UDINBUST - BSc International Business Management (Top-Up)

This course was created alongside the Business Management area in which it grounds much of its foundation. Designed in conjunction with leading industrialists, it recognises the importance of today’s international business community which demands graduates with sound business skills and knowledge, appreciation of cultural differences, and comprehension of the variety in governance regulation, legislation and practice. These are the rudimentary necessities for graduates to operate effectively and confidently within multinational organisations.
To equip students with this requirement this course builds on previous learning and helps students to develop an understanding of the global business environment through the study of the broad disciplines of Business Management. Integral to this course is the development of decision-making skills from the operational to the international strategic levels.
Transferable skills necessary for a career in international business management are developed through engagement with real life and virtual business issues, enabling the study of key aspects of management and leadership. Additionally, due to the nature of the course, the learning environment mirrors that of an international organisation where students are encouraged to learn with and from each other about their different backgrounds, cultures and perspectives. This diversity is highly regarded by many alumni.

The importance of today’s international business community is creating a demand for graduates with sound business skills and the ability to operate effectively within multinational organisations.
With this in mind, this one-year ‘top-up’ course has therefore been designed specifically for students who have completed the first two years of a university degree in business management or equivalent qualification from international universities or colleges of Higher Education. Students who seek to develop their career in international management may progress on to this course by using their existing background in business management education as foundation. Credit for demonstrated previous learning and/or relevant experience may be given to enable direct entry to the course.

The central aim of this course is to build upon the students’ existing knowledge of business and provide a general business education with a special focus on the international dimension of business activity. The core modules provide students with advanced theoretical and practical knowledge and skills necessary to operate in the global business environment and, beyond the remit of this course, to develop a true global awareness of the realities faced by the international business manager. The range of option modules intends to reflect the diversity of international business management and to accommodate the wider learning background experiences of non-UK students.

For students taking the award, the aims are to:

• Offer a course relevant to a career in business management in its widest sense that provides opportunities to explore the international dimension of business activities and organisations.
• Develop the intellectual and practical skills in the analysis of business information relevant to business strategy and analysis in a variety of international contexts.
• Develop knowledge of the ethical aspects of international business and the ways in which these issues are addressed practically.
• Develop a set of skills that enable students to apply a critical approach to their own style of management and leadership.

The course learning outcomes are formulated with reference to the relevant knowledge and understanding set out in the QAA General Business and Management benchmarks. They relate in general to organisations, the environment and management and in particular to markets, customers, finance, people, operations, information systems, communication and information technology and business policy & strategy. Contemporary and pervasive issues are also central including sustainability, globalisation, corporate social responsibility, diversity, business innovation, creativity, enterprise development, knowledge management and risk management.
The student is expected to:
1. Acquire an understanding of the factors affecting multinational business and how technological change, structural change, cultural and historical background influence the shape of these businesses
2. Be aware of the social, political and ethical dimensions within which international businesses operate
3. Be aware of developments in the analysis of business organisation, structure and strategy
By the end of the course, the student is expected to develop:
1. The ability to carry out independent, scholarly research and investigation within the field of international business management
2. High-level intellectual skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of concepts, ideas and theories within the disciplines of business organisation and management
3. Self-awareness, problem solving, working with others, communication, self- management, leadership and decision making skills

Upon completing the course successfully the graduate in International Business Management will therefore be expected to have developed generic as well as specific competencies and skills along four strands –
Knowledge and understanding:
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a wide range of theories and conceptual frameworks from several disciplines relevant to international business management
• Acquire knowledge and understanding of general international business management related areas of study as well as the more specialised areas of international business management including entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, sustainability, knowledge management and risk management
• Explain how management procedures and processes allow for effective decision-making against different objectives
• Appreciate and discuss the impact of the international environment on these organisations, including economic, ethical, legal, political, sociological and technological influences
• Understand and consider how the functional areas of business integrate to allow for appropriate decision-making
• Develop an ability to recognise complex international business and related social, political and ethical issues and to formulate a clear and coherent research plan
• Cultivate an appreciation of recent developments in International Business and Management and of the wider context of international business management in general, including issues of cultural diversity
Cognitive intellectual skills that can be applied in the pursuit of a wide range of occupations relating to international business management, or alternatively, post graduate education; these skills are reflected in the student’s ability to:
• Apply intellectual skills and critical faculties with particular emphasis on the development of the skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of concepts, ideas and theories that characterise the management of international business
• Develop self-awareness and a range of study skills, problem solving, working with others, communication, self-management and decision-making which will enhance opportunities for future employment
• Develop intellectual discussion in the international business management related core disciplines and an awareness of the academic debates and approach to business related disciplines
• Initiate and carry out independent and scholarly research and investigation, specifically to develop the ability to review critically relevant literature, retrieve data, to interpret and apply complex information
• Develop a capacity for critical reflection and judgement in the light of evidence and argument about international business management issues
• Apply the skills of seeking, handling and interpreting business information as part of the process of addressing business problems and formulating new or alternative solutions through independent research, taking into account ethical considerations and cultural diversity
Transferable skills, including employability and professional practice, reflected in the student’s ability to:
• Develop personal skills including skills in study, problem-solving, working with others, independent learning, communication, self-management, self-presentation and decision-making
• Interpret and critically analyse business problems in order to produce solutions demonstrating awareness of ethical considerations and cultural diversity
• Demonstrate an ability to assess their own progress, identify and formulate issues on which assistance is needed and to act on feedback given
• Demonstrate development of their personal and professional attributes within the context of qualities and transferable skills necessary for career and personal development, lifelong learning and employment, including information management, autonomy, self-evaluation and communication
• Show an ability to produce an updated personal development plan which reflects on progress and achievement and posits some future directions
Subject-specific practical skills, reflected in the student’s ability to:
• Acquire appropriate information and knowledge from a variety of sources; specifically, to use IT to access sources of information and to work with discipline-based software programmes
• Conduct general business analysis using a variety of statistical and theoretical tools
• Be a competent communicator of complex ideas and analysis through written and oral expositions
• Design, plan, organise and deliver an individual research report
• Apply knowledge critically to comment upon and evaluate real business world facts
• Search, handle and interpret statistical information relevant in the analysis of the operations of modern business organisations – with emphasis on the international dimension of contemporary business operations

General benchmarks for Business Management apply to this course

Student learning is organised around direct contact time with the teaching team and directed learning activities. In addition to formal learning activities, such as tutor-led interactive sessions, lectures or tutor-facilitated workshops. Students are expected to complement this with reading additional materials as directed, such as academic journal articles, press material and text books. A range of learning materials will be available via the University’s current Virtual Learning Environment (VLE – BlackBoard/WebLearn).

In relation to the course’s learning outcomes, the student is expected to:
1. Acquire an understanding of the factors affecting multinational business and how technological change, structural change, cultural and historical background influence the shape of these businesses
2. Be aware of the social, political and ethical dimensions within which international businesses operate
3. Be aware of developments in the analysis of business organisation, structure and strategy

By the end of the course, the student is expected to have developed:
1. The ability to carry out independent, scholarly research and investigation within the field of international business management – developed through lectures, seminars and tutorial workshops. In particular, seminars will focus on problem-solving activities based on case studies. At Honours level, drawing upon their own research, students will carry out a piece of independent work
2. Self-awareness, problem solving, working with others, communication, self- management, leadership and decision making skills
3. High-level intellectual skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of concepts, ideas and theories within the disciplines of business organisation and management – these transferable skills can be applied in the pursuit of a wide range of occupations relating to international business management, or alternatively, post-graduate education

Transferable skills that were introduced and initially developed through previous study levels are further developed at Honours level. The study of international business management, its problem-solution processes and decision-making issues means that the core skills of communication, numeracy, information technology, self-management, interpersonal skills and the conduct of research are present in all of the core modules on the course. Critical thinking here culminates in the Management Investigations and Dissertation module. The emphasis on developing employability and professional practice skills throughout the course will enable students to record achievement and evidence of personal development planning (PDP) in their progress files.

The Placements and Employability Unit (PEU) provides assistance to obtain a variety of placements that are tailored to students’ needs and/or circumstances. Its service is targeted to support students before, during and after their placement. Placement preparation workshops or one-to-one interviews run during the year prior to the placement to provide advice and support on aspects such as CVs, job applications, interview technique and job search strategies. Individual support is provided during the placement, complementing the role of academic placement supervisors, and reflection and debriefing workshops are organised in the year following placement.

Currently it is possible to undertake work placements or internships worth 15 credits during or outside term-time, for a minimum of 5 weeks (or the equivalent of this, part-time). Two modules are offered: ‘Learning Through Work’, which focuses on the learning experience in an employee position, and ‘Work-Related Development’ which applies to a learning experience in the voluntary sector or university activities such as mentoring, student ambassadors and so forth.

The course conforms to the framework and University Academic Regulations.
Permission shall be sought when necessary to vary the optional module list to suit particular arrangements with partner universities whose students may be seeking dual awards and require special programme planning.

Level 6 Core Modules – BSc (Hons) International Business Management TOP-UP 120 credits
Accredited advances standing, i.e. Levels 4 and 5 modules PLUS:
Management Investigations and Dissertation (30 credits)
Strategy: Choices and Change (30 credits)
Business without Borders (15 credits)
Organising and Managing across Cultures (15 credits)
Plus: optional modules

A key aim is to prepare students for a career in international business management and to enhance life-long learning skills. These skills are a fundamental part of the curriculum and are developed within each module. In particular, students will get the opportunity to engage with employers through a variety of mechanisms in core modules, including curricular and co-curricular activities taking place throughout the course. Integral to this course is the development of decision-making skills from the operational to the international strategic levels. Transferable skills that are necessary for a career in international business management are developed through engagement with real life business issues in role plays, case studies and a variety of assessments, enabling the study of key aspects of management and leadership.
With regard to reflective learning, core modules contain explicit statements concerning the practice and assessment of students’ reflective skills both individually and in groups. Optional modules also assess the student reflective practice through learning journals or logs contributing to personal development planning and career management. In this way, students will be encouraged to develop specific skills increasing their employability prospects by the end of the course.

The Faculty of Business and Law has a large number of international students and supports them by clearly identifying their course leaders and personal academic tutors, and by liaising closely with University services, particularly the International Office and the Student Hub Offices.
For this reason, the Faculty’s designated International Student Co-ordinator has particular responsibility for the recruitment, welcome and induction, communication and support for international students. Additional induction sessions are arranged for overseas students to assist them in making the cultural and academic adjustments to study in the UK and regular meetings are held to obtain feedback. Additional language support is also provided through workshops in the Learning Centre, and peer mentoring helps students with these adjustments.
Furthermore the course offers modules specifically designed to aid student’s employability and career aspirations. The aim of these modules is to raise students’ self-awareness of their strengths and capability, identify their career aspirations and goals and support them on their journey.

Possibility of gaining credits from our partner institutions (especially in Europe).

This course can help you on your way to beginning your management career in multinational organisations, preparing you for entry onto a graduate training scheme. Many of our graduates now work in managerial roles for multinationals such as Zara and Thomson Reuters, and have even become directors of their own companies. For example, Ondrej Mrklas is in charge of the Czech Industry Company and heads up two more companies in China and Singapore with other London Met graduates.

This course is also excellent preparation for further study or research in both universities and specialist institutions.

The course has been designed as a progression route for students who hold a Higher National Diploma (HND), Foundation degree or equivalent in a business subject.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.