BA (Hons) Business and Management with Specialist Pathway
| Intake Date | Programme Type | Course Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Click here to know more | Bachelor’s Degree | Click here to know more |
Beacon International College and its partner reserve the rights, at its discretion, to change, modify, add or remove the course information at any time without prior notice. Please check the course information periodically for changes.
Introduction
The programme aims to provide a high quality and relevant undergraduate programme, developing in students a critical appreciation of the complexities within the modern world of Business & Management. Graduates will be global and ethical in outlook with an awareness of the dangers and opportunities of ever changing digital and technological developments. Graduates will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to apply a multi-disciplinary approach to analysing and managing the problems that 21st Century Business World will present.
The programme offers opportunities to develop entrepreneurial spirit aligned with the informed, rational, educated foundations that underpin such endeavours.
Course Content
The BA (Hons) Business and Management is a 360-credit qualification that consists of core modules and optional modules determined by the college that provide for a combined total of 360 credits.
The degree offers the following specialist pathways of study:
- BA (Hons) Business and Management (Entrepreneurship)
- BA (Hons) Business and Management (Finance)
- BA (Hons) Business and Management (Human Resource Management)
- BA (Hons) Business and Management (International Trade)
- BA (Hons) Business and Management (Law)
- BA (Hons) Business and Management (Marketing)
Students follow 120 credits of core modules.
This module aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of microeconomics that can be used to understand and engage with problem solving in a wide range of contexts. This introduction focuses on providing generalists with a broad knowledge of the concepts and principles that underpin modern Business.
The aim of this module is to consider and discuss how contemporary businesses use Information Technologies (IT) and systems to achieve corporate objectives. Technological trends and advances will be highlighted aiming to inform students about modern information systems (IS) currently used in business. Furthermore, it offers the opportunity to learn how to lead anagement discussions and drive decisions about IS in organisations.
This module is designed to provide future managers with a level of practical understanding that is genuinely useful in the workplace by covering a range of key financial areas including: how to interpret financial statements; how firms are funded; understanding costs and pricing decisions; financial budgeting and the principles of working capital management.
The aim of this module is for students to learn about the role of marketing and its contribution to business success. Students will be introduced to the concept of marketing and will develop an understanding of, and an ability to apply conceptual models together with the various marketing tools and techniques.
The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to the main legal issues which affect the business world today. The module will be using practical case studies to help the student relate the law to real world business problems.
This module provides an introduction to managing people in the workplace. The module further aims to provide an overview of the diversity of people issues with reference to models, theories and concepts of Human Resource Management (HRM) and Organisational Behaviour (OB). The module provides an overview of the specialist areas identified in the current CIPD Profession map and considers the nature and dynamics of the relationship between people from the most junior to the most senior in organisations. Throughout the module our aim is to provide students with the opportunity to develop effective planning, analytical, people and problem solving skills.
Students taking the generic pathway [BA (Hons) Business and Management] follow 100 credits of core modules and 20 credits of optional modules as determined by the College.
Alternatively, students opting for a specialist pathway pick an optional module linked to their chosen specialisation, specified in “parentheses ()”.
The aim of the module is to provide students with the opportunity to develop a more holistic view of the relationship between a range of business disciplines on business decision making and performance.
The module will provide a means for students to develop critical business skills in problem solving, decision making and team working, through their application to authentic business issues.
The module will develop within individuals an awareness of the impact of their decisions whilst operating within a framework of ethical responsibility and good governance.
This module aims to develop a sound knowledge of business research and evaluation methods for conducting systematic enquiry in the field of Business and Management. It will focus on the skills required for employability whilst developing understanding of the sourcing and evaluation of information and familiarising students with the procedures, protocols and processes of both academic and professional research. The module will also focus on the presentation of information, in terms of formal report writing, presentation of graphs, charts and figures, use of new technologies to aid communication and create accessible documents.
The module aims to equip students with an understanding of contemporary operations management and its application to a variety of organisations. The module considers both the manufacturing and service environment operations and introduces the students to the relevant tools and techniques to understand operational performance. The module examines operations within their wider context including upstream and downstream activities and organisations and the customer or product user interface.
This module delivers an introduction to the main concepts of business ethics and sustainability and the global economic, social and environmental pressures which impacts upon Supply Chain Management, ethical and sustainable decision making and corporate reputation.
The aim of this module is to allow students an opportunity to undertake a voluntary placement with a recognised international charity to work on a defined hands-on project. This could be UK or EU based or equally in a 3rd world or developing economy. Students should be able to transfer and apply diagnostic and creative skills, and exercise significant judgment in a range of situations through their experience of working in this unique environment. The majority of these VP require students to undertake fundraising prior and this will enhance entrepreneurial endeavor.
The aim of this module is to provide students with the conceptual and applied knowledge of the current law applicable to contemporary digital business and their impact on day to day business practice. It further develops in-depth knowledge of the use of business technology and how this is regulated by law.
Entrepreneurial opportunities require both creativity and innovation to progress an idea. The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the nature and scope of the management process in terms of the financial, physical and human resource needed for the creative activity within a business environment.
This module will develop an academic framework in which to study the key drivers including the vision, culture and processes needed to develop an organisation that is able to focus on creativity and innovation for sustainable development. Using a range of real life problems, students are challenged to use creativity and innovation techniques to present business solutions.
The module is designed to foster intercultural learning and sensitivity to cultural diversity. Students will develop intercultural competence by achieving an understanding of the nature of cultural differences and intercultural communication processes in global contexts.
This will enable students to recognise and address various dimensions of culture-bound differences when working in multicultural business environments.
This module enables students to acquire a sound understanding regarding the role of internal and external communications in building sustainable relationships and delivering customer value. It provides the opportunity to recognise the importance of communications planning in delivering marketing solutions.
Students are introduced to the marketing communication mix which comprises of communication tools, media and messages before focusing on the appropriate elements within an integrated marketing communications plan to meet marketing objectives.
The module aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the world of investment in the aftermath of an unprecedented decade of national and global financial crises.
The module aims to provide an understanding of the importance of People Management (HRM) and some of its key constituent functions and processes including resourcing, talent management, diversity and inclusion, learning and development, performance and reward, and their impact on employee engagement and organisational performance.
The module also considers the nature and dynamics of the relationship between HR, senior and line management and the workforce and how this impacts on employee experience and engagement.
There will be a focus on exploring the relationship between Employee Engagement and organisational performance.
It will in addition explore models of HRM and Employee Engagement and their application to contemporary organisational practice. The module also aims to provide an understanding of how to achieve sustainable Employee Engagement.
Students taking the generic pathway [BA (Hons) Business and Management] follow 40 credits of core modules and 80 credits of optional modules as determined by the College.
Alternatively, students opting for a specialist pathway follow 40 credits of core modules, 40 credits of specialist compulsory modues and 40 credits of optional modules.
This module aims to introduce students to change leadership. This comprises developing an understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of leadership in organisations. The students will, through the use of authentic assessment, develop the knowledge and skills to be able to examine their own leadership and that of others. The students will also develop an understanding of the concept of change in groups and organisations and how it can be brought about. The module will explore the practical and theoretical perspectives on organisational change, including a range of tools and techniques associated with change leadership process.
By using authentic assessment and practice the module aims to enable students to practice and develop their leadership styles and competencies and to learn to lead and manage others, manage conflict where necessary and develop effective communication strategies. The learning can then be used to develop their employability skills for when they leave the University for the world of work.
The aim of this module is to introduce the students to the theory and practice of strategic management, and the holistic way in which it draws upon a wide variety of managerial functions in its creation. It will establish the main principles against which strategic decisions are made, how strategy is created and the forms it might take, and the problems and issues associated with its implementation. Particular emphasis will be given to the process of business innovation and the implications of change and its management within organizations. Where possible, the module will draw on existing knowledge and develop it from a strategic perspective.
Students will be encouraged to apply their knowledge and awareness of strategy to the practitioner environment in a variety of ways such as debates, discussions, case studies, analysis, presentations and problem solving.
A core advantage of this degree is the ability to change pathways. This allows you to decide your final year study at the end of the second year rather than being set in stone now or during your first few months at Beacon.
Students on the Generic Pathway will choose from a range of options taken from the various pathways giving these students a very wide choice of subjects. Beacon DOES NOT guarantee that every module will run every year. Please refer to Minimum Class Enrollment Requirement below for more information.
Specialist Compulsory Modules
Level 6 Students staying on pathway from L5 take 2 from 3. Students switching pathways take all 3:
The aim of this module is to enable students to develop and evaluate a business idea through engaging with the business planning process and test-trading period. Gaining an understanding of how business units are created and resourced is imperative for today’s work place, whether the business is in the UK or in the global marketplace. Students will work in small groups to construct a business plan for the development of cooperative business idea which they will then test trade during a trading period within the module. Should the business idea and trading week prove feasible, the students will be encouraged to realise the business idea through Cardiff Met’s Centre for Entrepreneurship. Students will evaluate their journey through the process using appropriate academic theory, concepts and models to justify the approach they have taken and reflect on the entrepreneurial test-trading journey they have been on.
The connection between Entrepreneurship and Strategy will be explored within a framework of cultural change and diversity. Successful managers and entrepreneurs of tomorrow need to be able to identify institutional practices within that backdrop to ensure they can choose policies that best facilitate innovation and encourage market competitiveness. This will be investigated using an entrepreneurial lens. This module introduces a variety of strategic actors, evaluates the relationships, power structures, interactions and social ties, to enable the student to appreciate how they are connected to entrepreneurial policies.
This module is designed to develop the way students interpret information. In today’s fast-moving environment, knowledge management and innovative problem-solving techniques are needed within all organisations whether large, small, national or multinational. The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the nature, purpose and practice of innovation and entrepreneurship in a context of swift and dynamic change in national and global economies. This module will include an introduction into the world of innovation, change management and entrepreneurship and challenge the student to pull together critical concepts of process improvement, entrepreneurial orientation and innovation into a single framework within a backdrop of sustainable entrepreneurship.
The module is designed to build on the finance related knowledge and skills acquired in core modules a strategic understanding of capital markets and their most volatile instruments. It will provide a sound understanding of modern corporate finance theory and practice and will equip students with the ability to analyse internal & external accounting statements.
This module aims to provide students with a detailed understanding of contemporary issues in behavioural finance, sustainable finance and financial technology. The module covers cognitive psychology, economics, investor needs and behaviour and the impact these have on investment decisions and financial markets, sustainable forms of finance and current developments in financial technology.
The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the principles of investment markets, theories, strategies and portfolios in a dynamic and constantly changing global financial environment.
The aim of the module is to explore the landscape of employee relations. It will highlight the management and leadership of ‘good’ employment relations. The module will consider the theories, concepts and debates concerning the employment relationship, and consider the nature of Employee Relations in the modern workplace. It will focus on the design and implementation of employment relations, practices, policies and procedures.
The module will also shed light on the changing aspects of employee relations and on the new social, economic and employment trends that are emerging.
The module will focus on current and future developments in UK employment law and equal opportunities legislation and their impact within the workplace on managers and employees.
This module aims to assess the significance of international people management from a global and cross-national perspective. It considers both comparative national contexts and employment systems and international organisations. The module further assists to provide an understanding of the global economy, the impact of globalisation on international labour standards and the convergence or divergence of national and organisational people management practices and policies on a global basis
The aim of this module is to introduce, explore and critically analyse resourcing and talent management as distinct and coherent areas of HRM as delineated in the new CIPD Professional Map.
HR strategies on talent resourcing and development encompass a range of fundamental activities, which all managers are involved in regardless of their specialism. These activities include planning for future workforce, the recruitment, selection and induction of new staff; monitoring the performance of and rewarding existing staff; retaining, engaging and developing talent.
This module also considers the ways in which externally driven legal/regulatory, market, and ethical issues impact upon the formulation and implementation of talent resourcing and development strategies.
The aims of this module are to introduce students to the theory and practice of marketing in a globally competitive environment. In addition to this the module will help students to build an understanding of the management capabilities needed in the international and global marketing decision making process and provide them with the opportunity to explore in depth the conceptual frameworks which influence international & global marketing. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to apply the analytical and business skills built in previous modules to the international and global marketing decision making process.
This module explores how cultural diversity and cross-cultural management issues impact upon a variety of business contexts in international management. The module enables students to develop a critical appreciation of the impact of cultural diversity on business practices, the complexities of managing multicultural teams and the various challenges faced by organisations and their leaders when operating in international business environments.
The aims of this module are to introduce students to the theory and practice of marketing in a globally competitive environment. In addition to this the module will help students to build an understanding of the management capabilities needed in the international and global marketing decision making process and provide them with the opportunity to explore in depth the conceptual frameworks which influence international & global marketing. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to apply the analytical and business skills built in previous modules to the international and global marketing decision making process.
The aim of this module is to explore the principles that underpin the law of contract and torts through the study of doctrines and rules, purposes, and functions to promote critical understanding of the connections between contract and torts in a business context.
The module aims to provide a broad understanding of the role of law and its impact on business in protecting consumers through policies, principles and statutory regulation at domestic and European levels. Whilst the focus will be on acquisition and evaluation of substantive legal framework, learning, teaching and assessment strategies will emphasise development of ethical, digital, global and entrepreneurial skills and attributes.
The aim of this module is to explore the nature of the duties, responsibilities, rights and obligations that exist in a typical employment relationship through detailed study of the UK statutory and common law framework as well as good practice promoted by international, regional and governmental policy and professional bodies. Whilst the focus will be on acquisition and evaluation of substantive legal framework, learning, teaching and assessment strategies will emphasise development of ethical, digital, global and entrepreneurial skills and attributes
This module aims to allow exploration of concepts and issues in modern global business communication from mass and interpersonal communication perspective. It will develop student knowledge and appreciation of the social nature of intercultural and cross cultural communication through the study of computer mediated communication, visual, verbal and non-verbal communication in business environments.
The aims of this module are to introduce students to the theory and practice of marketing in a globally competitive environment. In addition to this the module will help students to build an understanding of the management capabilities needed in the international and global marketing decision making process and provide them with the opportunity to explore in depth the conceptual frameworks which influence international & global marketing. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to apply the analytical and business skills built in previous modules to the international and global marketing decision making process.
This module critically addresses the multiple factors that contribute to successful branding decisions: brand management (strategic, operational and tactical considerations) and more innovative approach (identity and symbolism) that incorporates a cultural perspective on the importance of brands.
Student are provided with the ability to critically analyse the attributes of branding and to strategically manage a brand in the marketplace. Emphasis will be placed on how to evaluate and analyse ‘brand equity’ and why brand communications is critical for the manufacturer, retailer and consumer.
If a student changes pathway at level 6 to a new pathway AND choses to study DISSERTATION, the subject of the research project MUST be linked to their pathway subject to be able to count towards the pathway credits.
This module introduces the student to the fundamental principles of Ethical Supply Chain Management within a business context. It aims to enable the study of ethical and sustainable practices within supply chains, focusing on their management and the changing context in the global environment within which they operate.
The aim of this module is to equip students with the knowledge and understanding of sustainable business issues, enabling them to guide, lead and promote sustainability in their future workplace. In this era of serious and potentially catastrophic global environmental change, inducing pro-environmental behaviours in organisations is high on the agenda for strategic leadership.
The module aims to develop students’ understanding of sustainability policies and practices in organisations and to be able to generate, implement, lead and evaluate change within business using a range of models and theories to support the process.
The module will look at the development of new technology and the entrepreneurial application of existing technology for new purposes to solve global and local sustainability problems.
This module is intended to develop the students’ ability to manage a major research project using analytical and creative skills to study and present a significant topic of personal interest to them but guided by a tutor. The module offers the opportunity to pursue individual interests and specialism within the context of structured, academic and vocationally relevant research.
Marketing practitioners are often called upon to act either in-company or as external consultants to research and analyse markets in order to identify and evaluate new market opportunities or resolve a marketing issue.
This module offers an opportunity to work independently on a major project which simulates such real-life marketing activities and the application of marketing theory to practice. In doing so it offers opportunities to apply a range of project planning and research skills, analysis, judgement and creativity, as well as to utilise higher cognitive skills in order to iroduce and justify either a detailed marketing plan. It also provides opportunities to communicate major issues facing the organisation in successfully implementing the plan through a presentation.
NB: when feasible, this module may be carried out as a “live” project on behalf of a client organisation
This module actively challenges the student to embrace the principles, methods and challenges of launching a new enterprise in the 21st Century. The module’s central focus is the submission of a cohesive, robust and accurate project that will be evaluated both practically and academically.
The project itself will incorporate dimensions from every element of the business paradigm as well as incorporating a detailed research undertaking, an essential for any graduate.
Admission Criteria
Age Requirement
At least 18 years old
Academic Requirement
Applicants should normally attain GCE ‘A’ Level 3 passes, and a GCE O Level pass in English Language (at least grade C) or equivalent qualification.
Exceptional Entry
Candidates who do not possess normal minimum entry qualifications are considered on an individual basis by the University.
Admission with Credit (Advanced Standing)
Students with an appropriate HND/C in the relevant discipline or equivalent can transfer directly onto the degree; other students wishing to enter the course may apply on the basis of RPL and RPEL for admission with Credit.
Such claims must conform to CARDIFF MET regulations for advanced standing and applicants must submit a portfolio of evidence. This will be accessed by the programme team and a report sent for confirmation to the School. The details required in this portfolio will depend upon the nature of the credit being claimed.
English Entry Requirement
Students whose first language is other than English will need to provide evidence of fluency to at least an IELTS 6.0 standard, or the equivalent.
Key Facts
Course Length:
36 Months (Full-Time)
Minimum Class Enrollment Requirements:
MBA: 15 students
MSc: 8 students
Degree: 8 students
Higher Diploma: 6 students
Diploma: 6 students
English Courses: 6 students
Please note that classes will only commence once the minimum enrollment requirement for each programme is met.
Support for students and their learning:
- All students studying in Beacon benefit from the team of dedicated tutors who provide a point of personal and regular contact for students
- An induction programme both for first year students and direct entry year two or three students
- Student handbook, programme handbook and individual module handbooks
- Module content and materials via Moodle Virtual Learning Environment
- Library and study skills packages
- Library and learning resources of both Cardiff Metropolitan University and Beacon
- 24 hour wifi, and online library services
- Unlimited worldwide web access
- Access to student services including those offered by careers, welfare and counselling.
Teacher-Student Ratio
Students may refer to the here for more information.
About Cardiff Metropolitan University
- Awarded ‘UK and Ireland University of the Year 2021’ (Times Higher Education, 2021)
- Awarded ‘Welsh University of the Year 2021’ (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2020)
- Ranked a Top Three university in Wales (StudentCrowd’s Best Universities in Wales 2024)
- Ranked the best university in UK for sustainability in People and Planet’s Green League 2022/23 (People & Planet, 2022)
- 95.6% of CMET graduates employed or in further study 15 months after graduation. (Graduate Outcomes 19/20)
- Cardiff Met is the best university in Wales for graduate employability, and ranked the 16th best university in the UK for graduate employability. (Cardiff Met, 2022)
- Ranked 10th university in the Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism subject in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2023)
- 85% of CMET students are satisfied with the quality of the course (National Student Survey 2019)
- Cardiff Met produced world-leading research across its entire submission, with nearly two thirds of research outputs found to be Internationally Excellent or World Leading. (Cardiff Met, 2022) (REF, 2021)
Find out more about Cardiff Metropolitan University: https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk
