Business and Management

Entry requirements

4 year with integrated placement year / 3 year course without integrated placement year option only available for non-EU students

UCAS Code: NN12
Typical offers:
A Levels: AAB (340 UCAS points)
IB: 35 points. Minimum scores of 6, 6, 5 at Higher level. Minimum scores of 5 in English and Maths at Standard level.
BTEC, Access & other: BTEC National Diploma DDD. Access to HE students are eligible to apply for this course.

Further requirements:
5 GCSE grades A* - C to include:
GCSE Maths – grade C
GCSE English – grade C
Please note that General Studies does not contribute towards the UCAS points requirement but is welcomed as an additional qualification.

Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.

Course outline

This degree aims to provide you with the theoretical knowledge base and also the practical management skills to ensure that you are fully prepared for the demands of senior management.

Year 1

In your first year you will study a wide range of management related subjects, designed to ensure you have a broad foundation and knowledge of management.  You will consider the economic, financial, human and legal issues managers deal with, and the tools and techniques they use.  You will introduced to the key areas of business as well as carrying out project which will help draw together the subjects you have studied.   

• International Perspectives in Organisations
• English Legal Method & Contract Law
• Information Technology for Business
• Introduction to Macroeconomics
• Introduction to Microecomonics
• Introduction to Financial Accounting
• Introduction to Management Accounting
• Introduction to Marketing Management
• Introduction to Organisational Behaviour
• Principles of Operation Management
• Introduction to Business Analytics
• Foundations of Business Analytics
• Economic Environment for Business
• Topics in Applied Economics

Year 2

In the second year you will choose two areas of management in which to specialise, according to your interests.  Underpinned by core modules, this year will allow you to learn how to apply your knowledge and skills in different contexts, analyse business environments and to conduct research projects.

You select two areas of management in which you wish to specialise in addition to studying the core modules listed below:

• Business Policy
• Strategic Finance
• Business Game
• Business, Government & Society

The optional subject areas are (you will be required to select two):

• Marketing
• Business and Government
• Business Psychology
• Law
• International Management
• Accounting
• Economics
• E-business
• Information Systems
• Management Science
• Operations Management
  

Year 3 

You will spend this year in a professional placement or you may choose to take up an international study opportunity at one of our partner institutions. This year is compulsory for all UK and EU students.

See placement year section or find out more about the Aston placement year.

 

Final Year

The final year will allow you to deepen your specialist knowledge with further study of subjects in the same subject streams as your second year along with core modules.

During your final year you will continue to study your two chosen subject areas in addition to the core module below:

• Strategic Management

Learning, teaching & assessment

You will experience a range of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, group-working, case studies and both individual and group presentations. Traditional teaching is supported by a virtual learning environment that is used to host a range of electronic supporting materials.

For example all business students undertake the Business Game module and compete in teams in a computer simulation exercise that culminates in a presentation to a panel of external employers

Assessment is provided by a mix of coursework and examination.

For further information, see the programme specification (PDF).

Placement year

Our integrated placement year course allows you to undertake a professional paid placement, where you gain valuable practical management experience within accounting, finance or management

The placement year incorporates spending the third year of your programme in a paid professional placement.  The placement can be related to one or both of your chosen Business and Management streams or a more general management role. 

We have links to over 800 different companies and organisations and advertise around 3000 posts each year to our students.

The opportunity to undertake a study placement with one of our international partner institutions is also available if you would prefer.

Find out more about the placement year at ABS.

Professional accreditation

Aston Business School graduates can claim exemptions from the examinations of a number of professional bodies. Exemptions are dependent upon the options you have followed.

At present exemptions are available from:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
• Chartered Institute of Marketing  
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Association of International Accountants

Career prospects

With its combination of broad-based and specialist knowledge alongside the placement year, this degree offers a route into general management as well as specialist areas such as accounting, marketing and market research, administration, banking and finance/economics, human resources and operations management.

Aston Business Schools has an outstanding record of producing successful, highly sought after graduates. Of our most recent graduates, 80% went into graduate level employment within 6 months of graduation, one of the highest proportions in the UK (UK average approx 60%)

Further details of ABS graduate destinations

Personal development

Our business degrees are designed to also give you a range of transferable and practical skills to succeed within your chosen career. We make extensive use of group working and presentations to prepare you for the reality of working life. Such work develops your team working and negotiating skills.

Our placement year gives you the genuine practical work experience that is invaluable in developing an appreciation of issues such as office politics which cannot be replicated in the lecture room.

Facilities & equipment

Our teaching accommodation has very recently been completely refurbished and all lecture theatres and seminar rooms are fully equipped with the latest teaching aids. Extensive use is made of our Virtual Learning Environment to help support your studies.

Aston Business School has dedicated computer suites for the exclusive use of its undergraduates and many campus areas are WI-FI networked. The university library facilities are extensive, modern and accessible and specialist staff are available to help you find the information you need.

Course Director

Mr Paul Bocij
BA (Hons), PGCert (SSRM), MPhil, LCGI, MBCS, CITP, FIfL
Paul Bocij is a Teaching Fellow in Aston Business School, specialising in ICT, information systems and e-business.  He is the author of numerous books related to technology and is one of the writers behind Business Information Systems, one of the UK’s most successful text books.  He is a Chartered Information Technology Professional and a member of the British Computer Society.  His industry experience spans more than twenty-five years.