BA (Hons) International Business and Management

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UCAS Code:
NN12
Institution:
B50
Delivery:
Full time according to Funding Council definitions

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Accredited by:

New for September 2020 entry. This course used to be called BA (Hons) Business Studies.

This course is delivered by the AACSB-accredited Business School. Fewer than 5% of Business Schools worldwide are accredited by the AACSB, and this accolade recognises our focus on excellence in all areas of learning, teaching, assessment, and the student experience.

The BA (Hons) International Business and Management pathway will help you to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and behaviours that will enable you to conduct yourself professionally, credibly and responsibly in an international working environment. You’ll explore subjects such as the differing concepts of international business etiquette and protocol, ethical dilemmas in international management and the impact of convergence, as well as develop a critical understanding of responsible business practice.

As well as specialising in international business, you will also gain an understanding of other key areas of business and management, providing you will a strong foundation for a wide range of careers. In addition, you will enhance your teamworking, independent learning, communication and problem-solving skills, your awareness of responsible business practice, as well as the digital competencies and cultural intelligence required to work in an increasingly globalised and digitised economy.

Our staff are knowledgeable and have excellent experience in the world of business. We also organise regular guest lectures and networking events using our extensive contacts, giving you the opportunity to hear from and meet some incredibly successful people from a range of sectors.

There’s the possibility of travel in year two, as you can study the second semester at one of BU’s international partner institutions. Currently we boast affiliations in Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.

In your third year, you will have the opportunity to undertake a 30-week placement, giving you the opportunity to enhance your CV and graduate employability, and put into practice what you have learned about areas such as marketing, accounting, operations and project management, international business and human resources. Among the companies that offer placements to our students are Motorola, Sony Mobile, IBM, PWC, Apple, Siemens, Nintendo and The Walt Disney Corporation.

Depending on which options you select as you go through the course, you will eventually graduate with one of our specialist pathway awards. However, with the exception of the Economics and Finance pathways, you will not need to choose your specialism until the end of the second year. The pathways you can choose are as follows:

All statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats, Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE), BU institutional data and Ipsos MORI (National Student Survey) unless otherwise stated.

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Key information

Next start date:

September 2020, September 2021

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

3 years full-time or 4 years full-time with a minimum 30-week placement

Accreditations:

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

Required subjects:

All subjects considered

Entry requirements:

For September 2020 and September 2021 entry: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A levels or equivalent. BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

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 (pdf 536kb)

Year 1

Core units:

Developing Management Competencies: You'll be exposed to real-life business and management challenges, enabling you to develop interpersonal, organisational, transferable, creative and reflective learning skills, as well as a learning culture founded on mutual support, empathy and respect.
Global Business Environment: An introduction to the fundamentals of the external global business context, enabling you to understand business-related political, economic, social and technological news stories and developments.
Introduction to Accounting: Expand your knowledge and skills needed to progress to further study of financial reporting and/or financial analysis by studying the fundamentals of accounting.
Organisational Behaviour & Responsible Management: This unit covers the individual, psychological and social aspects relating to people in organisations and the systems that govern them.
Business Simulation: Through simulation, you will gain invaluable hands-on experience by analysing data and collaborating with your peers to resolve dilemmas, making managerial decisions.
Fundamentals of Marketing: By identifying interesting marketing problems, you'll understand the range of marketing solutions available, and learn how to develop appropriate marketing strategies by focusing on real-life case studies.

Year 2

Looking into theory and practice, year two will cover key topics and issues within the industry with the opportunity to tailor your studies by choosing from a range of optional units.

Core units:

Recruiting, Selecting & Retaining Talent: You will be encouraged to develop an understanding of the recruitment and selection process, and contemporary recruitment and selection techniques, whilst developing an understanding of their position in relation to the wider talent pool.
Strategic Management: You'll develop the ability to apply appropriate tools and techniques to critically analyse the organisation and its environment, learning about the development of competitive marketing strategy and operations.
Fundamentals of HRM: This unit will introduce you to the Human Resource Management function and its practice, using frameworks, analysis and case studies for context.
Globally Responsible Business Practice: Gain the ability to critically evaluate the complex role of business practice in global systems and their understanding of management processes.

Option units (choose one):

Global Operations Management: This unit will cover the impact global operations management has on the business as a whole and the close relationship of operations management with other business function.
Project Management: Provides a practical communication focused perspective of the rapidly evolving digital world. As such it offers students practical assistance in shaping professional digital identity and footprint.
Consumer Behaviour & Contemporary Issues: This unit aims to extend your understanding of marketing, providing a critical understanding of the role and application of consumer behaviour within marketing and the wider organisation.
Branding & Integrated Communications: Covers strategic issues of integration and planning as well as the tactical considerations needed to execute relevant marketing communications campaigns that meet consumer’s needs.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Placement year

Final year

Within your final year of study, you will undertake significant pieces of academic work, demonstrating the critical, analytical and research skills developed during your course

Core units:

Research in Business & Management: The unit provides an overview of research methods available covering both qualitative and quantitative approaches, with a particular emphasis on the development and delivery of ethical and sustainable research.
Organisational Leadership: The aim of this unit is to critically explore leadership styles, theories and followership concepts in a range of organisational contexts.
International Management: With a large focus on practical aspects of management, this unit will teach training and development in the contemporary global organisation, looking at global management policies, practices and processes.
Global Strategic Marketing: By helping you to develop the ability to think critically about real-world marketing scenarios and use market information to make informed decisions and recommendations, you'll be provided with skills in strategically managing the key elements of global marketing.

Core unit (choose one):

Research Project: In this unit, you will put into practice a range of research methods, tools and techniques, to investigate and report on a business problem or opportunity of your choice, related to international business or management.
Reflective Practitioner Project: This unit aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of workplace and career-related challenges, as well as your critical thinking and writing skills, through a reflective project focusing on your placement year.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements.

Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

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

Selection methods

How we assess your application

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

AccessBU gives you the chance to tell us more about you and your life experiences if you haven’t had the same educational opportunities as other applicants. If you are eligible for AccessBU, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS Tariff Points below the published tariff.

Our offer making process

Our offer making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

Our Unconditional Offer Scheme (2020 entry)

Applicants who are predicted to achieve strong academic results will be eligible for BU’s Unconditional Offer Scheme in recognition of their academic performance and potential to succeed at university. You will receive an unconditional offer from BU if you are selected for the scheme - course selection measures and other entry criteria (i.e. required qualifications) apply.

We believe that unconditional offers reduce pressure on applicants who will continue to strive to achieve the best grades possible. Excellent grades become a part of applicants’ CVs and also support eligibility for our Academic Excellence scholarship - if you achieve AAA or above at A-level or equivalent, you’ll be automatically eligible for this award.

View our Unconditional Offer Scheme FAQ page

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 placement All you need to know about placements

How placements benefit you

A placement should be a highly rewarding experience for you and the employing company and we do our best to ensure that everyone involved feels that they have got the most that they can from the experience.

Placements provide a great opportunity to make your first career steps and enhance your employability while you’re completing your studies. You’ll get the opportunity to:

Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem-solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
Make contacts, as it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider.

Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

What support will be available?

Our placement students have previously worked with

Entry requirements

Full entry requirements

We use the UCAS Tariff in our entry requirements and will accept a combination of grades and qualifications to meet the overall tariff requirement. You can use the UCAS calculator to see how your qualifications equate to UCAS tariff points.

We have outlined our entry requirements below using the most common qualifications that we consider for this course. If your qualification is not on the UCAS tariff or listed below, please contact our Future Students Enquiry Team who can advise accordingly. You can also find out more about how we consider your application in our offer-making process section.

For September 2020 and September 2021 entry: 104 - 120 tariff points including a minimum of 2 A levels or equivalent.

Numeracy and Literacy requirement: GCSE English Language or English Literature and Mathematics grade 4 (or grade C in the old grading system). We also accept iGCSEs, Key Skills and Functional Skills and other qualifications at Level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework. See all the equivalencies.

A-level and AS levels: 104 – 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two A-levels.

Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate – Skills Challenge Certificate: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.

Access to HE Diploma: 102 – 108 UCAS tariff points with any combination of Distinction, Merit, Pass grades.

BTEC National:

Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit (112 UCAS tariff points)
Diploma: Distinction*, Distinction (104 UCAS tariff points)
Foundation Diploma/ 90-credit Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff
Extended Certificate/ Subsidiary Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.

Cambridge International Pre-U Diploma: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two principal subjects.

Cambridge Technical:

Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit (112 UCAS tariff points)
Diploma: Distinction*, Distinction (104 UCAS tariff points)
Subsidiary Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff
Introductory Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.

Extended Project Qualification: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by two A-level sized qualifications to meet the overall UCAS tariff.

International Baccalaureate Certificates: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two Higher Level certificates.

International Baccalaureate (Diploma): An overall score of 28 - 31 points.

Scottish Highers: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of four Scottish Highers.

Scottish Advanced Highers: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two Scottish Advanced Highers.

Other useful information

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, you can request a deferral by contacting our Admissions Team.

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please contact our Future Students Enquiry Team for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

International entry requirements

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry onto Year 1 for September 2020 and September 2021 entry:

Диплома за средно образование (Bulgarian Diploma of Completed Secondary Education) or Диплома за средно специално образование (Bulgarian Diploma of Completed Secondary Specialised Education). Minimum score of 4.5
Hong Kong HKDSE Diploma with required scores (4,3,3 to 4,5,5. Minimum 4 in English required)
Italian Esame di Stato[AB1] with minimum 60%+
Spanish Curso de Orientaciòn Universitaria (COU) prior to 2009 or if you hold a Titulo De Bachillerato awarded from 2009 onwards with a minimum of 6/10+
USA High School Diploma with minimum GPA 3.0 plus SAT Reasoning (1200) or ACT (24-26). If there is a subject specific requirement SAT Subject (575) or AP (3-3) will be required.

We offer a number of preparatory programmes through Bournemouth University International College. These courses offer you progression from High School in your home country to a Bachelor’s degree at BU.

Options include:

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

For September 2020 and September 2021 entry: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

If you do not meet the English language requirement for your degree then why not join our Pre-Sessional English course? Successful completion of our Pre-Sessional English course will meet your English language requirement.

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, 94% of our Business graduates are in work or study six months after graduating, of which 73% are in professional or managerial positions.

Potential job roles

You’ll be ready to take on a variety of roles when you graduate and will have the skills you need to progress your career. Among the roles that our graduates have gone on to are:

Account Executive
Account Manager
Business Analyst
Business Development Assistant
Digital Marketing Executive
E-commerce Channel Assistant
PPC Executive
Project Executive
Supply Chain Analyst.

They work for a wide range of international companies, including Arcadia, Barclays Bank Plc, BSkyB, Citibank, Deloitte, Enterprise, General Electric, Heathrow Airport, Hewlett Packard, IBM, KPMG, L'Oreal, Mercedes Benz, Microsoft, Philips, Siemens and Sony Music, among many others.

Industries worked in

Further study

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

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement.
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
Disability and additional learning support
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website.
Optional fieldwork travel, outdoor wear and footwear (where applicable)
Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses.
Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) and any expenses relating to placements e.g. travel for interviews, accommodation whilst undertaking placement, specialist clothing etc. Information about funding a placement year can be found here.

Repeat units

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.

Mark Ridolfo – Programme Leader

Mark Ridolfo is a Principal Academic in Human Resources & Organisational Behaviour, within the Faculty of Management. A passionate, student-oriented innovator, Mark has been lecturing at Bournemouth University since 1992.

Living and working in France, Germany, Italy and China has helped inform Mark’s main interests of cross-cultural communication and management.

He also delivers courses in professional effectiveness – specialising in presentations, report writing, online communication, and negotiation.

View Mark Ridolfo’s staff profile

Karen Thompson – Acting Head of Department and Senior Lecturer

Working closely with local businesses, organisations and professional bodies, Karen leads real student projects in years two and four of the BA Business Studies. Projects have ranged from building a wildlife area for a local school and fundraising through to developing a sustainable transport policy for a local financial company and evaluating the carbon footprint for a construction company. Karen teaches Project Management at year two and Advanced Project Management to part-time online students.

After a long career in Information Systems and Technology that included strategic consultancy, Karen joined Bournemouth University in 1996 to teach a range of management and systems-related topics, now focused on project management. Karen led the online undergraduate business programmes for three years and is currently engaged in research towards her PhD on the role of social media in project management.

View Karen Thompson’s staff profile

Martyn Polkinghorne – Acting Head of Education

Martyn Polkinghorne has a PhD in Knowledge Management using Artificial Intelligence and is recognised as being the developer of the first commercially available intelligent ship autopilot system. At Bournemouth University, he is currently a Principal Academic in the Faculty of Management and a Visiting Fellow in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences.

Martyn was previously Knowledge Transfer Programmes Centre Manager for Bournemouth University and the Head of Innovation and Start-up programmes at the University of Plymouth. Following an earlier career delivering business support and knowledge transfer solutions to the public and private sectors, Martyn's current research is focussed upon the 'Evaluation of Student Learning Gain' using a bottom-up approach, and the on-going 'Marketization of Higher Education'.

View Martyn Polkinghorne’s staff profile

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

BA (Hons) International Business and Management

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Accredited by:

Key information

Next start date:

Location:

Duration:

Accreditations:

Required subjects:

Entry requirements:

International entry requirements:

Our stories

Stephen impressed IBM so much on his work placement that he earned himself a job

Gemma Griffin went from placement to Product Marketing with IBM

Harriet and Shannon talk about their time together at Babcock International

A placement year with Renault UK has led to the start of a career in marketing and communications for Leah Phillips

BU Graduate, Matt Holt, becomes Project Manager for Airbus Defence and Space

Two graduates have gone on to launch an enterprise they began planning in their final year

Planning your future

Course details

Contact hours and assessment

Year 1

Year 2

Placement year

Final year

Programme specification

Your application

Selection methods

How we assess your application

Our offer making process

Our Unconditional Offer Scheme (2020 entry)

Placements

How placements benefit you

What support will be available?

Our placement students have previously worked with

Entry requirements

Full entry requirements

International entry requirements

Careers

Potential job roles

Industries worked in

Further study

Costs and fees

No hidden extras

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Repeat units

Our staff

Mark Ridolfo – Programme Leader

Karen Thompson – Acting Head of Department and Senior Lecturer

Martyn Polkinghorne – Acting Head of Education

What our students say

Jamie Seager

Hear from our staff

Caroline Burr

What our students say

Glebs Kiselovs