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BA (Hons) Business and Management (with Foundation Year option)

Our Business & Management course is delivered by BU’s AACSB-accredited Business School – an accreditation achieved by fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide. And with nine pathways to choose from, you can focus your learning around your career goals.

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  • UCAS Code:
    NN12
  • Institution:
    B50

With foundation year: N1N2

Why study BA (Hons) Business and Management at BU?

  • Flexibility to achieve your ambitions – start with a strong foundation in business and management in your first year, then tailor your learning (depending on what your interests are) with a specialist pathway* 
  • Opportunities to study abroad in your second year at one of BU’s international partner institutions in Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Turkey or the United States 
  • Study a diverse subject that provides a stepping stone to work in any industry, anywhere in the world 
  • Complete an optional 30-week placement, giving you invaluable opportunities to gain industry experience and build a professional network 
  • Study at a university with over 35 years of teaching experience in this area, excellent industry connections and an international reputation
  • You'll be career-ready with 92% of our graduates in employment or further studies, fifteen months after graduating. 

*Selected at the end of your second year (with the exception of Economics and Finance pathways): see our subject area page for further details about each pathway. 

Find out more about the content of this course.

Foundation year: We have a foundation year option for UK students who do not meet the entry requirements for the degree course. This additional year of study will give you a grounding in Business & Management, building your confidence, knowledge and skills for further study. After successful completion of the foundation year, you will progress to the full degree. 

Course accreditations 

The accrediting bodies on this course are renowned industry-wide for promoting excellence and the highest standards, all of which is reflected in the BU Business School experience: 

  • Our Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation is a hallmark of excellence that has been awarded to fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide
  • Our Chartered Management Institution (CMI) accreditation gives you complimentary CMI student membership (and access to resources and services) and means that when you graduate, you’ll receive a CMI leadership and management qualification in addition to your Bachelor's degree 
  • The Marketing pathway of this course is also accredited by the Institute of Data & Marketing (IDM), Europe’s leading training and qualifications organisation for the digital, direct and data profession. 

Chat with a student from this course

Discover more about the BU Business School and explore our campus

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Talbot Campus is where you'll find facilities such as The Sir Michael Cobham Library, the Student Centre (where our Students' Union offices are based), the £22 million Fusion Building and the brand new Poole Gateway Building
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Inside the Fusion Building, which features 27 seminar rooms, three lecture theatres, research space, a 24-station PC laboratory, rooftop terraces and numerous catering facilities, topped with a glass-domed roof. The building has achieved an Energy Performance Certificate rating of A and BREEAM Excellent; it features a range of the latest technologies designed to reduce its environmental impact.
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Students in the Student Centre

Key information

Next start date:

September 2021, September 2022

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

3 years full-time or 4 years full-time with a minimum 30-week placement. Foundation year: 4 years full-time or 5 years with a 30-week minimum placement

Accreditations:

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Institute of Data & Marketing (IDM) - Marketing pathway only

Required subjects:

All subjects considered

Entry requirements:

For September 2021 entry: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A levels or equivalent. BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM. Foundation year: 48-72 UCAS tariff points. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

For September 2021 entry: If English is not your first language, you will need IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component or equivalent. For more information check out our international entry requirements.

Course details

On this course you will be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students. You will also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.

Contact hours and assessment

Details of the assessment methods and contact hours for each unit of the course can be found in the programme specification.

Download the programme specification (632kb)Download the foundation year programme specification (pdf 286kb)

Your application

For this course, we are looking for applicants who:

  • Can demonstrate their interest in identifying and solving business problems
  • Are motivated and enthusiastic self-starters looking for a rewarding challenge
  • Can demonstrate good written and oral communication skills
  • Are keen to develop a wide range of interpersonal skills
  • Have aspirations to one day manage.

Students on this course will have come from a wide range of backgrounds but all will have demonstrated their drive to succeed in the business environment. We would encourage applicants who are interested in new ideas, can express themselves well, work effectively in teams and can demonstrate a wide range of interests.

How to apply

Placements

At BU, we recognise that placements are extremely valuable and can give you a head start when it comes to your future career. We are proud that our students have played their part in the success of top firms including JP Morgan, IBM, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Motorola. The average salary for our business studies placement students is £15,000–£19,999 per annum. 

Your optional placement will begin after your second year of study and must last a minimum of 30 weeks. You could be based anywhere in the UK, or could even choose to undertake your placement abroad – giving you the opportunity to develop yourself personally, academically, and professionally and gain skills to help you stand out in the job market.

Find out about BU students' experience on placementAll you need to know about placements

Entry requirements

Careers

Our business graduates work in various roles in a wide number of sectors. This course is designed to prepare you for a job in any organisation, large or small, and in any sector. In fact, 92% of our business graduates are in work or study fifteen months after graduating, of which 76% are in professional or managerial positions. 

Costs and fees

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course. You can find full information about funding your studies and paying your fees in our undergraduate fees and funding section. That’s also where you’ll find information about the scholarships and bursaries on offer – including unlimited Academic Excellence Scholarships for UK, EU and International students.

Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise, and we’re committed to ensuring there are no hidden extra costs while you’re at university – that’s why we’re clear about what you can expect us to cover, and what your cost of living will be. You’ll also find you could benefit from a range of discounts as a student.

Find out more about budgeting and living expenses

Our staff

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. Please note that staff can change.

What our students say

Jamie Seager

My placement at JP Morgan was invaluable. I received lots of support while applying, including specialist advice and tips to prepare me for interview.

Hear from our staff

Caroline Burr

Our students achieve amazing things, both on placement and after graduating. I am very proud to have helped to shape the business managers of tomorrow.

What our students say

Glebs Kiselovs

The academic staff on my course are very friendly, they're always happy to help and we can trust them and feel like we are like a family

Statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats and BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.