Program Overview

---

BA (Hons) International Business and Communication (Top-Up)

Course Overview

This programme will equip you for a career in diverse international organisations. It provides a holistic view of business needs and solutions encompassing a broad range of functional specialisms. The emphasis is on building on your existing competencies to achieve graduate level skills and attributes.

Key Details

• Recruiting to: UK / RoI / Settled in UK, EU / EEA / International
• Course Location: Lancaster
• Institute: Institute of Business, Industry and Leadership
• UCAS Code: N123
• Delivery Style: Blended Learning
• Course Duration: Full-time: 1 Year
• Course Start Point: January, September
• Award: BA (Hons)

Minimum Entry Requirements

• Foundation degree or HND
• Honours degree

Tuition Fees

• £9,535 (UK, Year)
• £14,900 (International, Year)

Course Structure

What You Will Learn

The themes of ‘Sustainability’, ‘Creativity’, ‘Employability’ and ‘Enterprise’ are embedded within the BA (Hons) International Business and Communication (Top-Up). Through a programme of individual modules, you will develop an appreciation of common challenges that have a daily impact on business and organisational life.

This award provides an internationalisation of the syllabus including cross-cultural awareness and engagement creates a ‘fertile ground’ for the interchange of ideas and develops stakeholder theory as applied to multinational and global settings.

You will work both individually and in groups. Working with a diverse range of team members provides authentic scenarios and challenges that you will face in your future career.

Year One

• Coaching, Mentoring and Empowering
• International Marketing
• Intercultural Business Communication
• Global to Local Business Futures
• Career Management
• Advanced Business English

Teaching & Assessment

How You Will Learn

Primarily, our BA (Hons) International Business and Communication (top-up) is delivered via a blended learning approach.

Good use is made of the University’s virtual learning environment and other learning resources such as e-portfolio to support teaching and learning.

Our academic team uses a wide range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, workshops, fieldwork, work-based learning, employer-based case studies, live projects, guided learning, simulations, discussion groups including virtual forums and other digital formats. You will also be asked to work in small groups which encourage collaborative learning.

How You Will Be Assessed

Each module on this course is assessed via a coursework method.

Overview

A foundation degree or HND in a relevant subject.

Applicants from courses based at institutions other than the University of Cumbria will be assessed on their suitability depending upon the modules they have studied.

Fair Admissions

When you apply, our Admissions specialists will review your whole application. We are looking for your potential to succeed, so we will assess your qualifications, any relevant work experience, your personal statement, and references.

Where you have received a conditional offer subject to achieving particular grades/UCAS tariff scores, and do not quite meet these scores, please try not to worry, where vacancies exist our Admissions specialists will review your whole application again and take account of any mitigating circumstances and reassess your suitability for the course.

Selection Criteria

As part of the application and selection process, we are looking for your commitment to this course. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate your motivation for choosing this course and reflect upon any experience you have gained.

Contextual Admissions

Going to higher education can transform a person’s life. We use contextual admissions to make sure that we are accessible to everyone who has the potential to succeed. Qualifications and grades are important, but they are considered alongside other information that helps universities to identify potential and widen access to university-level study. For some individuals, the disadvantages they have experienced in their life mean that they have not been able to demonstrate their full academic potential. Where a person lives and their personal circumstances can all affect their educational attainment.

We take this context into account and look for an applicant’s potential when making admission decisions. The University of Cumbria will make offers to applicants that live in postal code regions with the lowest participation in Higher Education (Polar 4 quintile 1 – you can check your postcode here) and care leavers, offers will be made at the bottom of any UCAS Tariff range. Attendance at our Masterclasses and Summer Schools will also allow applicants to receive an offer lower within the tariff range. (T&Cs apply)

Returning to Education

If you are over 21 and returning to study after being in relevant employment for a minimum of 3 years and do not meet the published entry requirements for Year 1 of our degree courses, please do not assume you are not qualified to join us. Our experienced Admissions and Academic staff will review your prior qualifications and professional experience to support your application.

Language Requirements

Please follow the link to check language requirements for this programme here.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

2025 - 2026

• £9,535 (UK)
• £14,900 (International)

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

International Finance

At the University of Cumbria, we offer affordable tuition fees for international and EU students looking to study at one of our main four campuses. No matter your choice of course or career path, our International Team is here to support you.

Funding

2024 - 2025

• £9,250 (UK)
• £13,575 (International)

More Information

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants, and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. This includes the Cumbria Bursary - a non-repayable bursary designed to support first-year students with a household income of less than £25,000.

Additional Costs

There will be some additional costs. For example, all students will need to purchase stationery and may wish to purchase some textbooks. Extra costs may also be applicable to cover field trips, membership fees, etc. although such features are usually options within the course.

Books and Journals

Most core textbooks are available via the University's library, however, students may wish to buy copies of any texts used to support their learning on their course. This could cost between £50 - £100 per year.

Stationery

Students should budget for stationery and consumables for their own personal use. This should include notebooks, pens, and pencils for taking notes in class and/or in the field. Students should also budget for the purchase of USB pen drives, as well as occasional printing and photocopying costs incurred in the preparation or submission of coursework. Whilst you will choose how much you need, expect to pay around £30 - £40 per year for these items.