BA (Hons) Business

Our course offers a fantastic way to kick-start your career, increasing your value as an employee in your chosen field, and can also open the door to postgraduate study.

What can you do with a business degree?

Real experience every step of the way

As well as expert-led teaching, all undergraduate modules within Plymouth Business School have integrated CV building activity, for example, through micro-credentialing, problem-based learning, or embedded direct employer activity.

We have ensured every module contains a real world problem-based exercise. We have reached out to employers directly to involve real business in our assessments. You will experience real world employee engagement every month.

We know this is key to student academic and graduate success.

Careers service

The University of Plymouth has a dedicated careers service supporting you from the moment you start your degree, to three years after graduation.

Careers advice is embedded into your academic programme through workshops, events, placements, networks - working with the academic staff teaching on your course. We also offer materials, networks and resources online through our 24/7 portal, and a wide-range of activities, opportunities and support centrally in the Careers Service space within the Student Hub.

• Study this course over two years (Level 5 and 6) or one year (Level 6 only). Providing a route for students from a range of business foundation degrees (and equivalent) to top up to Honours. The two year programme offers students the opportunity to undertake a placement between their first and second year.  

• Our innovative one or two year course embraces a broad spectrum of industry relevant modules and is especially attractive to students who wish to build a career in business. We aim to provide students with the ability to exercise personal responsibility and decision-making in the competitive world of business.
  

• Develop an appreciation of the dynamic marketplace in which businesses operate and the implications of this for business decisions and organisational culture. 

• All undergraduate modules within Plymouth Business School have integrated within them a CV building activity, for example, through micro-credentialing; real world problem-based learning; or embedded direct employer activity. 

• Benefit from academic staff with strong relevant industrial and academic experience and tutors who not only provide excellent teaching but also great pastoral care.
  

• Year 1

• This course offers a wide-ranging business core in Level 5 where you can focus on international trade or supply chains, through your choice module which also includes communications for non-native speakers. Level 5 entrants can undertake an optional placement year between Levels 5 and 6. Level 6 involves the study of specialist areas – HRM, managing change, enterprise, innovation and creativity, and digital marketing or experiential practice. A common Level 5 core with BA (Hons) International Business Management enables you to switch courses before the start of Level 6.

  Students may take either Level 5 plus Level 6 consecutively or Level 6 only, depending on entry qualifications.

  Level 5

  Zero credit modules

  • PBS500CPD Careers and Professional Development (zero credit): This module is aimed at enhancing student employability and supporting those wishing to apply for placements.

  Core modules

  • The Effective Manager: People and Marketing (HRL5007)

    Effective managers are vital to the success of organisations. This module will introduce some of the key areas of management practice, exploring the effective management of people and marketing activities in organisations and the role played by the line manager in both. It also explores skills and competencies required for effective management practice, as well as helping students to plan, manage and evaluate their own independent learning, and to communicate effectively in professional and academic contexts.

  • Careers and Professional Development (PBS500CPD)

    This module is aimed at enhancing students employability skills and knowledge especially those who will be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their degree. It is designed to build on skills learned in Stage 1 and helps students in their search for a placement, and in their preparation for the placement itself.

  • International and Digital Business and Accounting (STO5003)

    This module examines International and Digital Business and Accounting; you will study aspects of each. For International Business focuses on globalisation/deglobalisation and linked financial aspects such as trade and cultural issues. For Digital Business you will examine key topics including Cultural, Privacy and Security Issues, and e-supply chains, Industry 4.0, Business Readiness, Big data and Digital Business. For accounting largely the key financial statements and their interpretation and introductory management accounting.

  • Challenge Module (HRL5008)

    Through this module you can select from a choice of topics related to the big challenges business and society are facing today. These might be drawn from the UN Sustainable Development Goals or a country's industrial strategy.

  Optional modules

  • International Trade and International Finance (ECN5006)

    This module explores the economic and financial implications of globalisation by examining contemporary topics in international trade and international financial markets. It enables the consideration the impact of the contemporary trading and financial system on areas key business decision making.

  • Professional and Academic Communication (ELC205)

    This module develops your level of English in order to operate effectively in a professional and academic context.

  • International Supply Chain Management (MAR5004)

    Through this module, you will acquire a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of international supply chain management and the complexities involved in planning, coordinating and operating various business processes in the management of international supply chains.

• Optional placement year

• Core modules

  • Placement Year (PBS600PLC)

    The placement year consists of an extended period of appropriate professional experience in a business or organisation. It allows the student to gain relevant experience to consolidate their studies and prepare for final stage study and employment after graduation. Students on BA International Business may also or alternatively undertake a study placement at an approved partner institution.

• Year 3

• Level 6

  Zero credit modules

  • PBS600CPD Continued Career and Professional Development (zero credit): This module is aimed at further enhancing student employability and builds upon the Level 5 module.

  Core modules

  • Contemporary HRM (HRL6002)

    In this module, you will focus on exploring the management of human resources in modern organisations operating in complex environments.

  • Managing Change (HRL6004)

    This module considers the importance of change management and how it can be achieved and sustained. You will examine how change affects organisations and the individuals who work within them. You will go on to evaluate the means by which change can be analysed and implemented, considering the interactions between strategy, policy, human resources, and the organisational environment.

  • Continued Careers and Professional Development (PBS600CPD)

    The Continued Career and Professional Development module is a development scheme designed to enhance students’ employability and builds on the stage 2 module. The stage 3 module focuses on providing students with information on graduate options and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary for articulating and recording achievement and applying for graduate positions. The module also includes a number of workshops and events designed to develop students’ skills and knowledge, with the purpose of filling gaps in their CV’s and enhancing their employability.

  • Enterprise, Innovation and Creativity (STO6004)

    The module will enable you to use creative processes to develop an innovative and viable business concept and to pitch for resources from potential stakeholders.

  • Strategy and Business Improvement (STO6006)

    This module brings a strategic and problem-focused view to business improvement, techniques and concepts which are key to developing competitive advantage, both in goods and service based industries. Particular consideration is given to strategic analysis, development and implementation, operations strategy, key aspects of operations and business improvement such as process and layout design, capacity and demand management, agility, lean, performance measurement and quality management.

  Optional modules

  • Experiential Practice (HRL6010)

    This module provides you with the opportunity both to reflect upon practical experience as well as develop your capabilities and profile so you are on course for life after graduation.

  • Public Relations in the Digital Era (MKT6008)

    This module seeks to demystify public relations, explain what it is, how it can be used and its relationship with marketing. You will explore both marketing public relations and corporate public relations and examine how marketers can utilise public relations as part of the marketing mix in the digital era.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BA Business top up programme specification

For entry onto the two-year programme applicants should possess a commensurate level 4 business related equivalent to 120 credits of study at Level 4.

For entry into the one-year programme you must have completed a foundation degree or equivalent with a business or management emphasis, equivalent to 120 credits of study at Levels 4 and 5. It is expected that such qualifications will include a significant focus on: marketing, organisational behaviour/people management, accounting/finance, and business environment.

Candidates whose first language is not English require IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each element) or equivalent. English language requirements.

We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary.

Please contact the Admissions Team with any queries.