Business Management (Entrepreneurship) BA (Hons)

Program Overview

This Business Management degree equips students with the skills and knowledge to become entrepreneurs, creators, and business leaders. The program offers four pathways: Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing, or Human Resources. Students gain practical experience through an optional placement year and develop their employability through workshops and career support services. The program prepares graduates for a wide range of careers in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This program is designed for students who aspire to become entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders of business ventures. The program will equip students with much more than business knowledge; it aims to develop the skills employers are seeking. Students will gain experience that will give them an edge at interviews and in the workplace. The Business Management degree is tailored to suit various career aspirations. Students can choose from four pathways: Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing, or Human Resources.

Outline:

The program is structured over 3 years full-time or up to 7 years part-time. It includes a Foundation Year, and a Placement Year is optional.

• Foundation Year:
• The modules explore fundamental concepts and topics including people, politics, money, economics, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.
• Year 1:
• Managing People and Organisations
(Compulsory)
• This module introduces students to concepts of people management and organizations, developing core skills for managing people and working in teams.
• Topics covered: changing theories of management and leadership perspectives, people in organizations (motivation, culture, personality, identity, effective teamworking, learning in an organisational context), managing people in organizations (organization and job design, talent management, goal setting, communication, perception, job satisfaction, stress), and skills for managing people in teams and organizations (team formation, team working and leading, managing performance, giving feedback, managing conflict).
• Finance for Managers (Compulsory)
• This module equips students with a basic grasp of the underlying principles and concepts of finance and accounting and introduces them to the relative uses of both financial and management accounting practices.
• Topics covered: preparation of simple financial statements, analysis and interpretation of financial statements, budgets/cash flow forecast, product/service costing, cost-volume profit analysis.
• Essentials of Entrepreneurship (Compulsory)
• This module examines key schools of thought and history of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship.
• Topics covered: defining entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, developing the creative entrepreneurial mindset, identifying entrepreneurial/intrapreneurial strengths and developing skills, understanding the dark side of entrepreneurship/intrapreneurship, creating and developing strong business ideas, constructing and delivering a persuasive business pitch, using reflection to enhance entrepreneurial/intrapreneurial learning, applying business model mapping and business model innovation, exploring entrepreneurial/intrapreneurial processes to develop a business idea into a viable opportunity, opportunity assessment (feasibility, risk and environmental analysis), identifying and examining legal, ethical and social dilemmas, intellectual property, using social resources, identifying developing trends within entrepreneurship/intrapreneurship, exploring entrepreneurial/intrapreneurial leadership, creating a business idea as an intrapreneur and entrepreneur, and utilizing entrepreneurial/intrapreneurial resilience processes.
• Global Business Environment (Compulsory)
• This module enhances students' knowledge and understanding of the global business environment and its impact on the performance and competitiveness of international businesses.
• Topics covered: internal and external environment in which international businesses operate, challenges posed by the global business environment, business economics, demand and supply, market efficiency and failure, financial markets and money, management of national economy, role of governments, role of international organisations, economic systems, corporate social responsibility, ethics, and cultural factors.
• Marketing Principles (Compulsory)
• This module provides students with fundamental knowledge of marketing concepts, principles, and theories, introducing them to marketing techniques and applications.
• Topics covered: the role of marketing within organizations and society, the development of marketing and marketing concepts, the marketing environment, marketing research, consumer behaviour, segmentation, targeting and positioning, the marketing mix, marketing in context (e.g., Public Sector, Non-profit Organisations, Marketing Events, Destination Marketing, Sports Marketing), and international marketing.
• Developing Professional Practice (Compulsory)
• This module uses workshops to explore key themes associated with academic and professional development.
Students will engage in self-reflection and analysis to develop a personal action plan.
• Topics covered: academic integrity (academic writing, referencing, responding to feedback), research skills, emotional intelligence and self-awareness, learning styles, idea generation, problem-solving, team dynamics, negotiation, conflict resolution, commercial and subject/discipline awareness, personal management, professional image, and career awareness.
• Year 2:
• Business Placement Year
(Optional)
• This module allows students to gain experience through an internship opportunity.
• The experiential content is determined by negotiation between the student, placement supervisor, and host organization.
• Students will engage in a placement conference and draw up a learning agreement on acceptance of the placement.
• Human Resource Management (Compulsory)
• This module develops students' understanding of managing people in the workplace.
• Topics covered: understanding people management, introduction to human resource management, key objectives of the HR function, strategic HRM, managing and coordinating the HR function, employee engagement, resourcing strategy, managing the employee relationship, managing performance, and evaluating people management.
• Research in Context (Compulsory)
• This module provides students with the knowledge, understanding, and skills foundation for the level 6 management research project.
• Topics covered: purpose of research, the research process, market research industry, research briefs and proposals, research ethics, qualitative and quantitative research, primary and secondary research, research design, sampling methods, data analysis (intro to SPSS), data interpretation, and contemporary issues for research in practice.
• Operational Decision Making (Compulsory)
• This module develops students' ability to assess the key influences on effective and ethical decision making, analyze an organization according to its operational capabilities, and apply management tools and techniques in operational planning, monitoring, and control.
• Topics covered: types of decisions and decision making processes, dynamics of decision making, data, information and knowledge management, constructing and communicating persuasive arguments, effective business reports, project management, risk and uncertainty, ethics in decision making, communicating decisions, operations management (volume/variety mix, product/process design, process layout, technology, operations planning and control), strategic decision-making and operations management, and challenges of market evolution for operations.
• Entrepreneurial Thought and Action (Compulsory)
• This module examines entrepreneurial thought and action by making provision for all students to initiate and develop a new student venture.
• Topics covered: researching and building on theories and definitions of entrepreneurial thought and action, examining one's potential to develop entrepreneurial skills and abilities, exploring creativity and innovation in a business setting, studying entrepreneurial communication and effective negotiation practices, identifying the key steps to converting ideas into potential business opportunities, undertaking risk and environmental analysis, identifying and examining legal, ethical, and social challenges, examining challenges of sustainability, researching the impact of social media and technology on new ventures, undertaking research and activities related to employability enhancement, and developing an understanding of the impact of entrepreneurial teams.
• International Business Operations (Compulsory)
• This module examines how international organizations manage their business operations, exploring ways in which international organisations design, plan, monitor, implement, evaluate, and improve their operations.
• Topics covered: introduction to the management of international business operations, planning and organizing in the global business environment, market penetration strategies, controlling international operations, measuring and improving international operations.
• Experiential Overseas Learning (Optional)
• This module prepares students for overseas placements, enhancing their ethical, cultural, and intercultural awareness.
• Topics covered: global citizenship, ethical engagement and practice, cross-cultural issues and sensitivity, intercultural communication, theories, models, and strategies of learning, intercultural competence, integration and multiculturalism, critical thinking skills, reflection, experiential learning models, personal and placement-related skills (enhanced independence, multicultural behaviour, time management, organisational skills, project management, self-management, personal development, team building).
• Year abroad study exchange (Optional)
• This module allows students to study abroad at one of the University's partner universities.
• Preparation for the year abroad includes: cross-cultural issues and sensitivity, host-country orientation, study methods, economic, political, and social reality of the country, orientation specific to exchange, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, practical matters relating to living and studying abroad, critical thinking skills, experiential learning, models of reflection, personal and placement-related transversal skills.
• While abroad, students undertake study at a partner university, choosing a series of modules that equal a full-time study load.
• Developing Intercultural Literacy and Cross-Cultural Skills (Optional)
• This module promotes a reflective and critical approach to interculturality.
• Topics covered: global citizenship, ethical engagement and practice, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, cross-cultural issues and sensitivity, intercultural communication, culture shock, cultural adjustment, self-assessment of needs, critical analysis/evaluation of individual requirements, critical analysis/evaluation of skills, devising strategies to improve one's prospects of working abroad, and devising an action plan.
• Enhancing your Employability through Work Based Learning (Optional)
• This module aims to enhance students' prospects of gaining graduate level employment through engagement with a University-approved work placement.
• Topics covered: pre-placement (researching, selecting, securing a suitable work placement, writing an effective CV, constructing a letter of application, interview skills), induction programme and placement (the organisational context, self-assessment of needs, devising a strategy for integrating into the workplace and work based teams, health and safety procedures, general workplace integrity, placement requirements), during and post-placement (devising and implementing strategies to improve own approach and performance, critical analysis/evaluation of approach to skill development and performance, influencing the Placement Provider's appraisal, devising an action plan to develop gaps in transferable skills).
• Employability Skills Analysis Development and Planning (Optional)
• This module enhances students' prospects of gaining graduate level employment.
• Topics covered: the organisational context, self-assessment of needs, devising strategies to improve one's own career, critical analysis/evaluation of skills, and devising an action plan to address gaps in transferable skills.
• Year 3:
• Strategic Management
(Compulsory)
• This module is delivered in the context of the modern business environment, using contemporary case studies and reports on companies and industries.
• Topics covered: the macro, industry, and market environments, the internationalisation process, strategic mergers, acquisitions, and alliances, innovation and knowledge management, writing and delivering strategy, undertaking analysis on organizations and their strategic successes/failures.
• Retail Management (Compulsory)
• This module introduces students to the retail sector and the principles of retail management.
• Topics covered: retailing formats and channels, retail management concepts, retailing destinations and environment, retail strategy and planning, management of the retail marketing mix, the competitive environment, understanding the retail consumer, emerging customer expectations, transformation of retail, online/delivered retail services, innovation and technology in retail, and retail ethics and corporate social responsibility.
• Management Research Project (Compulsory)
• This module challenges students to undertake an in-depth research project in an elected area of study, drawing together specific subject knowledge and skills.
• Topics covered: the research process, justification and scoping, methodological foundations of research, moral and ethical issues in research, effective project management, rigour and feasibility issues in research, quantitative methodology, qualitative methodology, and writing and reporting research in context.
• Managing Sustainable Business Ventures (Compulsory)
• This module analyzes the role of innovation in relation to intrapreneurial thinking and business application, applying formal learning and practical knowledge to a real business case.
• Topics covered: innovation, intrapreneurship, entrepreneurship, applying and critically analysing various approaches, tools, and techniques for managing sustainable business ventures, and utilizing critical reflection to drive personal development.

Assessment:

Assessment methods include reports, essays, pitches, exams, and more research-informed and critical analyses.

Teaching:

The course is designed around in-person study, with some online learning activities. Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, case studies, discussions, presentations, and online learning.

Careers:

A Business Management degree opens doors to a wide variety of career paths, including public sector, private and commercial, tertiary, and charity work.

Other:

The University of Chester has an award-winning Careers and Employability service that provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences. The service provides tailored group sessions, individual information, advice, and guidance, and aims to deliver a service that is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed, and tailored to each student's personal goals and aspirations. They offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications, and mock interviews.

Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

Home Students

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2024/25 are £9,250 a year, or £1,540 per 20-credit module for part-time study. The University may increase these fees at the start of each subsequent year of your course in line with inflation at that time, as measured by the Retail Price Index. These fee levels and increases are subject to any necessary government, and other regulatory, approvals. Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

International/EU Students

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2024/25 are £13,950. This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study. For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section. Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.