BSc in International Business

Who is it for?

The International Business pathway should appeal particularly to you if you expect to work in multinational businesses. Or in other areas where contemporary issues affect the way business takes place globally. You should be prepared to consider the different impact of management concepts in different parts of the world and to apply these to practical examples.

Objectives

This course gives you a broad understanding of business within an international context. As part of this degree you must spend some time at one of our overseas partners and use this experience to contribute to your understanding of management concepts.

You’ll be able to reflect on this international experience within your final-year project. You’ll discuss issues related to the global economy, and will be encouraged to consider the particular impact of management concepts in different parts of the world.

What will I learn?

On the International Business degree, you will:

• Gain an overview of the concepts, theories, and techniques that contribute to an understanding of business management
• Learn about issues of globalism and localism affecting the international business landscape
• Understand the practical and conceptual implications of doing business in a global environment
• Learn how to analyse business in the context of different parts of the world
• Prepare for future changes in the issues facing international business
• Recognise the ethical issues surrounding business and be able to practise responsible management.

Year 1

Core modules:

• Introduction to management This provides an introduction to management and organisational behaviour concepts. You will study how management concepts have evolved over the years and discuss how they are relevant to your own future work as managers.

• Business economics This provides a grounding in Economics. You will learn about a range of concepts used by economists and will study how these are important to managers in business.

• Critical thinking This provides a training in how to evaluate critically and thoughtfully the variety and volume of information that as managers you can expect to encounter. You will study a range of literature which is relevant to Business Management and you will be expected to develop sophisticated skills in how to assess and interpret this.

• Quantitative methods and analytics This covers a range of quantitative and statistical techniques. You will learn the fundamentals of business analytics, you will gain a thorough grounding in statistical techniques and how to apply them, and you will study the way that analytical techniques are changing businesses. This will extend to understanding the use of big data, the potential for data visualisation, and the application of databases.

• Operations and supply chain management This covers the operational techniques that make it possible for businesses to function. You will learn about the workings of supply chains and will also learn how to analyse effectively how the operational functions of a business can be optimised.

• Finance and management accounting 1 This introduces you to concepts in both financial and management accounting. You will learn about the importance of accounts as a way to convey information about a business. You will study the principles behind accounting and how accounts can inform business decision making.

• Fundamentals of marketing This provides an introduction to marketing. Its particular emphasis is on Consumer Behaviour, on approaches to Marketing Strategy, and on the connection between these areas.

• Management lab and business skills This builds strong connections between management theory, management practice, and skills which you will need to use in your future career. You will explore how management theory can be applied to address the type of issues encountered in contemporary business and learn how to combine this with practical skills.

Year 2

Core modules:

• Technology and innovation management This will provide you with analytical tools which are necessary for managing in an environment where rapid technological change is a factor. You will learn about the challenges associated with technological innovation and will discuss the impact of these challenges on a variety of business sectors.

• Introduction to entrepreneurship This will give you an understanding of what is understood by entrepreneurship and how to adopt an entrepreneurial approach to business. You will learn about business planning and pitching an idea, and will also study different entrepreneurial styles and their impact.

• Introduction to finance This will offer a thorough grounding in finance concepts. You will understand how to interpret financial information and commentaries, and be able to consider how to take account of finance in decisions which you may need to make. You will also have a sound basis for any further finance modules which you may take within your course.

• Human resources management This will provide an introduction to a number of different practices that make up the HRM function in an organisation. You will understand the impact of these practices and will learn about the importance of HRM within an organisation as a whole.

• Business strategy analysis This provides an introduction to business strategy and an opportunity to reflect on why it is important and how it should be put into practice. You will learn about a number of different perspectives on strategy and a number of tools which you can apply to perform strategic analysis of a business.

Specialist modules:

• International business environment This introduces you to the international context within which businesses operate. You will learn about the challenges associated with operating across national boundaries, using different currencies, and coordinating issues between operations in different countries.

• International marketing This focuses on the effect of the international environment on marketing. You will study the implications associated with marketing in different countries and regions and will learn how to devise an international marketing plan that takes account of the requirements of a range of locations.

Year 3

Core modules:

• Final-year project or corporate responsibility project You will carry out a major piece of independent work where you can apply what you have learned in the course to a business management issue which interests you. You should choose a subject which is relevant to the stream that you are taking. You can apply for the corporate responsibility option where you will work on your project alongside the Corporate Social Responsibility department within an organisation.

• Research methods and data analysis This will provide you with an understanding of a set of research methods which will help you in carrying out independent work within your degree and will also be of use within your future career. You will learn how to set up research projects, how to interpret and analyse data, and how to bring this together and draw worthwhile conclusions.

• Business in society This will give you an appreciation of the role of business within society as a whole. You will learn about broader ethical issues and the connections between businesses and a wide range of stakeholders. You will also discuss the purpose of businesses and how they relate to external factors. You will study the demands, expectations, and potential conflicts that result from these factors.

Specialist modules:

• International business strategy

Entry requirements

A-Level: AAA

BTEC/OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDD

For candidates taking a combination of A Level/BTEC/OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications we accept the following:

• BTEC/OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma with one A-Level

• BTEC/OCR Cambridge Technical Subsidiary Diploma with two A-levels.

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ): We welcome applications that include the EPQ. Where relevant, this may be included in our offer, resulting in an ‘A’ Level offer reduced by one grade.

IB: 35 points overall with 5 minimum in each subject

In addition, we also ask for the following GCSE requirement:

• A minimum of grade 5 (C) in GCSE English and grade 6 (B) ('A' Level and Access to Higher Education applicants) or grade 7 (A) (all other qualification combinations) in GCSE Mathematics.

If you are studying General Studies, Critical Thinking or a native language 'A' level, these subjects will not be included in any offer condition.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, we will require evidence of English language proficiency. Minimum requirements are:

IELTS: 6.5 with a minimum of 6 in any unit

PTE Academic: 58 overall with a minimum of 51

GCSE: English language grade 5

Placements

Students on the International Business course are eligible to apply for a one-year paid work placement which takes place during the third year of a four-year sandwich degree course. Students enjoy a wide range of opportunities in business areas such as finance, marketing and human resource management.

This concerns the strategic choices made by businesses operating internationally. You will synthesise what you have already learned about international business and about strategy and have the opportunity to discuss the practical issues arising from these.