Business Studies BA (Hons)

Business is a very wide area, and contains elements such as Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Project Management and Law. This degree will provide you with a wide range of opportunities to develop your analytical skills, allowing you to provide creative solutions to business problems, often based upon live case studies.

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Business is a broad subject covering a diverse range of areas from finance to marketing, human resources, project management and law. This is a highly vocational course that will give you the skills that employers are looking for. Your studies will emphasise the challenging nature of the business environment and many of the assignments on the course are based on ‘live’ project briefs from organisations such as Southend United Football Club, which will enable you to develop skills that are transferable, practical and relevant to industry.

Why should I do this course?

Business is a very wide area, and contains elements such as Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Project Management and Law. Business is important because most of us will work for or own businesses within our lifetimes. You’ll be studying current Business topics and issues that emphasise the challenging nature of the business environment. The aim of this degree is to equip you with a solid foundation in business. Studying Business provides you with a wide range of opportunities to develop your analytical skills, providing solutions and recommendations for business problems, often based upon live case studies. You will also develop appropriate IT skills for business applications and utilise qualitative and quantitative research to analyse a range of issues.

What's covered?

The BA (Hons) Business Studies programme of study is designed to give you a solid understanding of the subject area in Year 1. This is built upon in Year 2 and by Year 3 learners are much more independent, with a greater emphasis upon discussions rather than lectures. The dissertation (double weighted module) in Year 3 allows the learner to choose a business area that they are interested in, research into it and produce a final document of 8,000 words that can be used to show your capabilities when going for interviews.

Events and trips:

The course features a special guest speaker and programme of visits where you can attend lectures and other sessions that are delivered by leading people in the business world. Previous speakers have included representatives from Merrill Lynch, Exeter City Football Club, Fujitsu, Olympus KeyMed as well as local MPs. Other activities have included visits to Wembley Stadium, talks by entrepreneurs at the O2 Arena, Chelsea Football Club and the Nissan Car Factory.

How will my work be assessed?

There are a variety of assessment methods on the degree course. In terms of summative assessment (this is formally assessed work that contributes to your grade), most modules require the submission of a coursework assignment.

In the first year this will form the majority of marks for the modules (between 70 and 100%), but in Year 2 and 3 they have less weight (60% and 50% respectively). In Year 1 most modules do not have examinations, and none are worth more than 30%.

In Year 2 and 3 there are examinations for the majority of subjects and they are much more significant in terms of weight. In Year 2 examinations are worth 40% and in Year 3 examinations are worth 50%. There is also formative assessment (which does not count towards your final module scores). Formative assessment includes discussions, presentations and seminars.

Throughout your studies you will develop a wide range of skills and techniques to equip you to achieve. These include skills to improve your written arguments and your performance in examinations. In every subject with an examination, learners have the opportunity to undertake a Mock with detailed feedback, to show areas of strength and areas for development. Learners are able to submit one draft assignment for any written work two weeks prior to the final deadline, and receive feedback upon possible improvements.

What can I do after this?

Our graduates pursue a variety of careers, with a number making choices directly related to their studies. Recent graduates have gone into accountancy or finance related jobs, as well as marketing, retail, human resources, graduate schemes and teaching.

Future study options:

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
PGCE
MSc International Business and Entrepreneurship at University of Essex, Southend Campus
MSc International Marketing and Entrepreneurship – University of Essex, Southend Campus
MSc Organisations Studies and Human Resource Management at University of Essex, Southend Campus
MSc Financial and Business Economics at University of Essex, Colchester Campus

Careers

Administrative and clerical

Financial services

Management and planning

Year 1: You will study a broad range of areas that will give you an insight into business such as finance, human resources, marketing and law. These build firm foundations for the rest of the degree programme, both in terms of knowledge and skills development. There are a number of assessment methods ranging from reports and essays to presentations, seminars and examinations. You will be provided with the support you need to develop the skills necessary for success.

Areas of study: Include managing people, business law, the business environment, event management, quantitative techniques, finance, business planning and marketing.

Year 2: You will build and expand upon your learning in the previous year, focusing on the use of technology in business, economics, human resources and finance.

Areas of study: Include business research, business finance, business technology, organisational behaviour, applied economic theory, entrepreneurship.

Year 3: This is the most challenging year in terms of content, and you are expected to be more independent than in previous years of study. You will need to be particularly organised and draw upon the skills that you have developed throughout the programme. Modules are contemporary in nature and allow for wide discussion. Advanced Research (Management) and the Individual Project (Dissertation) allow you to research and specialise in a specific element of business that you are interested in, with appropriate guidance from a supervisor.

Areas of study: Include advanced research, individual project, business strategy, operations management and corporate governance.

Low-cost higher education

Our fees are well below the national average and are among the lowest in the region, so studying with us is great value for money!

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Entry requirements

You will need a minimum of 160 UCAS points. In addition, you will also need GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in both Mathematics and English.

Full-time courses

Applications for full-time courses should be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), quoting institution code S43 and the UCAS code for your chosen course.

Part-time courses

Applications for all part-time Honours Degree, Foundation Degree, Certificate of Higher Education and Diploma of Higher Education courses at South Essex College should be made directly to the College using the online application form or by completing a paper application form and mailing it to our freepost address:

HE Admissions
South Essex College
Freepost SMU 110
Luker Road
Southend on Sea
Essex
SS1 1BR

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