanced topics like Portfolio Theory and the Capital Asset Pricing Model adds depth to your knowledge and prepares you for analysing complex financial scenarios. The emphasis on “corporate finance in action” is particularly valuable, as it encourages you to apply what you learn to current developments and occurrences in the corporate world, fostering critical thinking and adaptability.

Assessment:
1-hour In Class Test
2-hour Examination

Entrepreneurship

Ever wondered what it’s like to run your own business and unsure of how you would go about it?  This level 6 module adopts a practical approach to investigating the small business sector and developing business ideas.

The module concentrates on the planning involved when setting-up a new business venture.  The main output of the module is the creation of an early-stage business plan that could be used to either set-up a new or develop an existing business.

Even if you decide that running your own business is not for you, going through the experience of developing and writing a business plan, will provide insight into both strategic and operational small business decision making; and increased employability skills that will prove valuable to a future employer.

Assessment:
3,000-word Business Plan + Financial Appendices

Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

This module introduces you to a range of ethical issues, concepts, theories and techniques that affect people and organisations that you can reflect on in relation to your own values and ethics.

From an organisational perspective, you will consider ethical frameworks and decision making, for example in relation to corporate social responsibility and the UN Sustainability Goals. At a personal level, you will be encouraged to consider and reflect on your own ethical and moral stance and the impact this has on your future choices.

Assessment:
3,000-word Portfolio

Global Business Today

This module introduces you to current global issues relevant for organisations aiming to compete and thrive in a highly competitive global business landscape.

Weekly exploration of various global topics will utilise both quantitative and qualitative data from reliable sources commonly used by global decision-makers. This approach aims to give you a comprehensive grasp of the key responsibilities and challenges confronting diverse organisations, shedding light on the global dimensions of local and regional business issues.

Particularly appealing to those interested in understanding the intersection of world events and business, the module offers a diverse array of contemporary topics each week, emphasising their global ramifications and the diverse challenges faced by economies, countries, and organisational types.

Through analysis of organisation and country case studies, you will gain insights into business challenges, opportunities, and potential solutions.

Assessment:
20-minute conference presentation + 10-minute Q&A