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Business and Management (Human Resource Management)

BA (Hons)

Undergraduate degree - single honours

Award
BA (Hons) Business and Management (Human Resource Management)
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: N600 or 12C7
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.

People power businesses. Gain the skills you need to help them reach their potential and succeed in the workplace.

  • Discover the importance of people management in business and prepare for a career in a wide variety of sectors.
  • Choose either a ten-month or ten-week work placement and apply what you’ve learned in the real world.
  • Join our community of close-knit students and supportive and experienced academic staff.

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)

A successful business would not be able to function without effective Human Resource (HR) management: people are the heart of a thriving company. This Business and Management course is founded on real-life consultancy and will give you the skills to help people feel supported and valued in the workplace and the tools to manage them effectively. You'll study the theories and concepts that go into effective HR management and the support structures that underpin a happy working environment.

You'll cover topics such as ethical practice in recruitment and management, and study current thinking in diversity and inclusion in the workplace. You'll explore new strategies for making the business environment an equitable and enjoyable space to work.

By working in a consultancy capacity with brands such as Butlins, Oracle and Dorothy House, you'll be able to apply your knowledge in the real-world. You'll identify existing problems and propose strategies to solve them. When you graduate you'll be able to take your learning to the world of work as an effective people manager and team player.


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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

Develop specialist skills and graduate with:

  • The ability to evaluate and challenge human resource management practices and policies
  • In-depth knowledge of a current and relevant topic within the human resource management field
  • An awareness of how the business environment shapes the management of people in today's organisations.

You'll graduate with a solid understanding of HR, and the potential for employment in a range of different businesses – whether in private, public or charitable sector organisations, or your own business. We'll give you a toolkit of business skills that will allow you to enter any business with a strong grasp of what makes it tick.

You can also bring in modules from areas outside the human resource management pathway if you want to explore issues around a particular area of interest, such as sustainability or global affairs.

Course structure

Year one
Gain a broad understanding of today's business environment, from the contexts 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 strategic human resource management. Undertake an in-depth business research project in human resource management. We'll support you 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
  • cross cultural management in international business
  • tourism: contemporary issues.
How will I be assessed?

You're assessed in a range of ways that 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 set you problems so that you can find the answers for yourself; sometimes we 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, Ultra. We invite business leaders to talk about their experiences, 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 study – we're a friendly team of academics who are committed to helping students achieve their 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 programme enables some choice, depending on your interests. There are core, required and optional modules within the programme.

Core modules are taken by all students whereas required modules depend on your chosen pathway and you can choose optional modules to complement or diversify your core skill-set.

The modules that are available to you will depend on your pathway, but the full list of modules is shown below. You should consult the programme document for further detail about available modules for your pathway.

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
Year three (Level 6) modules
  • Business and Management Project
  • Economics Project
  • Fashion Project
  • International Marketing
  • Management Accounting
  • Strategic Human Resource Management
  • Enterprise: Creating your Business
  • Organisational Strategy
  • Managing Sustainability
  • New Trends in Management
  • Cross Cultural Management in International Business
  • Summer Placement
  • Tourism: Contemporary Issues
  • Creating and Hosting Festivals and Events
  • Advanced Economics Issues
  • Exploring Law in Business
  • Business and Academic Skills
  • Fashion Marketing Visualisation
  • Successful Freelancing
  • Leadership and Management

Opportunities

Study abroad

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

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, you’ll have fantastic opportunities to work closely with business and industry through placements, projects and internships.

Careers

Employers such as Logica, NHS, Liberty, Ocado, IBM, Marks and Spencer, American Express, Sky and Numatic International have recruited graduates from this course. After completing this course, graduates will be ready for roles and areas such as:

  • HR manager
  • Strategic HR support
  • HR administrator
  • Inclusivity and diversity coordinator
  • Inclusivity consultant
  • Learning and development specialist
  • Life coach
  • Business consultant
  • Recruitment consultant
  • Team leader.
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

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) 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 PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

How will I be assessed?

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.

The PPY Bursary

Aiming to make work experience more accessible, we have introduced the PPY Bursary. Students undertaking a PPY can receive between £500 and £1,500 to be used towards placement costs such as travel, food, workwear or accommodation.

For more information and details of eligibility criteria, please visit the PPY Bursary webpage.

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

Additional course costs

You may need to pay additional course costs over and above your tuition fees, for example, for specialist equipment or trips and visits. Please check the course Programme Document (linked under the main image on this page) for details of any additional costs. You can also read our Additional Course Costs Policy for further information.

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