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Business and Management (International Business)

BA (Hons)

Undergraduate degree - single honours

Award
BA (Hons) Business and Management (International Business)
School/s
Bath Business School
Campus or location
Newton Park
Course length
Three years full time, or four years full time with professional placement year. Part time available.
UCAS codes
Institution Code: B20
Course Code: 0T6Y or 1L63
Campus Code: A,BSU

Entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed under 'Typical offers' in the main column below. For combined courses, please check both subjects. If your qualification is not listed, please email admissions@bathspa.ac.uk with your specific details.

Explore intercultural perspectives and the challenges of the international market to gain a global perspective with this International Business degree.

  • Increase your employability prospects internationally with an understanding of the world of work at home and abroad.
  • Build your knowledge of cultural relationships and how to manage intercultural communication in the ever-changing global landscape.
  • Learn from supportive academic staff and benefit from our international staff and student communities.

University of the Year for Social Inclusion

Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2024

#8 in the UK

for Satisfied with Feedback in Business and Management (Guardian University Guide, 2024)

Want to run an internationally successful business? Or are you interested in how companies operate around the globe? If you want to work abroad or travel with your toolkit of business and management skills, it’s important to have a good understanding of global business and international markets.

On our International Business and Management degree, you’ll develop the core skills you need to excel in all kinds of businesses, and start to build a clear picture of exactly where those skills could take you. You’ll explore international perspectives and develop your understanding of the challenges faced by corporations and organisations operating on a global scale.

Whatever your aspirations, this course will give you a good grounding in the theory and practice of the modern international business environment.


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“The Bath Business School team are very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and dedicated to helping you achieve your potential.”

Alex Appleton, Business and Management graduate

What you'll learn

Overview

Following our international business pathway, you'll develop specialist skills and understanding in:

  • The drivers and dimensions of international business development
  • The environment of international business
  • How international businesses could be affected by global events
  • How to manage a business in an international context
  • How management practices and processes differ around the world.

By adopting a global outlook on the world of business, you'll be able to spot trends, understand global contexts and develop the transferable skills that will take you around the world. Whether you work from the UK with international clients, or choose to move abroad, this business course will give you the ability to thrive in any sector.

You can also bring in modules from areas outside the international business pathway if you want to explore issues around a particular theme, such as sustainability or marketing.

Course structure

Year one
Gain a broad understanding of today’s business environment – from the context in which organisations operate through to trends in economic thinking and the importance of data in business. Modules will cover topics such as:

  • organisations and the business environment
  • economics and globalisation
  • managing data.

Year two
Focus on the inner workings of businesses. Use business techniques to solve problems and start developing the skills that employers look for. Modules cover key themes including creativity and innovation in business. At the end of the year, you can choose to embark on a ten-month business placement or a ten-week summer placement – applying what you’ve learned so far in the real world.

Year three
Develop and explore your business learning, focusing on cross-cultural management in international business. Undertake an in-depth business research project in international business. You’ll also have a chance to set up a business on your own or with fellow students. Other topics to explore include:

  • managing sustainability
  • organisational strategy
  • new trends in management
  • strategic human resource management.
How will I be assessed?

You'll be assessed in a wide range of ways that will test your business knowledge and management skills. These could include presentations, work related projects, group work, computer-based simulations, podcasts, exams, essays, videos and business reports.

How will I be taught?

We offer variety in the way we teach: sometimes we’ll set you problems so that you can find the answers for yourself; sometimes we’ll lecture. Most modules use a mix of lectures and small group seminars. There’s a good blend of online activities using our Virtual Learning Environment. We invite business leaders in to talk about their experience and we arrange visits to local businesses. All of our teaching methods facilitate your development as a self-directed learner.

You’ll be given personal support in your studies – we’re a friendly team of academics who are committed to helping you achieve your goals.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

Course modules

This course enables you to develop your own learning pathway, depending on your interests. There are a selection of core and optional modules each year. Core modules will depend on your chosen pathway and you can choose optional modules to complement or diversify your core skill-set each year. The programme document gives you more information on module choices.

Year one (Level 4) modules
  • The Business Environment
  • Organisational Behaviour and Management
  • Economics and Globalisation
  • Managing Data
  • Design Thinking for Enterprise
  • Professional Practice
Year two (Level 5) modules
  • Creativity for Business
  • Innovation Management
  • The Marketing Business
  • Human Resource Management
  • Financial Accounting
  • Operations and Project Management
  • Destination Management
  • International Business
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Applying Economics
  • Festival and Events Management
  • Law for Business Enterprise
  • Fashion Marketing and Management
  • Work Placement
  • Professional Placement Year
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Opportunities

Study abroad

You’ll have the opportunity to study in a wide range of locations around the world. Our students have completed exchange programmes in a variety of countries including Spain, Sweden and the USA.

Business community projects

We give you the opportunity to work with regional and national businesses. You’ll be working on live project briefs, helping organisations find creative solutions to their business issues.

Professional accreditation

Depending on your pathway and the modules you study, you can gain accreditation by professional bodies and get exemption from professional exams.

Work placements, industry links and internships

In addition to the business community projects mentioned above, you’ll have fantastic opportunities to work closely with business and industry through placements, projects and internships.

Careers

The world is changing and we want to ensure that you have a successful career in business. To do this we focus on building your toolkit in the skills you need to undertake roles in companies such as:

  • Hargreaves Lansdown
  • Oracle
  • Amazon
  • New Look
  • Rolls Royce
  • Veritas
  • North Face
  • Cloud Direct
  • Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES Council)
  • Sky
  • American Express
  • Primark
  • Beauty Pie.

With an international outlook, graduates from this course can broaden their horizons and work in international companies, both here in the UK and across the globe.

Global Citizenship

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

Adobe Creative Campus

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.   

Professional placement year

Overview

This optional placement year provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Preparation

Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.

How will I be assessed?

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

Facilities and resources

Where the subject is taught

You'll have access to excellent facilities at our Newton Park campus and city centre studios as well as online resources. These include:

Resources

Our libraries offer a wide range of business resources, including a wealth of online material that can be accessed on- and off-campus, enabling you to work at times that suit you.

Fees

2024 entry
Student Annual tuition fee
UK full time £9,250
UK part time £4,625
International full time £15,750

Professional Placement Year

During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. This applies to UK and EU/International students.

  • UK: £1,850
  • International: £3,150

Interested in applying?

What we look for in potential students

We’re looking for individuals who are enterprising and creative. You’ll need to have drive, motivation and the get-up-and-go to achieve in a challenging environment.

Typical offers

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:

  • A Level – grades BBB-BCC preferred.
  • BTEC – Extended Diploma grades from Distinction Distinction Merit (DDM) to Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) accepted in any subject.
  • T Levels – grade Merit preferred.
  • International Baccalaureate – a minimum of 32 points are required.
  • Access to HE courses – typical offers for applicants with Access to HE will be the Access to HE Diploma or Access to HE Certificate (60 credits, 45 of which must be Level 3, at Merit or higher).

If you don’t meet the entry requirements above, we may be able to accept your prior learning or experience from outside of formal education. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) page to learn more.

English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants

IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.

Course enquiries

For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.

How do I apply?

Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.

Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply webpages.

Get ahead

You’ll already be actively interested in business and be able to demonstrate your interests through activities such as keeping up to date with business news and reading relevant specialist online journals e.g. Marketing Week.

Course leader: Marc Leverton
Email: m.leverton@bathspa.ac.uk

Three year course
With placement year

Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk