Program Overview

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International Year One - Business

Overview

The International Year One – Business is a degree preparation programme for international students who want to study on one of the many Northumbria University undergraduate business degrees, but don’t quite have the right entry qualifications to gain direct entry into year one.

Key Facts

• Develop your cultural awareness of studying in the UK as you integrate into student life
• Equivalent to the first year of an undergraduate degree, upon successful completion, you will progress onto the second year of your chosen degree
• You will develop the required business knowledge and skills equivalent to those studying the comparative 1st-year undergraduate degree on modules alongside enhanced academic skills
• Progress onto a select amount of exciting undergraduate degrees at Northumbria University’s AACSB accredited Newcastle Business School – the first in Europe to gain the double accreditation
• Benefit from continual assessment via portfolios throughout the year, supporting your gradual assimilation to learning at Northumbria

What Will I Study?

The programme has been designed especially for international students transferring to a UK university. You will study a combination of subject-specific business modules alongside an academic business skills module which will focus on teaching you the English language, study skills, employability and academic skills necessary to successfully pass the programme.

You will develop your ability to read and critically engage with a wide range of texts including journals and business magazines, whilst you build your capability to produce a variety of written and verbal critical responses.

Through investigating the theory and practice underpinning core business functions such as organisational management, supply chain and operations management, marketing and finance, you will understand the essential business knowledge and be ready to integrate into the second year of undergraduate study.

Alongside these business essential modules, you will study a range of contemporary business subjects, such as business analysis tools and techniques and understanding human resource management through the lens of ‘work psychology’, these industry-relevant topics will take your business knowledge to the next level.

Study Plan

• IELTS | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | July-Aug | Sept
• 5.5 / 5.5 | International Year One – Business | Summer break | Start year 2 of your undergraduate degree at Northumbria University | International Year One – Business

How Will I Be Taught and Assessed?

We have a deep understanding of how international students learn and we have found that the combination of increased tutor interaction, consistent assessment and academic and English support leads to success. That is why, to support learning and assimilation into university life, the number of lecture and seminar hours are higher than on a standard undergraduate first year. This increased time in the classroom is to support your learning and the development of skills that most UK students already have.

Contact Hours

• 20 hours per week in seminars, lectures, tutorials and workshops.
• Study all your modules over three terms – giving you time to gradually build your skills and understanding of key concepts.

Self-Study Hours

• 20 hours per week on independent study through self-directed learning making use of the University’s electronic learning portal Blackboard.
• Scheduled independent learning week, where directed by your module tutor, you will work through study on your own research to broaden your academic knowledge and study for assessment.

Assessment

• Coursework and exams – including portfolios, essays, reports, reflection, poster presentation and group work.
• Build up a portfolio of work throughout your whole module and receive feedback from your tutor as to how you are progressing helping you to improve each step of the way.

Which Courses Can I Go On to Study?

In order to progress onto your chosen undergraduate degree, you must achieve 40%. Upon successful completion and subject to specific entry requirements, you can go on to join the second year of a select amount of business undergraduate degrees at Northumbria University.

• Accounting and Finance BSc (Hons)
• Business and Entrepreneurship BA (Hons)
• Business and Human Resource Management BA (Hons)
• Business Management BA (Hons)
• Business and Marketing BA (Hons)
• Global Business Management BSc (Hons)
• Global Business Management (Finance) BSc (Hons)
• Global Business Management (Human Resources) BSc (Hons)
• Global Business Management (Logistics and Supply Chain) BSc (Hons)
• Global Business Management (Marketing) BSc (Hons)
• International Banking and Finance BSc (Hons)
• International Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management BSc (Hons)
• Tourism and Events Management BA (Hons)

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• Good High School Grades, or equivalent

We also accept the following:

• China: Senior Middle 2 with a minimum average of 80% and Senior Middle school 3 with an average of 70% or higher
• India: Standard XI 65% standard XII 55%
• Nigeria: WAEC/SSCE with a minimum grade average of C(6)

For country-specific entry requirements, please check our Entry Requirements. Alternatively, please contact our team who will be able to help you.

English Language Requirements

• 5.5 with no single subscore below 5.5, or equivalent, from a UKVI Approved Centre

Please note that if your qualifications are not in English, we might need certified translations in order to proceed with your application.

Age Requirements

• You must be over 17 years old

If you are under 18 at the start of International Year One you will need to include with your application a signed consent form by your parent or legal guardian. You can find a copy of this on our How to Apply page.

Modules

All modules are core and worth 20 credits unless specified. You will study one of the optional modules, which is dependent on your progression degree.

• Introducing Marketing
• Business Interaction with Society and the Economy
• Financial Information for Decision Making
• Business Analysis for Decision Making
• Academic Business Skills
• Introducing Entrepreneurship (optional)
• Managing People and Organisations (optional)
• Study and Consultancy Skills for Marketing (optional)
• Introducing Tourism and Events (optional)

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fee 2025/26

• £17,250

Please note that your tuition fees do not include the cost of course books that you may choose to purchase, stationery, printing and photocopying, accommodation, living expenses, travel or any other extracurricular activities. As a Northumbria University Pathway student, you will have full access to our online digital library with over 400,000 e-books and 50,000 electronic journals.

You may wish to purchase personal copies of certain texts, in which case you should budget for approximately £50 to purchase the essential reading and up to £100 for the recommended reading.

Scholarships and Bursaries for International Students

Depending on the country you are from, you may be eligible for a country bursary and/or scholarship when studying this programme.

All of our scholarships and bursaries are automatically applied when we process your application and one of our team will be able to confirm your eligibility.

How to Apply or Find Out More

Enquire now to find out more information about the International Year One, studying with us, the application process, and to have any other questions you have.

Enquire now

How to Apply

When you are ready you can apply online to study the International Year One – Business. Applying online allows you to upload all of your supporting documents and you will automatically receive your student application number.

Please note: For 2025 applications you will be redirected to the Northumbria website to select which intake you would like to apply for.

Apply for 2025

Information for Disabled Applicants

At Northumbria, we welcome applications from disabled students and are committed to ensuring an equal and accessible application journey. Your application will be considered on an equal basis to all other applications. Please contact us if you require any assistance. This website is continually optimised to adhere to accessibility best practice guidelines; tools to assist users with specific accessibility requirements have also been provided. More information is available in our accessibility statement.

We strongly recommend that you submit your application as early as possible to allow you to complete all of the preparations needed to study your programme. After receiving your offer it can take time to arrange your finances and apply for your visa (if required) and it is important that you arrive in good time to enrol on your course. Please refer to the Dates and Fees page.

You can check more information on how to apply here, including guidelines for the application forms.

Course Information

Level of Study

• International Year One

Fee

• International Fee: (25/26): £17,250

Leads to

• Undergraduate degrees in Business (starting in the second year)

Entry Requirements

• Good High School Grades, or equivalent

IELTS Requirements

• IELTS 5.5 with no element less than 5.5, or equivalent, from a UKVI Approved centre

Duration

• 9 months

Class Hours per Week

• 20

Assessment Methods

• Coursework and exams

Scholarship or Bursaries

• Available

Payment Plan

• Not available

Starts

• January, October

Next Application Deadline

Please note that the course information displayed on this page is correct for the academic year 2024/25. We aim to run the course as advertised however, changes may be necessary due to updates to the curriculum (due to academic or industry developments), student demand or UK compliance reasons.