Business (Joint Honours)

Three years full-time or flexible part-time. It is also possible to undertake a placement year in year three, making the course four years long.  

The subject is designed principally for students seeking a business career. It is also of relevance to many others, since an increasingly wide range of organisations (in fields as diverse as health, leisure and education) are now demanding higher levels of business-related skills. It combines well with a wide range of subjects in the Joint Honours programme.

The course introduces all areas of business and allows students some degree of specialist interest.

Stage one

The two main areas of focus are the impact of changes in management principles and practices on business and the ways in which entrepreneurial opportunities can be identified and developed. There is also an opportunity to study introductory modules in marketing or finance.

Stage two

The second stage places particular emphasis to introducing the two contrasting topic areas of strategic analysis and operations management. A range of other modules may be studied as options, including more advanced work in marketing or accounting/finance and/or introductory modules in managing human resources or information systems.

Stage three

All students will explore issues in strategic management and undertake a module which focuses on developing skills relating to careers, job-search and professional development. The cornerstone of study in the final stage is the dissertation. An extensive range of option modules enables students to tailor studies around their individual interests.

• Offers all students the opportunity to develop an understanding of many general business issues including strategy, operations management and a variety of functional areas with an international perspective
• Offers Joint Honours major students the opportunity to develop vocational skills and knowledge in areas such as marketing, finance or human resource management
• Offers students the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial and employability skills

In the Joint Honours programme students select two subjects as joint for year one. Students may continue with equal emphasis on two subjects as a joint degree in years two and three, or switch to a major/minor split. The degree title is derived from the two subjects.

Click here for a detailed list of modules.

Typical modules include:

• Strategic Business Analysis
• Operations Management
• Enterprise and Opportunity
• Accounting
• Human Resource Management
• Information Systems
• Marketing
• Cross Cultural Management
• Social Responsibility of Business

The subject uses a number of assessment methods designed to develop and test students' knowledge and skills in a variety of settings including essays, presentations, project work and formal examinations.

The approach to the subject is designed to enable students to become independent learners: capable of reading around subjects, solving problems, researching topics, engaging in integrative projects, looking for relationships between the different concepts studied and developing a critical approach to their readings, lectures and seminar activities. It is expected that students will develop - and be required to demonstrate - greater autonomy in their learning styles as they progress through their degree. All modules are supported by a range of electronically accessible learning materials.

Graduates may apply for general graduate trainee posts or for more specific careers depending upon their Joint Honours combination or the specific options studied.

All students are encouraged to take advantage of the year-long optional placement possibilities after the second stage of study.