BA (Hons) Business Management (Placement (480 credit course))

This course has been developed as a result of evidence gathered from local employers and students, as well as current industry research.

The key areas of focus include:

• The study of organisations, their management and the changing external environment in which they operate
• Preparation for and development of a career in business and management
• Enhancement of lifelong learning skills and personal development.

According to the CBI, ‘employability skills are the single most important factor considered by businesses when recruiting a graduate’ (2011). As such, integral to the new course is the embedding of the skills, behaviours and attitudes that employers are seeking from business graduates.

Additionally, the course acknowledges the needs of both employers and business students by providing the opportunity for you to take specialised units of study within the areas of the business environment, management, marketing and finance. Students will have the choice of selecting one option in their second year and two options in their final year.

Industrial focus

The degree provides opportunities for real-world learning. Specific to this course is the opportunity for students to choose one of two different routes for their second year of study.

For Route 1, students undertake a consultancy project unit on behalf of an outside client. As part of the consultancy preparation, students will design, plan and run a job fair, practise their interview skills, hire first-year students and learn how to project manage a live brief.

For Route 2, students undertake an external three-month placement within a company.

Regardless of the route chosen, all students will also study three core units in Period 1 (October–mid January).

Industrial focus

In addition to the work-based learning, this course also seeks to ensure that opportunities for professional body accreditation are sought where appropriate, such as PRINCE2|, CIM, CAM and Google Analytics.

Course content

Year 1

Core units for all students:

• Personal and Professional Development 1
• Marketing and Communications
• Managerial Accounting
• Data Analysis and IT
• Organisations and Resource Management
• Economics

Year 2

Core units for all students, all taken in Period 1 (October–mid January):

• Research and Analysis in Business
• Operations Management
• Global Business Environment

Students then choose one of the following two routes:

Route 1:

• Consultancy Project Preparation
• Consultancy Project
• Choice of one option for example:
• Entrepreneurship and Business
• Management Concepts and Ethics
• Digital Marketing
• Financial Analysis in Business.

Route 2: Work-based Placement (three months)

Year 3

Core units for all students:

• Personal and Professional Development 2
• Strategic Management (includes a weekend business simulation event)
• Project Management in Business
• Dissertation Project
• Choice of two options

Options can be chosen from one of the areas of ‘specialism’. Examples include:

• Contemporary Business Issues
• Managing for Results
• Not-for-Profit Marketing
• Financial Aspects of Decision Making.

Why choose Solent?

The course acknowledges the needs of employers and business students alike by providing an increased focus on employability and work-related learning opportunities. For example:

• Choice of employer-based or campus work-based learning opportunities and professional accreditations optimise employability.
• Option of placement ‘sandwich’ year between Years 2 and 3.
• Themed areas of ‘specialisms’, offering attractive career routes, reflect the graduate skills required by local employers.
• Enhanced student learning experience through contemporary teaching, learning and assessment techniques, including business simulations, competitions and specialist guest speaker lectures.
• Strong personal and professional development at all levels increases the focus on employability and career management skills.

You will be taught by professionals with valuable research experience, a solid understanding of industry practice and the passion for delivering a quality learning experience. Students will not only be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to secure graduate employment, but with the practical business knowledge required to prepare you for a fast-changing world.

Assessment

A mixture of individual and group coursework, student presentations, business simulation and project work, as well as some written examinations and timed exercises.

Projects/work experience

The course provides the opportunity to work on company projects. The Consultancy Project, for example, allows students to work on research projects for organisations such as Southampton City Council, Hampshire Constabulary and BT, as well as smaller, local businesses.

Key career skills

Teamworking, business and customer awareness, problem solving, communication, numeracy, IT, research skills, project management.

Graduate profile

Ulriika Simila

Finnish student Ulriika chose the BA (Hons) Business Management following recommendations from friends.

“I really enjoyed the variety of units and I feel that I have a multitude of options when it comes to choosing a career path. The course covers pretty much all aspects of business and I have gained skills in many different areas. I particularly liked the management aspect of the course. The course is very hands on and the seminars give you the chance to practice the skills that we learn about in our lectures.

"Ulriika was appointed student ambassador and this experience gave her the opportunity to work with children and teach them about higher education. “The whole experience was very enriching!” she says. “I feel that I have matured a lot during my studies and grown more independent. I have really enjoyed writing my dissertation, it was hard work but also very rewarding.”

"Now back in Finland, Ulriika is hoping to start a career in financial services, the area in which she focused during her course. I am confident that with all the experience I have gained from my studies at Southampton Solent University I have a great career ahead of me.”

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Key info from UNISTATS

You might notice the data is the same in multiple widgets below. That’s because if there isn’t enough data about each version of the course, the data is combined. For more info, visit the Unistats website.