Program Overview

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BSc (Hons) Business Management (with Integrated Foundation Year)

Overview

This hands-on programme uses collaborative methods to ensure you graduate with all the skills to reach the top, giving you a real-world insight to the many strands of business, from marketing and project management to people management and consultancy. We are ranked top in the North West for producing entrepreneurs (Novuna 2023)
Designed in consultation with leading employers and organisations, our BSc (Hons) Business Management degree focuses on creating forward-thinking, agile business leaders that are ready for the workplace upon graduating.

Course Overview

If you’re looking for a foundation course in business that will enable you to discover your own personal leadership skills and those of others around you, then this course is for you.
Your introductory year has been designed to support you in developing essential university skills and the confidence needed to progress on to our degree level programme.
You will study management from a range of perspectives and address the big issues facing modern business. Industry-active tutors and resources will ensure learning stays current. You’ll become business-ready through access to the latest technology. Classroom activities, including leading lectures and mock office environments, will build managerial confidence. Our employer network will provide a strong practical insight, while challenge and creativity will develop your problem-solving, decision-making and team-working skills.

Key Details

• Recruiting to: UK / RoI / Settled in UK
  EU / EEA / International
• Course Location: Lancaster
• Institute: Institute of Business, Industry and Leadership
• UCAS Code: N334
• Delivery Style: In Person
• Course Duration: Full-time: 4 Years
• Course Start Point: September
• Award: BSc (Hons)
• More information: Programme Specification
  Prospectus
• Open Days: Lancaster
  All

Minimum entry requirements

• 48 UCAS Tariff points

Tuition fees

• £5,760 - UK
• £14,900 - International

Related Courses

• BSc (Hons) Business Management
• BSc (Hons) International Business Management

Course Structure

What you will learn

We’ll provide you with a firm grasp of operations management, economics and business management, while enabling you to develop core skills in problem-solving, decision-making, team-working and communications.
But you won’t just learn theoretically about business management - you’ll be doing it, thanks to our innovative teaching. From leading a lecture to turning the classroom into an office, you’ll get every opportunity to become the confident and effective manager that employers demand in today’s dynamic business environment.

Year one

• Essential University Skills 1
  Develop the academic and professional skills required for effective learning and successful progression through your chosen course.
• Contemporary Issues and the Media
  Explore a range of contemporary issues through the lens of the media that relates to your subject area.
• Business Innovation
  Develop your own business idea and explore the interaction between different business disciplines to ensure success in profit and non-profit making organisations.
• Essential University Skills 2
  Further develop the skills acquired in Essential University Skills 1.
• Leading and Managing Individuals and Organisations
  An introduction to key concepts in leadership and management.
• Individual Case Study
  Undertake an individual given case study using a problem based approach.

Year two

• Operate
  The aim of this module is to introduce students to key areas of organisations’ internal operating environments including policy and strategy, digital operations, innovation, and enterprise development. Students will also see how these operations are set within the broader context of market forces and government regulation. The module explores the world of finance and economics and the complexities of data in organisations.
• Lead
  This module will introduce you to the basics of effective leadership in a business context, exploring various leadership styles, team dynamics, and essential self-leadership skills, developing a mindset crucial for future managerial roles. In addition to our work on personal development and study skills, we will begin to look at the theories and models that inform the practices of business and management, including an overview of the essential functions, structures and types of organisations. Finally, we will begin to consider the importance of values, ethics, and diversity and how they contribute to well-being and sustainability.
• Communicate
  This module aims to introduce students to the importance of effective internal and external communications skills in building sustainable relationships and delivering customer value. It examines the role of marketing and its significance in the modern world in maximising the effectiveness of business performance. The module will explore the key concepts in marketing including the marketing environment and digital marketing. It will provide insights into the marketing mix and marketing research. In addition, the module looks at the importance of a business communication strategy and the role that digital communication plays within this.
• Collaborate
  This module will introduce students to the nature and structure of organisations and the changing environments in which organisations operate, including economic, geographical, nature of the business and competition. It focuses on developing team working skills, how organisations learn, culture in organisations and how digital platforms can enable team working, collaboration and collaborative behaviour.

Year three

• Simulate
  This module works through a Business Simulation and involves implementing business development or starting a business. It will bring you together in teams to operate a simulated start-up business and in so doing it provides an opportunity for you to apply your learning from modules across the programme in a group-based business project. The module deals with real world scenarios, challenges and solutions.
• Projects
  This module will provide you with a broad understanding of the principles of project management which will enable you to make a positive contribution to project work in an organisational setting. The aim is that students will develop a critical understanding of the concepts used in project management at strategic, systems and operational levels, and an appreciation of the knowledge and skills required for successful project management in organisations.
• Markets
  The aim of this module is to develop an appreciation and understanding of the special nature of services marketing and its underpinning theories, models and concepts. You will have the opportunity to examine consumer behaviour and the unique challenges inherent in marketing, managing and delivering outstanding services. You will also gain insights into customer experience and the progress of the economic offerings of services through the physical and digital channels.
• People
  This module explores people in domestic and international business contexts. The course aims to outline how the globalised, changing world of work impacts people in organisations. You will learn how to apply psychological, OB, and HRM theories and principles to organisations and individuals at work. Moreover, the course will look at the impact of AI-enabled intelligence technologies on employee and organisational outcomes in global business. By the end of this module, students should be able to skilfully assess their own and others’ personal biases and perceptions and demonstrate an understanding of how these factors can impact behaviour within organisational contexts.

Year four

• Innovate
  This module opens up the concepts of entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship and the strategic planning process needed to move from an idea to a value-generating product or service. The primary objective is to foster an entrepreneurial mindset, encouraging students to identify and seize opportunities, think creatively, and take calculated risks. Through an exploration of key concepts, case studies, and real-world examples, the module aims to instil a deep understanding of the entrepreneurial process, from idea generation to business development. Furthermore, the module seeks to cultivate innovation by emphasizing the importance of adaptability, resilience, and continuous learning. Ultimately, the aim is to empower students to become not only successful entrepreneurs but also innovative problem solvers in various professional contexts.
• Transform
  This module is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of change management, organisations and systems transformation. It explores the theoretical foundations, practical approaches, and case studies related to leading and navigating organizational change effectively.
• Consult
  The aim of this module is to develop a sound and critical understanding of a range of business and management research methodologies and their relevance to a wide array of fundamental and applied research contexts. The module provides students with the opportunity to initiate, plan, develop and undertake a research project, using a systematic approach to research based on individual initiative and pathway of study. Projects may be either a traditional dissertation, the development of a start-up organisation, campaign or a client project.

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

The Business Management programme is designed to provide you with a theoretical understanding and practical skills related to:

• Managing and leading yourself and others
• Using innovation and creativity to develop solutions for customers, organisations and communities.
• Analysing, understanding, and influencing the internal and external environments and systems within which you will work, live and volunteer.

We use a variety of approaches to learning and teaching to make sure you develop an appropriate level of understanding of concepts, knowledge, theories and practices, alongside academic and work-related skills. On your programme you can expect to participate in all the following:

• Lectures are used by both practice and theory tutors using a variety of media as support. You will be expected to take notes, ask questions and contribute to any group discussions that ensue.
• Seminars will explore issues in greater depth with both tutor and student-led formats. These will require you to engage in research and background reading and will consider the relation of theory to practice and help develop wide ranging transferable skills.
• Tutorials provide individually tailored feedback to you. They can range from one-to-one to small group situations.
• Practical Workshop Sessions will provide the opportunity for you to develop and apply skills and knowledge.
• Problem based learning is a key element of your learning as ‘problem solving’ is an important skill for those working in business. Over the course you will be given a number of ‘business problems’ to solve, either independently or as a team, and these will require thorough research, synthesising the information you have discovered and developing and presenting an appropriate response.
• Simulations are a great opportunity for you to apply their knowledge and skills to a ‘real-life’ scenario. For example, you might be asked to draw up a business plan for a new business or develop a digital marketing strategy for a struggling high street business
• Group work is very important in business, as teamwork, getting input from different voices, the demands of different bodies and situations require that you develop skills in working with others, communication, trust, responsibility, flexibility and reliability. Many of the projects and tasks that you will be given will allow you to experience, consider and develop your team-working skills.
• Research throughout your programme you will be asked to read and research various topics, both independently and with your peers (this is often called secondary research as you are identifying and reading material which already exists in books and papers). However, whilst on the programme you will also develop skills to enable you to carry out your own research and data collection.
• Independent Learning forms a natural and expected extension of the formal aspects of the course. Your ultimate success will be dependent on your willingness to develop, experiment with and extend the concepts and approaches introduced by project briefs. It is only with continued application that lasting and valuable progress can be made.
• E-learning and Blackboard is the portal to access to project briefs, timetables and lecture notes, to submit module assessments and receive summative feedback. Learning packages which can be completed at your own pace are also a feature in some modules.

How you will be assessed

On the programme we use a variety of assessments to test both knowledge and skills. Where possible, across the programme we have designed authentic and applied assessments. This means that we have designed assignments to reflect the demands of business and the workplace and which will require you to apply your learning to ‘real life’ business problems and scenarios.
Modules are typically assessed by asking you to apply your knowledge and understanding to a business problem or scenario. Alongside formal (summative) assessment and feedback, there will also be opportunities within the module to practice and apply your knowledge and understanding and receive feedback which will help you progress (known as formative feedback). There will also be occasions when you receive feedback from your peers (e.g., in presentations). It is important that you take note of all types of feedback as they can all help you develop. In all modules we will introduce you to and develop professional and employability skills (often known as key, transferable or graduate skills).

Examples of the types of assessments you are likely to encounter include:

• Written work is central to a degree course and many of the learning approaches and emphasis is put upon clarity of style and argument as well as presentation. Different forms of written language will be explored to ensure appropriate critical skills and creative authorship are examined. Written work can be either formatively or summatively assessed and this is always made clear in the assessment brief.
• Digital Portfolios are a method of presenting a collection of your work. For example, you might be asked to develop a ‘professional development’ portfolio whilst you are on programme. In the portfolio you might be encouraged to record examples of academic and professional training and development courses you have completed, application forms and an up-to-date CV.
• Presentations provide an alternative way of conveying research and offer an opportunity for all learning types to develop their verbal communication skills. Confidence in being able to speak about your work is absolutely necessary in the workplace. Practicing these skills will contribute to your confidence and personal development.
• Posters are one method to share your ideas with a wider audience. In each year of your degree you will be invited to produce a poster.
• Business Reports
• Video Blogs

Entry Requirements

• A-levels: AT-levels: P (D or E) All subjects are accepted for entry to this course.Access to HE: 45 Credits at Pass.CACHE Technical Level 3 and Level 3 Extended Diploma: DOCR Cambridge Technical & Edexcel/Pearson BTEC Level 3 (National) Extended Diploma: **PPPScottish Highers:** 48 UCAS Tariff Points.Irish LC Highers: 48 UCAS Tariff Points.Other experience: Pearson Level 3 National Diploma MP.

Fair Admissions

When you apply, our Admissions specialists will review your whole application. We are looking for your potential to succeed so 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 programme. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate your motivation for choosing this course and reflect upon any practical 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 at the bottom of any UCAS Tariff range 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), applicants that are estranged from their parents, are care leavers or have caring responsibilities or are in receipt of or received free school meals during their secondary education. Attendance at our Masterclasses and Summer Schools will also allow applicants to receive an offer lower within the tariff range. (T&Cs apply).

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

• £5,760 - UK
• £14,900 - International

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.

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 associated with the course including stationery, textbooks, field trips and membership fees although some of these features are optional.

Books are reviewed annually and are therefore subject to change, course welcome information will provide you with an indicative list for the year.