Business Management BA(Hons)

The ASPIRE modules provide a coherent and progressive framework to support your academic, personal and professional potential. The emphasis in Year 1 is on developing the academic skills you need to engage in your course. In addition, the module will address a broader curriculum of personal and professional development. This will include resilience and wellbeing, professional skills, inclusion and intercultural awareness and enterprise and innovation. We will also encourage you to think about the relevance of your course for your future career options. The module is designed to align with the University of Huddersfield’s Graduate Attribute Framework. It will introduce you to theories, models and strategies relevant to skill development and success at university and in the workplace. Throughout the module, you will be encouraged to recognise your capabilities, take responsibility for your learning and work effectively with your peers.

In this module, you will investigate and explore various analytical concepts and the value they provide to organisations. To support this you will explore the value of analytical data and how this supports the creation of Business Intelligence for decision making. You will investigate different analytical methods and apply them within the business context, looking at strategy, business goals and organisational competitive advantage.

In this module, you will explore the pressing global issues, such as globalisation, climate change, digital age, and sustainability, that businesses are confronted in their operations. Adopting a cross-disciplinary approach, you will gain knowledge and develop a critical understanding of how these issues represent challenges as well as opportunities to business and related organisations. As you progress through the module, you will develop a habit to follow the developments of global events, give them a meaning and consider the causes and consequences of ongoing developments. This module is designed to raise your awareness of an increasingly dynamic business environment.

This module provides you with an introduction to key concepts, theories and research in the field of organisational behaviour. Starting with the important question what is an organisation, this module presents and evaluates up to date research on current knowledge about human and organisation behaviour from the perspective of three levels: individual level (personality, motivation, knowledge and learning), group level (organisational culture, team-working) and the organisational level (leadership, changing world of work, technology). An examination of these three levels will provide an insight into the world of work both for employees and future managers. Emphasis on the module is placed on introducing and applying management theory with a critical perspective adopted throughout. Overall, focus on the module is directed towards equipping you with sufficient knowledge to be able to understand the role of the manager in a contemporary organisation and to critically explore the role of influence a range of behaviours have on organisational outcomes.

This module will develop your understanding of the principles and practice of contemporary marketing management. You'll be introduced to the key concepts and tools of marketing including analysis, planning, implementation and control.

The ASPIRE modules provide a coherent and progressive framework to support your academic, personal and professional potential. The emphasis in Year 2 is on developing your knowledge, skills and experience to develop your professional profile. A centrepiece of the of the module is a live project or real business challenge, relevant to your award. Working with your peers, you will build on knowledge and skills developed in Year 1 to respond to a project-brief that will complement your year 2 modules. In line with the ethos of ASPIRE, we will continue to provide an inclusive environment that emphasises the importance of individual resilience and wellbeing at this mid-point of your studies and prepares you for your placement year or final year.

In undertaking this module, you will explore the theory and practices that inform and enable business start-up and small enterprise development. We will follow the entrepreneurial journey in four phases; creativity and conceptualising the business; understanding context; opportunity spotting and scoping; and business model development. We will use case studies to explore entrepreneurial practices in a variety of contexts. You will appreciate the personal and contextual drivers and challenges faced by those motivated set up enterprises. You will also experiment with opportunity spotting and the formulation of a business model, thus understanding the practice and theory of new venture creation, from ideation to creating a business enterprise.

Discover the world of data analysis for business in this core second year module. Learn about the purpose of data, ethical considerations related to the creation and use of data, and the importance of effective communication with stakeholders when interpreting datasets. Gain skills to identify fake data and understand the role technology plays in both hindering and facilitating strategic decision-making. Practice using statistical software to handle datasets in order to gain a level of proficiency which will help you in the workplace. This module provides a practical and critical understanding of data's role in business, focusing on ethics, analysis, and communication for success in today's business environment.

In undertaking this module you will explore the theory and practices that inform and enable management of people within organisations. ‘People are our greatest asset’ is often said in organisations, but how do you get the best out of your best asset? In undertaking this module, you will explore that creating an environment where people want to work and feel rewarded by their work is one of the biggest differences a manager can make to their organisation. Moreover, in a time when new tech-based advances can be accessed (and downloaded) almost instantaneously across the world, people are increasingly the one differentiator that companies can have that makes them unique and puts them ahead of their competition. But they are also often a business’s largest cost. So, effective people management is important in any type of organisation. Therefore this module will help you look at the importance and benefits of good people management. It will also help you consider the challenges of delivering value creating HR practices both in a conventional business, and now in the increasingly diverse organisation with many forms of contract relationship, locations, and remote working.

The course offers an optional one-year work placement after the second year to build vital experience, apply your knowledge to a real-world business environment, grow your professional network and learn new skills. The Placement Year is a valuable tool that can enhance your employability and help you to develop as an individual. It is acknowledged that graduates with industry experience are generally much more attractive to employers.

London offers unmatched access to global employers across established and emerging sectors. Many of these businesses recruit students to their formal placement programmes through competitive processes. Through our ASPIRE modules and personalised careers support, you’ll learn how to showcase your skills and achievements effectively - from CVs and applications to assessment centres, interviews, and even emerging AI-driven processes. We partner with leading platforms such as CareerSet and Student Circus to provide you with access to digital tools and 24/7 guidance, as well as the latest placement opportunities in London and beyond.

Our specialist industry engagement team builds relationships with individual businesses and business networks to provide access to unique opportunities and a wider range of placement opportunities with start-ups, small and medium sized businesses, or other types of organisations in which you can apply and develop your skills.

The ASPIRE modules provide a coherent and progressive framework to support your academic, personal and professional potential. The emphasis in Year 3 will be on your transition from higher education to the workplace. You will have an opportunity to build on your knowledge, skills and experience that you have developed during your time at university and clearly express your career aspirations. Using recruitment and selection simulations, you will prepare tailored CVs and learn how to perform well within different selection situations. In preparation for your move into the changing world of work, we will explore what it means to be globally and socially aware and you will learn about intercultural effectiveness through case studies and group tasks. There will also be an emphasis on strengthening your leadership capabilities and decision-making within complex and unpredictable contexts. In line with the ethos of ASPIRE, we will continue to reinforce the value of an inclusive environment that sustains you during your final year of study and prepares you for your post-degree choices.

The module examines the inter-relationship between business ethics, corporate social responsibility, business sustainability and sustainable development. You'll engage in constructive debates related to theories of business ethics and ethical decision-making by business managers and examine how companies could fulfil their social responsibilities. By focusing on global sustainability issues, you'll appreciate how businesses can develop sustainable solutions to resolve grand challenges.

In this module, you will learn about the foundational principles of strategic management, as well as emergent strategic ideas such as business models, open strategy and ecosystems that have been developed to cope with the rapid changes facing the 21st-century international business environment. You will engage with future shaping strategy and gain confidence in your own appraisal of strategic choices.

This module aims to explore the complex relationship between business and climate change. Students will gain an understating of the political and policy context surrounding the climate crisis, and insight into debates about the changing responsibilities of business through a wide range of examples. The module will enable understanding of how the need to reduce emissions is shaping the activities of businesses, social enterprises, policy makers, NGOs and communities worldwide.

In this module, you'll explore entrepreneurship for large and small businesses in both national and international settings. This module considers the theory and practice of entrepreneurship from different academic perspectives (economic, organisational, behavioural, etc.) and in the current world business climate. The teaching and learning approach on this module makes extensive use of practical case studies.

This module focuses you on addressing a live marketing problem utilising specialist marketing knowledge to create and develop effective communications for an organisation. You'll develop and demonstrate creative thinking and visualisation including, content creation, branding, and new media in order to develop brand equity and deliver customer value. The content and application of this module are designed to enhance practical skills in the development of creative communication plans, within the context of an integrated marketing strategy. To support this, the module will explore current consumer trends, and contemporary and creative communications strategies and practices.

In this module, you’ll learn how to organise and execute business activities and specific transactions on a variety of electronic platforms. You’ll build your understanding of the electronic economy and how the changes in the electronic landscape and technology are shaping the development and success of business. In addition to learning about e-commerce operations, you’ll consider how businesses interact with their key stakeholders, such as customer and public administration agencies, in the Internet context.

The module sees organisations and businesses as citizens and stewards who are equally bound by ethical responsibility as individuals are. Desired learning outcomes include appreciating the scope of ethical responsibility for leaders and followers and critically reflecting on ethical issues that arise in organisations.

Ever wondered how training and developing employees can add value to an organisation? This module will explore this, looking at how investing in staff in this way builds increased commitment and enhances skills. After a review of HRD, how we identify, plan, develop, deliver, and evaluate training, we will consider interventions to support learning organisations as well as exploring the theories surrounding HRD.

In this module, you’ll learn how to organise and execute business activities and specific transactions on a variety of electronic platforms. You’ll build your understanding of the electronic economy and how the changes in the electronic landscape and technology are shaping the development and success of business. In addition to learning about e-commerce operations, you’ll consider how businesses interact with their key stakeholders, such as customer and public administration agencies, in the Internet context.

Marketing is important, entrepreneurship is vital, and 95% of businesses anywhere in the world are small. When large organisations seek to improve performance – they often turn to the young dynamic small businesses as their role model. We weave these themes together into what can be called entrepreneurial marketing.

This module adopts a perspective to examine the dynamics, complexities, and uncertainties of a modern world of work. Topics on the future of work will be studied in a national and global context. You'll explore the impact at an individual, organisational, and societal level of the need for efficiency and effectiveness in managing a diverse workforce, the impact of technological change, and the changing relationship between employers and employees. Through the module you'll develop a critical understanding of the workplace as employees and managers of the future.

This module will introduce you to psychological concepts and then you'll have the opportunity to learn, understand and appraise the application of psychological principles and theories to workplaces and organisations. This module will include a critical overview and discussion of personnel psychology, namely, theories of personality and psychometric testing and assessment centres. Furthermore, the module will help you to develop a critical appreciation of human behaviour in the workplace including the nature of employee behaviour, the extent to which the work environment contributes to the physical and emotional wellbeing of employees, group functioning, motivation and performance. Knowledge acquired from this module will provide a foundation for learners to pursue further study at postgraduate level in organisational behaviour, through enabling them to develop a comprehensive understanding of businesses from a psychological perspective.

This module is an opportunity for you to conduct a research project in an area of business and management that relates to your personal and professional interests. You'll work one-to-one with an experienced supervisor who will help you develop and implement your research ideas. This module will not only deepen your knowledge of a particular business and management topic, but also help you build your practical research and report writing skills.