BSc (Hons) Business Management

Businesses around the world are experiencing a period of rapid global economic change which they must react to in order to grow. The BSc (Hons) in Business Management will support you to develop a range of intellectual, analytical, and critical thinking skills that will position you to help these businesses address the challenges they face.

Course overview

The BSc (Hons) in Business Management immerses you in the theory and practice of business. During the degree you will study a wide range of modules covering key business disciplines with a focus on strategy and internationalisation.

You will attend networking events, gain contacts through our alumni network, and have the opportunity to take part in a range of trips and activities to broaden your perspective on businesses and their operations.

Upon successful completion of the degree you may also receive the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Level 6 Diploma in Management and Leadership, and the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE) Professional Diploma in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. Also, annual membership to CMI is free for one year after graduation.

Work placement

In the second year of the degree programme, you will apply and develop your expertise during a 15-week work placement. Not only could you find yourself working for prestigious companies in the UK or across the world, you will also develop your confidence and make a range of industry contacts.

Start-up Visa

The Royal Agricultural University is an endorsing institution under the Home Office’s Start-up visa route. The Start-up visa is for graduates who demonstrate high entrepreneurial potential and wish to start a business in the UK for the first time.

The Start-up visa is administered by the University’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Programme and facilitated by School of Business and Entrepreneurship. To be endorsed for the Start-up visa by The RAU, you must be an RAU student or graduate, and have taken part in the University’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Programme. Contact enterprise@rau.ac.uk for further information.

Accreditations and partnerships

We are delighted to work with a wide range of businesses, partners and accreditation organisations, some of which are shown below:

The National Association of College & University Entrepreneurs

Prime Principles for Responsible Management Education

A transcript of the course video can be found here.

Course content

We are currently finalising the information for courses offered for 2023 entry. Full details and programme specifications will be available in early 2023. During the degree course you will develop your knowledge through a number of different classes and assessments which will give you a wide range of academic experiences. In your third year you will complete a Research Project which will give you an opportunity to study, in-depth, a subject of specific interest or of direct relevance to your future employment. Across the programme Employability Standards are built into every module. These are designed in consultation with employers, so you will always be able to see the relevance of what you are studying to your future career.

Timetables

Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and societies activities.

Modules

Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Each credit equates to 10 hours of total study time. Total study time includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity.

Full-time students normally take modules worth 60 credits per 15 week semester but this can vary depending on your elective choice. Part-time students taking proportionally fewer credits per semester. All students take a total of 120 credits per level and 360 credits for the degree as a whole. Your overall grade for your degree is based on marks obtained for modules taken at level 5 and level 6 (weighted 30:70 accordingly).

The modules available for this degree are shown below. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Year one

In the first year, you will focus on the fundamentals of business management, marketing and finance.

1033 Business Finance
1236 Entrepreneur in Action
1325 Introduction to the Agri-Food Industry
1400 Developing Academic Skills
1414 Principles of Marketing
1415 Global Business Environment
1417 Business Infomatics
1418 People and Organisations

Year two

2023 Financial Management
2027 International Business
2032 Marketing Management
2232 Entrepreneurship, Intrapreneurship and Enterprise Development
2267 Introduction to Research Skills
2316 Personal and Professional Development
2317 Industry Placement
2350 Business Strategy

Year three

In the final year, you will have the opportunity to select elective modules and specialise in subjects of particular interest and relevance to your future career aspirations.

3082 International Business Issues
3300 Research Project / Dissertation
3314 Strategic Management
3316 Changing Consumer Behaviour
3320 Organising and Organisation

Plus a choice of TWO electives selected from:

3041 Corporate Finance
3084 Entrepreneurship
3242 Negotiation in Business
3317 International Marketing
3318 Inspiring Change in Policy and Practice
3323 Food, Ethics and Governance

The availability of electives to individual students will be dependent on timetabling considerations and on sufficient students electing to take part.

Disclaimer information

The University has established various rules and regulations that you must agree to and follow if you accept an offer to study with us. View our full disclaimer notice.

Careers and graduate destinations

Our graduates have gone on to pursue careers within companies worldwide and within the following roles:

Account manager
Banking graduate
Sales manager
Investment analyst
Project manager
Marketing account executive

"The staff have been great, we have lecturers who have real-world experience, they are successful entrepreneurs in their own right but also great at teaching about it."

Emily Tal, Student

Typical offers

Required: GCSE minimum five GCSEs at Grade C/4 including English Language and Mathematics (or Maths Numeracy for Welsh applicants) plus satisfactory level 3 qualifications:

A-Level: (Example grades CCC) – minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points (to include at least two A-Levels or equivalent qualifications)
C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Extended Diploma (1080) at Merit-Merit-Merit
C&G NPTC/C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Diploma (720), Extended Certificate (360) and 90-Credit Diploma (540) acceptable when accompanied by other Level 3 qualifications
International Baccalaureate: 26 points
Access to Higher Education: 45 credits at level 3, of which a minimum of 15 must be awarded at Distinction and 15 at Merit or higher (Pass at Functional Skills level 2 are accepted in lieu of GCSE English & Mathematics)

Other level 3 qualifications will be considered.

Visit the UCAS website to calculate your UCAS Tariff points from the qualifications and grades achieved.

You may also be eligible for a contextual offer if you’re from one of our link colleges, have been in care, from a non-white ethnic background, live in an area with low progression rates to university or you are a veteran/child of an armed forces family.

Flexible entry

The University welcomes interest from applicants who may not have the standard entry requirements. A wide range of qualifications and experience are accepted in order to join University degree programmes. The University always considers evidence of personal, professional (APL) and educational experience, (APEL), which show an ability to meet the demands of their intended programme of study.

Further information

Alternative entry routes are available for a range of other qualifications. Prior experience is also considered, subject to approval by the programme manager and admissions staff.

Read more general information about our entry requirements.

If you don't meet the entry requirements of this degree, you may be eligible for one of our Foundation degree courses or another related degree course.

International students will also need to achieve IELTS Academic or equivalent at the appropriate level for your programme of study. English language requirements for international students.

For any further help, please contact our admissions team:

Email: admissions @rau.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1285 889912

Fees

Tuition fees cover the cost of a student’s academic studies. This usually includes teaching costs, registration and examination fees (not repeat or trailing modules, re-sit fees or coursework resubmission). Any costs associated with work placements will be the student's responsibility.

2023-24 Applicants

For the academic year 2023-24 the tuition fees for this course are:

	UK	International
Full-time	£9,250 per year	£13,900 per year

For part-time study, please contact admissions@rau.ac.uk for further information.

Please also refer to the funding your time at university page.

Tuition fees may be subject to an inflationary increase each year as set out in our Access and Participation Plan 2019/20.

If you are an Irish national you can check if you meet the requirements for Home Fees. Please visit the UKCISA website and consult the pdf guide “England HE – who pays Home Fees”. First check category ‘3 years in Republic of Ireland/UK/Islands, settled in UK’ or ‘Brexit temporary offer for courses starting before 2028: Irish citizens with residence in Europe or overseas territories’. You will possibly need to be fee assessed when you submit an application for study to the RAU.

Scholarships

The University offers a wide range of generous fee waivers and bursaries. To find out more about the these, please visit the bursaries, awards and scholarships page.

UCAS Code

Location

Duration

Academic Year