UDBMAHRM - BA (Hons) Business Management and Human Resource Management

The course BA (Hons) in Business Management and Human Resource Management (HRM) is designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic and interconnected fields of Business Management and HRM. The rationale for this course is rooted in the need to develop professionals who can navigate the complexities of modern business environments. The course, therefore, aims to provide students with a deep understanding of theories and their practical applications, preparing students to tackle the contemporary opportunities and challenges of the business world. Strategic alignment of people and process is the key underlining principle of the course, an unmissable link to success and that makes the course distinctive. BA (Hons) Business Management and Human Resource Management are pursuing Level 5 accreditation with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), enabling students to apply for Associate Membership of the CIPD.

The course structure is aligned with the University’s overarching approach to teaching, learning, and assessment, articulating to Student Success Strategy. It also embeds the principles of the Education for Social Justice Framework, ensuring an inclusive, fair, equitable, and values-driven learning experience. The course is composed of fundamentals of business management with specialised HRM knowledge, relevant sets of transferrable skills, networking and working related experiences. It is aiming to transforming lives through education with an emphasis on social justice and inclusivity in education (ESJF), ensuring fair outcomes for students fostering progressive pedagogical practices. The modular structure of the course, delivered over 12 weeks across three levels of study, ensures a balanced and comprehensive education. At Level 4, students are introduced to broad business management principles and core functional modules. Levels 5 and 6 offer a balanced mix of business management and HRM modules, with choice option modules which allow students to develop analytical and critical skills in the career path of their interest and passion.

Teaching methods include on campus lectures, seminars, and online virtual learning platform, Weblearn, supporting the faculty's blended learning strategy. The course adopts a student-centred learning approach, which requires synthesis and analysis of key issues generated through their own research. Lectures and seminars are designed to convey broad principles, concepts and knowledge, as well as offering students the opportunity to analyse and apply knowledge through field work, business simulations, and through case studies and business management scenarios. The approach to teaching and learning on the course helps students to develop an inquisitive, analytical, and independent but supported level of scholarship in which they are able to set personal goals and targets beyond those prescribed by their tutors. Experiential learning is fostered. Students are encouraged to learn from their own current or previous experiences of work, as well as those from their peers. The course also utilises industry expertise through the inclusion of business problems, current employers, alumni talk and visiting professionals. Students’ capabilities are assessed through a variety of methods such as problem-based exercises, presentations, teamwork, business reports, analysing case studies and presenting critical arguments through in-class and/or online activities. Students on the course are encouraged to engage meaningfully with reflective personal development planning (PDP) throughout the curriculum to enhance the competence by continuous review and skills development.

The degree has a central theme of employability, aiming to provide students with the confidence by having relevant knowledge and transferrable skills required for their chosen careers. Students can acquire business experience in their second and final year through work-related modules, which are designed flexibly to allow students to acquire a diverse range of business experience and give them crucial skills relevant for their future careers. This aspect of the course underpins the importance of the employability agenda and demonstrates a deep commitment to the professional development of students.

In summary, the BA (Hons) in Business Management and Human Resource Management is designed to provide students with the relevant subject knowledge, specific practitioner-oriented skills development for BM professionals and HR professionals with practical experience needed to succeed in the modern global business world. It emphasises on employability, professional development and in providing understanding of strategic view subject that accommodates the needs of students, industry, sector and meeting the requirements of the professional bodies.

The course has been designed with reference to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education subject statement benchmark for Business and Management (2019). The main aim of the course is to deliver a contemporary and dynamic programme of study which provides students with the knowledge and skills inherent in the subject to prepare them for a career in business and Human Resource management by increasing their coherent understanding of organisations, contemporary business environment and their effective strategic management. It is;

• To enable students to explore and examine key concepts, principles and techniques that make businesses successful and efficient and to link the multi-disciplinary subjects of business management and HR coherently in the context of the new global business world.
• To develop students’ knowledge of the decision-making process, as well as the social, cultural, legal, economical, technological and ethical environments in which businesses operate. Students are provided with opportunities to engage with current themes including sustainability, leadership, globalisation, entrepreneurship, innovation and corporate social responsibility.
• To develop students’ academic, intellectual and practical skills and promote the development of their ability to critically analyse, synthesise, and evaluate business management principles in a wide range of contexts. A central feature of this course is the development of students’ lifelong learning skills, including self-evaluation and reflection with the aim of placing students in the best position to make informed decisions about their future professional careers.

The course has been developed in conjunction with the needs of two leading industry and professional bodies. The core modules on the course at Level 5 are designed with a focus on meeting the requirements for CIPD accreditation, which would offer students access to Associate Membership of the CIPD, a highly valued stepping stone for HR professionals. The course meets the requirements for the CMI Level 6 Diploma in Management and Leadership, which aims to help students develop personal management capabilities, make effective use of information in decision-making, operations and in the management of people.

The degree is organised across three levels with specific aims, as follows:

Level 4 provides a solid foundation by underpinning core principles, practices and approaches of business and management. It also aims to develop students’ fundamental awareness of their skills in business, work and entrepreneurship, guiding them to employability skill attributes (ESA).

Level 5 deepens student’s specialist knowledge of HRM as well as developing broader business strengths in strategy, leadership and decision-making. The aim here is also to develop key intellectual skills such as analytical and problem-solving competences required to solve issues or make strategic business decisions. The course aims at this level to:
• Develop in students a sound understanding of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by Business and HR professionals whether in a specialist or a generalist role.
• Enhance students’ awareness of current issues and strategic developments in HRM, taking account of the nature and significance of national and international contexts.
• Enable students to design their own research and entrepreneurship on an HR-related and or business issues.
• Develop students’ skills in interpersonal relationships and facilitate self-reflection and ongoing continuing professional development necessary for career development and progression (ESA).
• Provide an opportunity for students to engage in a range of events or networking in business of HR specialisms issues.

Level 6 aims to utilise the skills and knowledge gained at previous levels critically, to promote independent learning and challenge students intellectually through an individual consultancy project or a dissertation. Students studying at this level see the broader implications of the theories studied, how they apply in practice specifically and refine their personal development planning activities, applying for jobs and refining their recruitment skills such as CV, professional profiles, interviews (ESA).

The course will equip students with the knowledge, skills and attributes that will enable them to compete with success in the complex and challenging business environment and employment market. It brings together University and School distinctiveness, and, as it is of inherently multidisciplinary refers to ‘The QAA statement for Business and Management (2023)’; where subjects require the achievement in consistent demonstration of a breadth, depth, integration and application of knowledge and understanding of subject-specific learning of intellectual skills, and personal and interpersonal skills, having the capacity to deal with uncertainty and complexity by evaluation, reflection, creativity and originality. In addition, the learning outcomes are informed by the professional body - CIPD.

The University learning outcome that cuts across the entirety of the London Metropolitan University provision, and thus: on completion of this course, students will be able to: demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible professionals in their discipline (UL0)
More specifically: upon graduating with an honour's degree in Business Management and HRM, students will typically (LOs):
1. Have the confidence needed to take business leadership decisions in challenging situations (LO1).
2. Possess the necessary communication and critical skills that will help them adopt a global and multicultural perspective in their professional context (LO2).
3. Be cognisant of the effects of the business environment (PESTEL) on their entrepreneurial decisions and will remain active, inclusive professional citizens of the places they live and work (LO3).
4. Demonstrate application of creative thinking to critical problem-solving skills of practical problems, and possess the analytical and organisational skills to translate creative ideas to operational solutions (LO4)
5. Have a wide knowledge and understanding of the broad range of areas of business and the detailed relationships between these and their application in practice, through awareness of HRM within local, national and global contexts and the place of HRM in the wider context of business processes and functions (LO5).
6. Consistently demonstrate a command of subject-specific knowledge, skills as well as proficiency in generic transferrable employability skills and attributes (LO6).
7. Have a view of contemporary business management and HRM influenced by a wide range of learning sources, good industry practice, based on a proactive and independent approach to learning (LO7).
8. Be distinguished from the basic standard (threshold) of achievement by their enhanced capacity to develop and apply their own perspectives to their studies, to deal with uncertainty and complexity, to explore alternative solutions, to demonstrate critical evaluation and to integrate theory and practice in a wide range of situations (LO8).
9. Acquire a critical understanding of and the ability to utilize technologies, data, and artificial intelligence to enhance organizational efficiency (LO9).
10. Drive competitive advantage being a global business citizen, applying ethical principles, cultural awareness, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (LO10)

Across the course, learning outcomes are delivered primarily through 15-credit, supported by independent and guided learning. The learning outcomes are not intended to be so prescriptive but strives for continuous improvement from its design, delivery to outcomes, keeping innovation, diversity and adaptability at its center.

The QAA Benchmark statement for Business and Management March 2023

The BA (Hons) Business Management with HRM offers both formative and summative assessment that take a variety of formats including, coursework, portfolios, blogs, essays, exams, group presentations, business reports, problem-based activities, practice-based projects, group research projects, videos, computer-based tests, business simulations and a final dissertation or consultancy project.

These types of authentic assessments reflect real industry practice helping to develop practical skills and confidence by working on tasks similar to those graduates will face in their careers. They make learning feel relevant and prepare students for the expectations of employers.

Feedback is provided on both formative and summative in keeping with the university guidelines. Students are encouraged to engage in a dialogue through feed-forward activities with staff on assessments. The aim is to encourage engagement, support & constructive guidance from academic staff. This is also to facilitate and to ensure that assessment have an effective, fair and inclusive developmental impact on students’ learning, development and overall experience.

The university operates a marking and moderation process that are both rigorous, fair and transparent to quality assure that:
• Student work is assessed on a fair basis
• Students are provided with supportive and appropriate feedback on time and ongoing basis.
• Academic standards in relation to student work and final awards are maintained

Where possible work will be marked anonymously. Assessment work will be internally and externally moderated in accordance with the University’s marking and moderation policies and regulations as applicable.

In addition, the course incorporates core employability modules, to provide work-based learning opportunities at Levels 5 and 6. These modules are designed to enable students to gain business experience in the widest possible sense. They are flexible in delivery and will enable students to capture and build on their existing work and other experience.

At Level 5, students can choose from three alternative core 15-credit work-based learning modules:

• MN5W55 Learning Through Work - For those looking to gain experience from undertaking and reflecting on work-based projects related to your career interest.
• MN5W50 Creating a Winning Business - Ideal for those seeking to understand how entrepreneurial knowledge can benefit those seeking employment or for those interested in how to be self-employed. Includes a short work-based project
• WL5W50 Empowering London: Working within the Community - For students interested in how societal issues affect London, including gaining work experience supporting a charity or community organisations.

The course also has an optional 12-month professional work placement post completion of Level 5. This sandwich placement module is undertaken as an additional 30 credits between Levels 5 and 6 and is for 12 months extending students' undergraduate course programme to four years.

There are no specified part-time structures for this course. Students on a part-time mode of study are required to take between 30 and 90 credits per academic year to complete the degree programme within the maximum time length allowed (6 years for a three-year course).

Programme planning is, therefore, agreed between the student and course team, in accordance with regulations on progression and completion.

Course shall conform to both framework and University Academic Regulations.

As part of our Undergraduate Student Promise, every student will benefit from accredited work-related learning (in either the form of a work placement or ‘live’ project with a partner organisation or practical small business planning) as a core, compulsory element within the study programme.

Standard University Academic Regulations apply.

Reflective learning and PDP are embedded throughout the curriculum commencing at Level 4. It is an essential element to the students’ academic and career development. It is scaffolded and linked to assessment throughout the curriculum as a formal element of skills development in formative feedback of several modules. Students’ experiential learning is encouraged throughout, and action learning sets are a feature at levels five and six, which promote reflective and ‘Peer to Peer’ learning. All modules have formative and summative assessment requiring varying degrees of critical self- evaluation and reflection in the context of business management professional practice.

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The course integrates numerous activities and initiatives focused on business management and HRM careers and employability development, including events like inspirational success stories, industry expert talks, and interactive alumni sessions throughout the academic year. Students can engage participating in workshops designed to foster networking and address specific self-development challenges. Also internally, students are guided and supported by representatives from London Metropolitan’s business incubator, the Student Enterprise Service (former Accelerator), as well as the Work-Based Learning and Career teams, promoting in the development of employability skills, career prospects, and essential attributes (ESA).

Employability and workplace competencies are embedded in the curriculum across the levels from the beginning such as Level 4, where students are made aware of its scope and knowing their skills levels and passion. At Level 5, students undertake a Work-Based Learning module, which includes opportunities for short work placements. Reflective PDP practices are integrated key element of authentic assessments of the course. The Graduate Success Team collaborates closely with modules, offering level-specific employability support and workshops to help students refine essential skills such as building their living CV, crafting effective cover letters, submitting job applications, and excelling in interviews.

The course has a considerable tangible Alumni network and is visible on online platforms such as LinkedIn. Students have the opportunity to interact and work with graduates and practitioners and to be mentored by them.

For those continuing their academic journey, the Guildhall School of Business and Law provides a variety of industry-linked postgraduate programs available on both full-time and part-time schedules, in business management, tourism and events, marketing and fashion, law, human resources, and finance as below;
• International Business Management - MSc
• International Business Management with Project Management - MSc
• International Trade and Finance - MSc
• Marketing - MA
• Human Resource Management – MA

This course is designed to help you develop skills so that you can thrive in management roles, with the added bonus of HRM expertise.

Our business and management graduates have gone on to careers as area managers, assistant management accountants, business, merger and acquisition analysts and directors at organisations such as Amazon, Office Holdings, E Movement and WizzAir.

Continuing your studies with us

The Guildhall School of Business and Law has a range of industry-linked postgraduate courses available on a full-time and part-time basis in business management, tourism and events, marketing and fashion, law, human resources and finance. These courses would be ideal for postgraduate progression:

• International Business Management - MSc
• International Business Management with Project Management - MSc
• Marketing - MA
• Human Resource Management - MA

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• a minimum of grades CCC in three A levels (or a minimum of 96 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification)
• English Language and Mathematics GCSE at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent)

These requirements may vary in individual cases.

If you don't have traditional qualifications or can't meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing our Business Management CertHE course.