UDINBUSM - BSc International Business Management

The focus of this course is managing business in an international environment. The degree course provides a broad, analytical and highly integrated programme for those who wish to study International Business Management. It encompasses the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement which states the purpose of business and management courses as threefold:

increasing understanding of organisations, their management, the economy and the business environment;

preparation for and development of a career in business and management;

enhancement of a wide range of skills and attributes which equip graduates to become effective global citizens.

The focus of this course is international business. The core modules provide students with the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills necessary to operate in the global business environment and to develop an understanding of the realities faced by international business managers. The range of modules reflects the diversity of international business management students and accommodates the wider learning background experiences of non-UK students.

This course is designed to develop students understanding of the purposes, structures, size, scale, governance, operations and management of the functions and processes of international business organisations, as well as the corporate behaviours and cultures that exist within and between different organisations. Students have opportunities to develop their knowledge of management theories, models, frameworks, tasks and roles, including the management of people and corporate social responsibility. They explore the factors that influence business from an international perspective, with an emphasis not only on understanding but also on responding and shaping the dynamic and changing nature of business and the consideration of the future of organisations within the global business environment, including the management of risk.

The course will prepare students to deal with contemporary issues and challenges in the world of business. Business simulations and case studies provide students with opportunities to examine the management of cross-cultural issues, change management and the development of people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Throughout the course students are exposed to social, ethnic, and cultural issues inherent in the student body.

The degree has a central all encapsulating theme of employability with the aim of providing students with transferable knowledge and skills required for their chosen careers, and which reflects the breadth and depth of opportunities for learning, practice, placement and employability.

The course utilises a blended learning approach to teaching and learning through a mixture of interactive workshops, lectures including virtual lectures, seminars and a wide range of multimedia. Students are provided with opportunities to analyse and discuss core principles and concepts and obtain peer and formative feedback. The course adopts a student centred learning approach, which requires synthesis and critical analysis of key issues generated through their own research. Workshops, 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, and through case studies and business management scenarios.

The aims of the BSc (Hons) International Business Management course are informed by the QAA Business and Management Subject statement and include:

1. increase understanding of organisations, their management, the economy and the business environment;

2. develop students skills and attributes which equip them to become effective global citizens;

3. provide a contemporary and dynamic programme of study which provides students with an understanding of the knowledge and skills pertaining to the disciplines inherent in the subject and prepare them for a wide range of careers in international business management;

4. enable students to explore and examine key concepts and principles and link the multi-disciplinary subjects of international business management coherently and in the context of the global business world. The course is designed to engage students fully in their studies; increase their motivation and raise their aspirations to be successful not only in their course but throughout their careers.

5. provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the world of business, as well as the techniques, concepts and principles that make businesses successful and efficient.

6. develop student’s knowledge of the decision-making process, as well as the social, cultural and ethical environment in which businesses operate. Students are provided with opportunities to engage with leading edge themes of business management including sustainability, leadership, globalisation, entrepreneurship, innovation and corporate social responsibility.

7. 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 appropriate 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 career.

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

Level 4 aims to provide the underpinning theoretical principles and approaches inherent in the disciplines of international business management, and it develops students’ critical, analytical, and self-reflection skills.

Level 5 deepens the student’s knowledge in each of the main subjects, such as managing, leading, marketing and decision-making. The aim here is also to develop their intellectual skills such as understanding and problem solving and to promote their ability to analyse, synthesise and critically evaluate business decisions.

Level 6 aims to utilise the skills and knowledge gained at previous levels and challenge students intellectually and promote independent learning through an individual dissertation.

In addition BSc (Hons) International Business Management students are offered the opportunity to undertake a work placement year prior to completing their final year of study (see point 19 below).

The learning outcomes are:

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

LO1: Organisations: demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of organisational design and development, including the internal aspects, functions and processes of organisations encompassing their diverse nature, purposes, structures, size/scale, governance, operations and management, together with the individual and corporate behaviours and cultures which exist within and between different organisations and their influence upon the external environment.

LO2: The business environment: critically analyse the business environment including the economic, environmental, cultural, ethical, legal and regulatory, political, sociological, digital and technological factors, together with their effects at local, national and global levels on the strategy, behaviour, management and sustainability of organisations.

LO3: Management: illustrate sound understanding and knowledge of the various processes, procedures and practices for effective management of organisations, including theoretical models, frameworks, tasks and roles of management, including the management of people and corporate social responsibility, together with rational analysis and other processes of decision making within different organisations. Analyse contemporary business management issues and formulate solutions to identified problems in a clear and coherent research plan.

LO4: People Management: demonstrate a wide range of people management skills and ability including communicating, team building, leadership, motivating, planning and performance managing others, as well as the development of people and organisations including the implications of the legal context.

Within the framework of (LO1) organisations, (LO2) business environment and (LO3) management (above) graduates should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

Markets: the development, access and operation of markets for resources, goods and services.
Marketing and sales: different approaches for segmentation, targeting, positioning generating sales and the need for innovation in product and service design.
Customers: management of customer expectations, relationships and development of service excellence.
Finance: the sources, uses and management of finance and the use of accounting and other information systems for planning, control, decision making and managing financial risk.
Organisational Behaviour: design, development of organisations, including cross-cultural issues, change, diversity and values.
Operations: the management of resources, the supply chain, procurement, logisitics, outsourcing and quality systems.
Information systems and business intelligence: the development, management, application and implementation of information systems and their impact upon organisations.
Communications: the comprehension and use of relevant communications for application in business and management, including the use of digital tools.
Digital Business: the development of strategic priorities to deliver business at speed in an environment where digital technology has reshaped traditional revenue and business models.
Business policy and strategy: the development of appropriate policies and strategies within a changing environment to meet stakeholder interests, and the use of risk management techniques and business continuity planning to help maximise achievement of strategic objectives.
Business innovation and enterprise development: taking innovative business ideas to create new products, services or organisations including the identification of Intellectual Property and appreciation of its value.
Social responsibility: the need for individuals and organisations to manage responsibly and behave ethically in relation to social, cultural, economic and environmental issues

In addition to the above, on successful completion of this course students will be able to

LO5: Demonstrate a wide range of skills relevant to business management, including

Problem solving and critical analysis: analysing facts and circumstances to determine the cause of a problem and identifying and selecting appropriate solutions.

Research: the ability to analyse and evaluate a range of business data, sources of information and appropriate methodologies, which includes the need for strong digital literacy, and to use that research for evidence-based decision-making.

Commercial acumen: based on an awareness of the key drivers for business success, causes of failure and the importance of providing customer satisfaction and building customer loyalty.

Innovation, creativity and enterprise: the ability to act entrepreneurially to generate, develop and communicate ideas, manage and exploit intellectual property, gain support, and deliver successful outcomes.

Numeracy: the use of quantitative skills to manipulate data, evaluate, estimate and model business problems, functions and phenomena.

Networking: an awareness of the interpersonal skills of effective listening, negotiating, persuasion and presentation and their use in generating business contacts.

LO6: Illustrate the acquisition of generic skills and attributes, including:

Ability to work collaboratively both internally and with external customers and an awareness of mutual interdependence.

Ability to work with people from a range of cultures.

Articulating and effectively explaining information.

Building and maintaining relationships.

Communication and listening including the ability to produce clear, structured business communications in a variety of media.

Emotional intelligence and empathy.

Conceptual and critical thinking, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Self-management: a readiness to accept responsibility and flexibility, to be resilient, self-starting and appropriately assertive, to plan, organise and manage time.

Self-reflection: self-analysis and an awareness/sensitivity to diversity in terms of people and cultures. This includes a continuing appetite for development.

Communicate ideas, principles, theories and information effectively by oral, written and visual means Demonstrate development of personal and professional skills relevant for career and personal development planning.

These undergraduate attributes will be delivered primarily through 30 credit and 15 credit core modules, supported by a choice of 15 credit elective modules, and independent learning.

Insert table mapping modules (with code) against the course learning outcomes:

PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR LEVEL 6 LEARNING OUTCOMES

PLEASE SEE APPENDIX 1 FOR LEARNING OUTCOMES MATRIX

BSc (Hons) International Business Management & Top-Up
Level 6 Learning Outcomes mapped to QAA and CMI

BABM: Level 6 Learning Outcomes QAA Subject Standard Benchmark for Business and Management integrated with CMI
MN6P00: Management Dissertation
LO1: construct a well-thought out and
considered research idea and present a
proposal;

LO2: manage an independent survey of
literature and design an empirical piece of
research based on the literature;

LO3: conduct their study, collect, analyse and synthesise data present their findings, discuss their findings in relation to their research question, write up their dissertation and present it as a professional document;

LO4: illustrate scholarship in terms of academic writing and Harvard referencing.
Research: the ability to analyse and evaluate a range of business data, sources of information and appropriate methodologies, which includes the need for strong digital literacy, and to use that research for evidence-based decision-making.
Self-management: a readiness to accept responsibility and flexibility, to be resilient, self-starting and appropriately assertive, to plan, organise and manage time.
Self-reflection: self-analysis and an awareness/sensitivity to diversity in terms of people and cultures. This includes a continuing appetite for development.
Communicate ideas, principles, theories and information effectively by oral, written and visual means Demonstrate development of personal and professional skills relevant for career and personal development planning.

MN6003; Strategy: Choices and Change
LO1: Apply the major theories of strategic
management to the analysis of organisations
within their specific contexts;

LO2: Formulate and evaluate a range of
strategic options to address strategic
issues in a particular organisational or
industry situation using appropriate
frameworks and concepts, and justify
selection of a particular strategic course
of action;

LO3: Apply the assessment of the main
issues and risks confronting an organisation
when implementing strategic change to the
creation of context-specific recommendations
for the effective delivery of strategic change.
Organisations: encompassing…, functions and processes of organisations including… governance, operations and management, together with the individual and corporate behaviours and cultures which exist within and between different organisations and their influence upon the external environment.
Organisational Behaviour: design, development of organisations, including cross-cultural issues, change, diversity and values.
Problem solving and critical analysis: analysing facts and circumstances to determine the cause of a problem and identifying and selecting appropriate solutions.
HR6055 Organising and Managing Across Cultures
LO1: Demonstrate increased awareness of, and sensitivity to, their own and others’ cultural background and influences;

LO2: Evaluate the impact of culture on organisational behaviour and management practice, using a range of theoretical concepts to analyse and explain issues of management and organisation in a cross-cultural context;

LO3: Deploy appropriate research, analytical, communications and problem solving skills for exploring the influence of culture and for suggesting how complex issues of management and organisation can be addressed.
Management: illustrate sound understanding and knowledge of the various processes, procedures and practices for effective management of organisations, including theoretical models, frameworks, tasks and roles of management, including the management of people and corporate social responsibility, together with rational analysis and other processes of decision making within different organisations. Analyse contemporary business management issues and formulate solutions to identified problems in a clear and coherent research plan.
Social responsibility: the need for individuals and organisations to manage responsibly and behave ethically in relation to social, cultural, economic and environmental issues
Business policy and strategy: the development of appropriate policies and strategies within a changing environment to meet stakeholder interests, and the use of risk management techniques and business continuity planning to help maximise achievement of strategic objectives.

MN6061 Business Without Frontiers
LO1: Evaluate and understand global business background in emerging countries in which businesses operate and shift resources across the world:

LO2: Demonstrate ability to apply concepts, models and a range of analytical tools appropriately and strategically for managers operating in diverse environments:

LO3: Develop competence and managerial skills needed to search, handle and interpret information relevant in the analysis of modern business organisations operating internationally
The Business Environment: this encompasses the fast pace of change within a wide range of factors, including economic, environmental, cultural, ethical, legal and regulatory, political, sociological, digital and technological, together with their effects at local, national and global levels upon the strategy, behaviour, management and sustainability of organisations.

Networking: an awareness of the interpersonal skills of effective listening, negotiating, persuasion and presentation and their use in generating business contacts.

The QAA Benchmark statement for Business and Management has been adopted.

Students are assessed via a variety of assessment formats: 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. Formative Assessment: students engage in ongoing formative tasks within workshops and seminars that may include brainstorming, idea generation, role-play, and case study analysis. These are conducted in pre-identified modules and classes. Feedback provided with one either face-to-face or through VLEs and online interaction. The assessment strategy is:
30 credit modules have three assessment points,
15 credit modules have 2 assessment points.

In addition to a mandatory core employability module at Level 5 or Level 6 the course offers an optional 12 month professional work placement at Level 5. In addition, it provides opportunities for a wide variety of work experience at Levels 5 and 6 in the Work-Related modules. 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. Students will be able to develop their action learning ability and reflect on their current and future course of action in setting goals for improved performance.

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 Regulations apply.

Reflective learning and personal development planning is central to the students’ academic and career development. PDP and Reflective learning are embedded throughout the curriculum of the BSc (Hons) International Business Management course. Students are initially exposed to the concept of reflective learning at Level 4 and are able to practice and develop the skills necessary to be an effective reflective practitioners. Reflective learning is linked to assessment throughout the curriculum and students have the opportunity for formative feedback to guide them in the development of this key skill. Students’ experiential learning is encouraged throughout and action learning sets at levels 5 and 6 enhance reflective practice.

The course includes a number of business management related activities during the academic year as well as number of career oriented workshops which help students to identify and develop key employability skills. Presentations by industry experts will be included and students will be able to participate in workshops designed around identified self-development issues.

At all levels students can present their ideas to a variety of business people including those from London Metropolitan’s business incubator, the Accelerator. These initiatives are linked to improving the students’ employability prospects and their transferable skills.

This course can open up globe-hopping career opportunities in international corporations, management, government, consultancy and business research. It also provides excellent preparation for postgraduate study.

Roles landed by our high flying graduates include Financial Operations Manager at Thomson Reuters, Retail Manager at Zara and Delegate Events Manager at Closer Still. One particularly noteworthy example is Ondrej Mrklas, Company Director of Czech Industry Company and two more companies in China and Singapore.

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/grade 4 or above (or equivalent) are also required

These requirements may be varied in individual cases.

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.

Applicants who do not fully meet the entry requirements may be eligible to start a BA Business Management extended degree. Apply for year 0 entry.